BOEING has made a technology leap that might in the future be compared with the DHC Trident blind landing system breakthrough of yesteryear, now the standard norm for bad weather landings. The FAA has certificated on the Boeing 737-800 new generation series a Global Positioning Landing System (GLS), integrating data from the global navigation satellite system, ground stations and a multi-mode receiver on the aircraft, to provide pinpoint accuracy of its position relative to the runway and surrounding terrain. JAA approval is expected soon. Initially, GLS is certified to support Category I operations, which allow aircraft to manoeuvre in low visibility conditions. In the future, as GLS ground stations become available worldwide, the system will be able to support Category III operations, which allow aircraft to operate in very low or near zero visibility conditions.
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