Reduced Vertical Separation Minimum for aircraft

Running head : REDUCED VERTICAL SEPARATION MINIMUM

Reduced Vertical Separation Minimum for Aircraft

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Table of Contents

Abstract ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 3

Main Text

Introduction ------------------------------------------------------------------- 4

Approval for RVSM Operations ------------------------------------------- 5

Height Monitoring Principles ----------------------------------------------- 5

RVSM Procedures in Transition Areas ------------------------------------ 6

Aircraft Equipment ----------------------------------------------------------- 6

Flight Planning ---------------------------------------------------------------- 7

Pre - flight Procedures ------------------------------------------------------- 7

In - flight Procedures -------------------------------------------------------- 8

Contingency Procedures ----------------------------------------------------- 8

Conclusion --------------------------------------------------------------------- 8

p References ----------------------------------------------------------------------9

Abstract

Because of the dramatic increase in air traffic over the past decade aviation organizations in the United States and other internationally based counterparts find ways to prevent congestion on routes with high traffic incidents . In to do this , RVSM is proposed . RVSM or Reduced Vertical Separation Minimum is the reduction of the vertical separation from current 2 ,000-ft . minimum to 1 ,000-ft . minimum of the FL 290 . After a thorough study , the ICAO Review of General Concept of Separation Panel (RGCSP ) concluded that it is technically feasible to implement the 1 ,000-ft . separation standard safely (Federal Aviation Administration [FAA] , 2005

Since its implementation , there is a remarkable 28 decline on operational errors in the airspace in which RVSM is applied . Also , fuel costs are decreasing significantly due to more efficient altitudes at which the planes are flying . Not only that , there is a reduction in the number of conflicts situations wherein a plane has to move laterally or vertically as ed by the controller (Federal Aviation Administration [FAA] , 2008

These results suggest that the new separation standard of 1 ,000-ft minimum besides being as safe is more effective than that of the previous vertical separation of 2 ,000-ft . minimum Reduced Vertical Separation Minimum for Aircraft

In 1988 , ICAO completed a study that concluded the feasibility of the safe implementation of the 1000-ft . separation standard . The study was conducted due to the arising problem of flight- level congestion in airspaces with high traffic incidents . Before the RSVM implementation the standard vertical separation for altitudes between 29 ,000 and 41 ,000 is 2 ,000-ft (FAA , 2008 . The pressure altimeter 's accuracy decreases with height and this instrument is used in aircrafts to determine their level , so that is why the standard vertical separation implemented before was 2 ,000-ft . But over the years , when altimeters were combined with air data computers (ADC , they become more accurate . Maintaining a set level using autopilots is also more easier nowadays . These developments led to question the 2 ,000-ft . separation for many modern aircrafts . Given the technology nowadays , it became apparent that the existing separation standard is too cautious . Therefore the proposal to reduce it to 1 ,000-ft . was made by ICAO

Reduced Vertical Separation Minimum (RVSM ) between FL 290 FI 410 has already been implemented in European Airspace since January 24 , 2002 The purpose of this is to prevent flight-level congestions , thus optimizing flight pros (Jeppesen Sanderson , Incorporated [JSI] 2000 . In North America , RSVM airspace has only been implemented recently (ARINC Incorporated , 2008

Approval for RVSM Operations

Before an aircraft can have...