Certification of operations
Airservices commissioned into service a Category I (CAT-I) Honeywell Smartpath SLS-4000 GBAS, the first and only GBAS to receive system design approval by the US Federal Aviation Administration, at Sydney Airport on 29 May 2014.
Airservices is currently installing a CAT-I GBAS at Melbourne Airport (YMML) and continues to examine further possible installations at other airports around Australia.
Honeywell SmartPath is expected to eventually support precision approach and landing to Category III (CAT-III) standards.
Airservices aim to fully integrate Honeywell SmartPath within its air traffic management for improved safety while delivering increased flexibility, efficiency, capacity and environmental benefits to the industry.
Categories of Precision Approach and Landing
Each category has varying decision height and visual requirements for when a pilot can decide to proceed or cancel a precision instrument approach or landing.
| Category I operations |
A decision height not lower than 200ft and visibility not less than 800m, or a runway visual range of not less than 550m |
| Category II operations | A decision height lower than 200ft but not lower than 100ft and runway visual range not less than 350m |
| Category III A operations | A decision height lower than 100ft, or with no decision height and a runway visual range not less than 200m |
| Category III B operations | A decision height lower than 50ft, or with no decision height and a runway visual range less than 200m but not less than 50m |
| Category III C operations | No decision height and no runway visual range limitations |