AACM has approved 7 airlines for RNP AR operations

Published by the Civil Aviation Authority (AACM), the "Required Navigation Performance - Authorization Required (RNP AR)", designed to enhance the safety and efficiency of operations on Runway 16 at Macau International Airport, has become effective since 23 May 2019. Currently, the AACM has approved 7 airlines to use the RNP AR allowing them to improve the reliability of landing on Runway 16 under adverse weather conditions and reduce unstable approaches significantly, therefore minimizing inconvenience to passengers and reducing fuel consumption.

RNP AR is a navigation specification for approach operations published by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). It incorporates additional navigation precision and provides a narrowed protected area, which helps to reduce track miles and enables more favourable minimum descent altitudes, particularly in severe weather conditions, thereby improving airport accessibility. 

With close collaboration between the Civil Aviation Authority and the industry, and having gone through a series of flight validations, the RNP AR was officially published 23 May 2019; the Authority granted approval to Air Macau for using the new procedures in the same year. During the COVID-19 pandemic from 2020 to 2022, most airlines suspended their flight services. The Authority received and approved only one other airline's RNP AR application during the period. Since the beginning of this year, the SAR government has significantly eased travel restrictions, motivating the Macao residents to resume outbound travels. As the number of passengers increases, the demand for air transport grows and the resumption of flight services is favourable, leading to an increased number of airline applications for using RNP AR. Up to now, the Authority has approved 7 airlines for the RNP AR operations, namely Air Macau, Shenzhen Airlines, AirAsia, Jin Air, Air Busan, Xiamen Airlines, and Qatar Airways (all-cargo).

Under normal circumstances, the flights to Macau International Airport usually adopt straight-in approach at Runway 34. However, due to weather conditions from March to May every year, most of the flights are required to use Runway 16 (from north to south). The approach procedures for both the traditional navigation and the satellite navigation required the aircraft to do visual turn and align runway when operating landings at Runway 16. The meteorological requirements were therefore higher, i.e. the visibility must reach 3,600m and the pilot must be able to see the runway at the altitude of 720 feet, in order to fulfill the operational safety requirements of the visual flight rules. With the RNP AR, the meteorological requirements can be lower, i.e. when making the turn at the final approach by instrument flight rules, as long as the visibility reaches 900m and the pilot is able to see the runway at the minimum altitude of 270 feet, this weather minima is adequate to fulfill the same level of operational safety requirements. The new procedures have therefore greatly reduced the number of go-arounds and flight diversions due to unfavourable weather conditions for aircraft landing at Runway 16.

Air Macau's aircraft and flight crew are fully equipped with the technical capabilities for the RNP AR and adopt the procedures for landings at Runway 16. Comparing the period from March to May in 2019, i.e. before the implementation of the RNP AR, the diversion rate for Air Macau's flights using Runway 16 was 2.69%; in the same period in 2023, the diversion rate decreased to 0.3%, indicating a significant reduction in the number of diversions and demonstrating that the RNP AR greatly improves the operational reliability of Runway 16 and hence reduces inconvenience to passengers. Furthermore, the shortened flight time reduces fuel consumption and carbon emission. The Civil Aviation Authority therefore welcomes more airlines with the RNP AR capabilities to apply to the Authority for the operations.

AIC A No.03/22 Application for "RNP AR" - https://www.aacm.gov.mo/uploads/202206/download/16540542605014.pdf

FS/APP/008 "RNP AR" application form - https://www.aacm.gov.mo/uploads/202205/download/16522398019336.pdf

The Civil Aviation Authority has granted the approval to 7 airlines for the RNP AR operations improving the diversion or flight diversion situations caused by weather factors during landing on Runway 16, significantly reducing unstable approaches, minimizing inconvenience to passengers, and reducing fuel consumption.

Air Macau's aircraft and flight crew are fully equipped with the technical capabilities for the RNP AR and adopt the procedures for landings at Runway 16.