Performance-Based Navigation Development and Integration Support

Designates projects that provide innovative and sustainable solutions for our clients

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has tasked Tetra Tech to help improve the technology and functionality of its navigation infrastructure. Tetra Tech provides engineering and technical support for planning, research, development, implementation, sustainment, and decommissioning efforts as the FAA transitions to an integrated ground and satellite-based navigation systems architecture.

Tetra Tech supports the FAA's modernization initiatives, including its Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) by supporting the design of Performance Based Navigation (PBN) procedures, complying with environmental regulations, performing airspace environmental assessments, and noise footprint evaluations to enable increased capacity and enhance efficiency in the U.S. National Airspace System (NAS).

 The Global Positioning System (GPS) developed by the United States provides users with information on position, velocity, and time worldwide. Together with the European Galileo, Russian GLONASS, and Chinese Beidou systems, a seamless Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) is forming and Tetra Tech has been supporting this transformation of navigation technology for the FAA for nearly 20 years.

Tetra Tech has been providing the FAA with engineering, technical, operations, and satellite support to expand the capabilities of GPS by implementing new satellite navigation technology to make aviation flight safer, more efficient, and more cost-effective. Tetra Tech assisted in deploying  the Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS), an FAA-developed system that improves the accuracy, availability, and integrity of GPS.

GPS and WAAS are the primary enablers for Performance Based Navigation (PBN) to improve capacity, efficiency, access and safety for the NAS. WAAS will eventually enable thousands of conventional navigation facilities to be removed from service, significantly reducing operating costs and capital improvement costs for the FAA. Tetra Tech also provides systems & safety engineering and operations management support to the FAA’s Navigation Services office to rationalize the remaining conventional navigation infrastructure to most effectively enable future NextGen capabilities such as Required Navigation Performance (RNP) and to support development of alternate positioning, navigation, and timing (APNT) services.