ESSP and Finavia – Finland's Airport and Air Navigation Service Provider - have just signed an EGNOS Working Agreement (EWA) as a key step for the implementation of EGNOS-based approach procedures (LPV procedures) at Finnish airports.

The signature was sealed mid November by ESSP President Dirk Werquin and Finavia's Senior Vice President & Air Navigation Director, Raine Luojus.

The EGNOS Working Agreement formalizes the operational and technical modalities between ESSP, the EGNOS service provider, and Finavia, in order to support the gradual introduction and use of EGNOS LPV (Localizer Performance with Vertical guidance) approaches in Finland.

From now on, Finavia can start publishing EGNOS-based procedures that will improve safety, accessibility and efficiency to pilots and operators at Finland's airports.

EGNOS provides a cost effective alternative to ILS CAT I, offering similar performance, for free !

"Finavia has been one of the pioneers in the implementation of satellite based flight procedures in Europe" said Mr. Raine Luojus.

"Modern fleets of main operators have enabled Finavia to already take RNAV based non-precision approach procedures into operations at all its airports." he continued. "Now, it is possible to take the next significant step and start introducing EGNOS based LPV approach procedures. The first two LPV approach procedures in Finland will be published for the Joensuu Airport in mid December."

Finavia Corporation  :
A state owned company and provides en-route services for the entire Finnish airspace and air traffic services at 25 airports. Finavia handled 493 000 flights, carrying 19, 2 million passengers in 2012.

EGNOS :
The European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service, is a Satellite-Based Augmentation System (SBAS) that improves the accuracy and provides integrity to the GPS Signal over most of Europe.The EC owns and manages the EGNOS system. ESA is the EGNOS design agent under a delegation agreement with the EC. Similar services are provided in North America by the Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS), in Japan by the Multifunctional Satellite Augmentation System (MSAS) and in India by the GAGAN System. Other similar Satellite Based Augmentation Systems (SBAS) are under study or development in other regions of the world. It is Europe's first venture into satellite navigation and a major stepping-stone towards Galileo, Europe's own global satellite navigation system for the future. Starting from 1st January 2014, EGNOS will be managed by the European GNSS Agency (GSA).

LPV :
LPV is a non-precision approach. It stands for Localizer Performance with Vertical Guidance and typically takes you down to 200-250 ft decision height.