IndiGo performs the first RNP approach into Kochi, India’s first

IndiGo Airlines (Delhi) on June 24 conducted the first ever Required Navigation Performance (RNP) approach in regular airline operations, while landing at Kochi on their scheduled flight, 6E 345 from Bengaluru. IndiGo has collaborated with Quovadis, a subsidiary of Airbus, the Airports Authority of India (AAI), and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to enable an even more secure and safe landing procedure at the Kochi International Airport. IndiGo becomes the first carrier in India authorized to implement this effective, fuel-saving practice. The Kochi International Airport is India’s seventh busiest airport, and equipped with one ILS (Instrument Landing System) on runway 27 and a VOR (both ground based installations) that are used for guidance for landing procedures on both ends of the runway.

IndiGo has been working with Airbus and the government to develop and implement the RNP procedure, which brings great benefits to both the authorities and IndiGo:

Accurate flight path on contained and secure trajectories
A shorter flight path, saving 75 KM for IndiGo on each approach, which is approximately 400 kgs of fuel saving per landing, and a corresponding amount of reduction of greenhouse gas emissions
Freedom from dependence on conventional ground based navigation installations by using on board systems and Global Positioning System (satellite based positioning)
Easier traffic management in non-radar environments

The entire process that has been successfully validated on Airbus simulators and in the aircraft, has now been flown successfully in regular commercial operations by IndiGo on its Airbus A320 on June 23, 2012.