23 March 2021
GPS approaches using Localizer Performance with Vertical guidance (LPV approaches) will stop on 25 June this year, the Govt has confirmed.
The Secretary of State for Transport, Rt Hon Grant Shapps, has confirmed that the Govt could not agree terms with the EU for continuing to use EGNOS.
“I recognise that it nevertheless remains a disappointing outcome,” said Mr Shapps.
The UK’s participation in EGNOS will cease on 25 June this year following our departure from the EU and the end of the Transition Period.
The European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS) is Europe’s regional satellite-based augmentation system (SBAS) that is used to improve the performance of global navigation satellite systems (GNSSs), such as GPS and Galileo. It has been deployed to provide safety of life navigation services to aviation, maritime and land-based users over most of Europe.
“The Government recognises that after this date airspace users will not be able to benefit from localizer performance with vertical guidance procedures and instead, where possible, rely on lateral navigation procedures,” said Mr Shapps.
“The UK Government did seek to retain the use of EGNOS and throughout the negotiation period we continued to discuss the matter with our European counterparts.
“However, after carefully considering the terms that were offered to us, including the new levels of associated costs, it was not possible to reach a satisfactory settlement with the EU in the 24 December 2020 agreement.
“Although the Department for Transport did not lead on these discussions and the decision was agreed as being the Government’s official position on the matter, I recognise that it nevertheless remains a disappointing outcome.
“My officials subsequently reviewed the issue with their colleagues from across Government to consider the possibility of continuing these discussions. Unfortunately, it was accepted that for the immediate future at least, there is little prospect of renewing negotiations with the European Commission on the matter.”
Mr Shapps also confirmed that the Government has begun work on exploring alternative options for providing a commensurate navigation system. This includes discussions with the UK Space Agency for a dedicated UK replacement service.
“But it is, unfortunately, going to take some time and considerable investment to implement,” said Mr Shapps.
“The Government recognises that the immediate loss of EGNOS is clearly an important issue for airspace users, myself included, and we will be focussing our efforts on resolving this issue to ensure safety for all.”
10 comments
You’re no longer a member of the gym but you want to continue using the sauna LOL
Our EU friends and partners really do want only what is best for us . Don’t they ?
“Taking back control” means controlling us from doing things we could freely do before.
Have I read this article incorrectly?
Have the respondents above read it incorrectly?
As I read it, the UK government have declined it, EGNOS participation was offered and refused,
End of.
It mentioned the costs were a factor but then he goes on to say to develop a UK option would involve considerable investment. This would obviously be much more expensive so clearly opting out was purely a political decision (or incompetence hard to tell the difference)
The speedy roll-out of the vaccine programme may have been one of the few plus points of Brexit. The dogmatic decision to withdraw from EASA has necessitated a build-up of capacity and capability at the UK CAA, desired by nobody and leading to additional costs for UK aviation. The UK decision not to pursue participation in EGNOS means there will be no LPV approaches for GA and airlines alike, but also no PinS approaches to hospitals for Helicopter Emergency Medical Services. In effect Brexit has put UK aviation back to 1980’s.
Hi Marc, whilst the loss of access to EGNOS SoL services is going to be a right pain, it won’t actually have a significant effect on PinS approaches (if the CAA ever get round to allowing us to introduce them effectively). Due to the difficulty controlling the obstacle environment away from the general aviation environment, we were not going to get down to LPV type limits so LNAV PinS approaches, based on GNSS only, will not be much more limiting.
What a pity there are not “Like” buttons for all the above postings!
Since I am sure the UK contributed to the stand-up of the EGNOS system, will there be compensation for that original contribution? As an aviator across the pond in The Colonies, this makes no sense!
Bring back Decca I say, British technology at its best.