RNP
Transportation & Travel abbreviation · Aviation
| Stands for | Required navigation performance |
|---|---|
| Categories | Transportation & Travel |
RNP stands for Required navigation performance, an aviation abbreviation.
Navigation specification requiring an aircraft to stay within a set distance of its intended path and to alert the crew when that accuracy cannot be assured. RNP AR approaches let airliners fly precisely curved paths into mountain-ringed airports such as Queenstown, New Zealand, with accuracy as tight as 0.1 nautical mile.
Example: Alaska Airlines pioneered RNP approaches into Juneau to cope with low clouds between the mountains.
Usage notes
The key difference from basic RNAV is onboard performance monitoring and alerting. AR means "authorization required": operators need specific approval, capable aircraft and specially trained crews. Alaska Airlines developed its Juneau procedures in the 1990s, and RNP has since spread to airports worldwide to cut track miles, noise and fuel burn.
Related abbreviations
More aviation abbreviations
- POH – Pilot's operating handbook
- PPL – Private pilot license
- QFE – Altimeter setting giving height above the airfield (Q code)
- QNH – Altimeter setting giving altitude above mean sea level (Q code)
- RA – Resolution advisory
- RNAV – Area navigation
- RPM – Revenue passenger miles
- RVR – Runway visual range
- RVSM – Reduced vertical separation minimum
- SEL – Single-engine land
- SIC – Second in command
- SID – Standard instrument departure