All PBN Handbooks now finalised and published! 

The Joint CNS Standing Platform (JCSP) has formally approved the publication of a new Handbook to support Infrastructure Managers in infrastructure planning and the evolution of a minimum operational network (MON) to support GNSS reversion and ATC contingency procedures. The ‘European Navaid Infrastructure Planning Handbook, Including Minimum Operational Network (MON)’,  PBN Handbook No. 4, Edition 1.

The PBN IR requirements mean that GNSS is likely to become the primary infrastructure used by Airspace Users supported by a ground-based (DME/DME) infrastructure to support most PBN applications.  However, ANSPs/States need to consider the loss of the GNSS signal from space and plan an appropriate reversion strategy and provide ATM contingency procedures to cover for such an event.  Handbook No. 4 should be read in conjunction with PBN Handbook No. 6 which considers GNSS Reversion and ATM Contingency procedures.

Handbook No. 4 also stresses that the evolution of the State’s Navigation Infrastructure should not be undertaken in isolation.  Mindful of the pressures to save costs through decommissioning,  consultation with the Airspace Designers and ATCos must nevertheless take place before rationalisation or decommissioning.  Ideally decommissioning should be the 'last step’ after all operational requirements (for normal and contingency operations) have been satisfied.

The new Handbook can be accessed in the Portal Library or downloaded from here.