Evaluation of Precision Approach Path Indicator (PAPI)

Details

• Creators:
  Castle, Bret
• Corporate Creators:
  United States. Department of Transportation. Federal Aviation Administration. Technical Center
• Corporate Contributors:
  United States. Department of Transportation. Federal Aviation Administration. Systems Research & Development Service
• Subject/TRT Terms:
  • Approach control
  • Flight paths
  • Glide path systems
  • Landing aids
  • Visual aids
  • Precision Approach Path Indicator (PAPI)
• Publication/ Report Number:
  DOT/FAA/CT-82/153, DOT/FAA/RD-82/85
• Resource Type:
  Tech Report
• Geographical Coverage:
  United States
• Edition:
  Final Report
• Corporate Publisher:
  United States. Department of Transportation. Federal Aviation Administration. William J. Hughes Technical Center
• Abstract:
  This report describes the evaluation of the Precision Approach Path Indicator (PAPI) to determine whether the PAPI provides sufficient advantages over the current standard red/white Visual Approach Slope Indicator (VASI) to warrant recommending it as the United States standard visual glidepath indicator. This process covered photometric testing, environmental testing, and flight evaluation. Various flight evaluations were accomplished at the FAA Technical Center (ACY), Newark Airport, New Jersey (EWR), Teterboro Airport, New Jersey (TEB) , and at Bader Field in Atlantic City, New Jersey (AIY). The results indicate that PAPI was preferred over the standard red/white VASI system. In general, United States pilots find very little fault with the standard red/white VASI system, and the PAPI is preferred mainly because it gives more rate and position information and because of its quick transitions from one color to the other. It is a passive system (no moving parts to wear out), meeting all of the operational requirements of a glide slope system, and requires less equipment and real estate than the standard VASI.
• Format:
  PDF
• Funding:
  081-502-510
• Download URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/92496/dot_92496_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 3.59 MB]
• Collection(s):
  FAA William J. Hughes Technical Center for Advanced Aerospace
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:4fa0acb1d5bfb1af30884f0464f058acf54961fd69305d0bdcaf615b1147c828580ac4a9691ae2177fb1fe72ce4bd7d605c79dc752cf852c039f131958e46165