RNAV stars

A RNAV STAR is an arrival route that leads you from your last en-route fix to the ILS intercept without requiring vectors from ATC.

A normal STAR is an arrival route, but it leads you from your last waypoint in your flight plan to a holding point or localizer.

thanks agus

You're welcome 😉

why do people say RNAV instead of Nav? what's the difference?

RNAV is the given name, therefore people should say RNAV instead of NAV.

I think (I think) RNAV is not usual navigation, but an old "GPS-FMC" type navigation system using waypoints. The waypoints cannot be calculated to/from a VOR, or through any other system except GPS. So you program the RNAV route into your FMC and it flies on preset waypoints and routes. Someone wiser, enlighten us.

I already explained what a RNAV STAR means...

A RNAV STAR is an arrival route that leads you from your last en-route fix to the ILS intercept without requiring vectors from ATC.

Hi All,

There is quite a bit more to add to my friend Agus's explanation of RNAV;

RNAV actually stands for "Area Navigation" it's not the same as NAV or any definition to NAV.

RNAV Charts and Approach Plates can only be requested / used by an aircraft that is 'RNAV capable'.

Generally, that is most planes with a GPS, IRS or combination of the two. (Most large airliners have a number of GPS and IRS for redundancy).

So..... whereas an A340, B737, CRJ, even a Dash 8 or ATR72 are all RNAV capable, the B727 among others (and the majority of GA aircraft) are not RNAV capable.

So what does this mean .........

An RNAV capable aircraft can request an RNAV approach (not just stars, there are RNAV IAP approaches too) and if given clearance, can follow that, like Agus said, all the way to the ILS intercept point.

The reason that plan needs to be RNAV capable to use these approaches is that the fundamental approach procedure will use "non radio based beacons" as part of it's pattern.

So it will use Long / Lat Waypoints, or GPS fixs as part of the strict routing that needs to be flown (in what is effectively a small area of airspace).

Planes without RNAV capability (GPS, IRS) can use most Approach types as they commonly use a VOR or other beacons to get the plane close to the final fix, where ATC will normally give vectors to final.

But non-RNAV planes cannot accurately navigate to non-radio waypoints with enough precision to be able to safely execute this type of approach.

If you search the net for some RNAV Approach Charts you'll usually see text on them somewhere that says "RNAV capable aircraft only".

😉

Very Good!!!! 👏

Very nice explanation of a RNAV, Pro-Sim! 👍

It was very interesting to know that too.

thanks a lot, that helps!!!!!!!!!!!