the airínea LATAM Ecuador realizedó verification flightón prior to the start of operations towards the Catamayo Airport in the province of Store. It also countsén already with the authorizationón to start operations.
With an estimated start date within the first quarter of the 2020, LATAM Ecuador realizedó its first flight to Loja as a verification flightón towards this airport complex.
It is also important to indicateén that with date 11 February 2019, LATAM Ecuador receivedó la authorizationón by the aero authorityáutica of Ecuador to increase its operating permitón the following route:
- Quito – Store – Quito, until 7 weekly frequencies.
with this permission, the airínea has the power to start its operations, date to beá announced próximly.
This flight focuses on the process of granting frequencies that the airlineínea performs to be able to start its flights between Quito Mariscal Sucre International Airport and the Catamayo City Airport.
Flight verificationón towards Catamayo
As we have previously reviewed, Catamayo Airport is operationalón complex and not just any aircraft can operate on this runway. 1.860 meters located at 1.237 meters above sea level and surrounded by mountainsñas with a variable climate.
With all the complexities indicated, operating at this airport requires certain additional processes to be able toí do it.
In this context, the airínea LATAM Ecuador carried outó its first verification flightóto Catamayo, approximationón missed and landing at what is considered the commercial airport más difícil of our país.
This process consists of the following:
- Validation flightón involve: see the adhesion of the avión to the RNAV RNP procedure, see the “volability” of the procedure by the pilots.
- RNAV RNP procedures are approximateón and instrumental outputs.
- First time an airplane lands and takes offón in Catamayo using instrumental and non-visual procedures, when the convert process is finishedá to this airport in one of the largest operational capacities in the countryís.
- RNAV RNP procedures, They are based on the capabilities of the navigation instruments.ón of the avión, one of them is GPS in navigationósatellite n.
- There is an investmentón in technologyíto the ancestorsón so that it has this capacity and can have adequate performanceñor at the Catamayo airport
- In the validation processóThey work with the DGAC and assist in the approvalón de la operationón and instrument flight procedures
- The conditions of the Catamayo airport are complex due to the location.ón and surrounding terrain, by the winds, track length and temperature.
¿Becauseé other aerosolíneas do not fly with Airbus to Catamayo?
Before reviewing this endpoint, It is important to indicate that Tame sí has flown on Airbus A319 to Lojañthe atreás a búcertification searchón de la operationón of this aircraft in Catamayo, sin ésuccess due to operational restrictionsúcould not be known.
Now LATAM Ecuador has carried out approach proceduresón and RNP output that are tied to various operational actions that the pilot must apply along with those procedures.
It goes tooén in conjunction with the performance actions that we have in the EFB electronics flight bags performance tool. Yes, an ancestorón X sets the coordinates of the approachón into your GPS or FMC and fly it, it is not going to do the same since it does not have the ability to maintain the exact trajectory that a satellite procedure has, can generate a potential conflict with the terrain.
Finally, remember that the start of operations isá subject to approvalón of the frequencies requested by the National Aviation Councilón Civilian of Ecuador.
