The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced on September 2 that the Required Navigation Performance Authorization Required (RNP-AR) procedure, which allows precise avoidance of mountainous terrain, will be introduced at Gimhae Airport starting tomorrow (the 3rd).

Previously, direct straight-in approaches to the runway (Runway 18) were impossible at Gimhae Airport due to northern mountainous terrain such as Mt. Dotdae and Mt. Sineo.

Because of this, pilots had to visually identify the airport and circle to approach the runway, which led to safety concerns and passenger inconvenience such as go-arounds and diversions.

Once the new procedure takes effect, aircraft will be able to land safely along pre-designed routes based on satellite navigation, without relying solely on the pilot's visual judgment.

Actual implementation is scheduled to take place sequentially after airline-specific operational preparations and approval procedures by aviation authorities.

The Ministry expects that as the minimum weather conditions required for landing are relaxed, go-arounds, diversions, and cancellations caused by weather conditions will also decrease.

Jeong Chae-gyo, Deputy Minister for Aviation Policy at the Ministry, stated, "We will continue to actively utilize advanced navigation technology to create safe skies that the public can use with peace of mind and convenience."

(Photo: Yonhap News)