Published date: 17 December 2021

Purpose

This AC describes an acceptable means of compliance with the airworthiness, continued airworthiness, and operational requirements for operators to obtain approval by the Director to conduct Performance-Based Navigation (PBN) operations within New Zealand, as per rule 91.261. Approval by the Director may be granted when the operator has demonstrated compliance with the relevant airworthiness, continued airworthiness, and flight operations requirements. 

Related rules

This AC relates specifically to the applicable provisions of New Zealand Civil Aviation Rule Part 91.

This AC relates specifically to the applicable provisions of New Zealand Civil Aviation Rules, in particular rules 91.261, 91.263, and 91.519.

It also relates to the pilot training and qualification requirements in Parts 61, as well as operator approvals required by Parts 119, 121, 125 and 135.

Change notice

Revision 1 updates the AC completely to align with the PBN regulatory framework, by:

  • updating the rule references
  • including related CAA Notices
  • adding a new Appendix I, Contingency Procedures in the Event of loss of Primary Means of Navigation (PMoN)
  • renumbering all subsequent appendices as a result (with Appendix I in the last Revision now being Appendix II, and so on)
  • providing clarification and simplification of the PBN operation application and approval process, with reference to rules 91.261 and 91.263, and the new 91.519, due to come into force on 1 December 2021
  • moving detailed technical and operational content to the Appendices, and
  • including all RNP capabilities covered in the ICAO PBN Manual (DOC 9613 fourth edition).

It also introduces standard revision numbers and changes the order of some sections.

Because of feedback from participants, the final version of Revision 1 differs substantially from the draft that was put up as part of the wider consultation in December 2020. This document provides a marked-up draft of the new sections that have been added, as shown in yellow.
AC91-21, Rev 1, Operational Approvals — Performance-Based Navigation, marked up version. [PDF 879 KB]