Aviation Noise Technologies

Global Positioning Systems

Global Positioning Systems (GPS) is a global radio-navigation system that uses signals from a constellation of 24 satellites to calculate a position on the earth to a very high degree of accuracy. GPS technology represents the future of aircraft navigation close-in to an airport, providing airports with a safer operating environment during inclement weather and more precise flight paths that could further enhance noise abatement strategies.

In 1995, the Metropolitan Airports Commission was the first airport authority in the world to implement a DGPS satellite landing system, which is installed at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. The MAC continues to actively participate with the Federal Aviation Administration and private industry in encouraging GPS technology implementation throughout the National Airspace System.