I've been watching the NGX reports, and I have a question: Will the FMS be capable of LPV approaches? I recently tried this out with the RXP GNS in a GA aircraft, and this seems pretty cool as another bit of completeness that most other add-ons lack(the MD-11 has GPS, but I don't think it has WAAS or LPV capability, and Level D's 767 has no GPS at all)In case it isn't obvious, by GPS I mean GPS navigation, not 'silly moving map device used in default aircraft'.

There's really nothing specifically called "WAAS" or "LPV" in the NG - the newer software revisions for the plane have what's called IAN (Integrated Approach Navigation) and GLS (GNSS Landing System). There are no commercially operable GLS approaches in existence in the real world yet - in fact the 747-8F was the first aircraft to ever do a test one just two months ago. http://blog.seattlep...t-gls-approach/IAN is essentially an FMC calculated localizer and glideslope - the indications look similar to that of an ILS on the PFD's FMA, but you see FAC (FMC Approach Course) instead of VOR/LOC in the roll mode box and G/P (glidepath) in the vertical mode box. IAN can be flown down to CAT1 minimums. It can also be used partially too - say you have a VOR approach, you can use the VOR as your lateral nav source, but then have the FMC compute a smooth glidepath for you instead of doing the stepdown altitudes.IAN is modeled and the framework for GLS is there, but as there are no actual approaches in the real world that use it we have to wait for that to happen first. For all intents and purposes what a unit like the RXP GNS is doing is actually more akin to IAN - there are no GPS satellites in FSX, you can't have degradation of the satellite signal etc... it's just computing the paths. Same with the Flight1 Mustang, which also has LPV capability.

Qantas have been trialling GLS at Sydney with their A380s for quite a while now...http://www.comlaw.go...ils/F2009L00116Cheers,Nick Jones

Great answer, thanks.What exactly is the difference between IAN, LPV and GLS? The LPV approaches seem to have CAT I minimums, is IAN just the phrase for LPV in larger aircraft?

LPV in a 737. LOL.Life is funny isn't it? Odd how I can fly an approach to lower minimums than the 777 ahead of me because my C152 has WAAS.