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Published: 1989

Total Pages: 36

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At the request of the Microwave Landing System (MLS) Program Office, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Technical Center conducted an operational demonstration and flight test of the MLS at Miami/Tamiami, Florida Airport. The demonstration/flight test was conducted in conjunction with an MLS seminar jointly sponsored by U.S. Department of Transportation, FAA, and Transport Canada Aviation Group. The Technical Center's MLS test bed, consisting of 1.5 beamwidth elevation station and a 2 beamwidth azimuth station, was transported to, and temporarily installed at the Miami/Tamiami Airport on runway 9R, collocated with the commissioned instrument landing system (ILS). Additionally, an E-Systems preproduction model precision distance measuring equipment (DME/P) transponder was also installed adjacent to the runway 9R localizer equipment shelter. On March 29, 1989, seven 1-hour demonstration and data collection flights were flown for over 60 aviation, industry, and US and international Government attendees. By careful siting of the MLS on runway 9R, proportional MLS signal coverage was also obtained in the approach regions of runways 9L and 13. By utilizing an FAA Technical Center designed and fabricated MLS area navigation (RNAV) computer on board the demonstration aircraft, precision approaches were flown not only to runway 9R, but also to runways 9L and 13. This demonstrated the tremendous flexibility and operational capability of MLS. The MLS signal-in-space on runway 9R met Category II ILS tolerances. No degradation of the ILS performance due to the MLS collocation was detected during this demonstration.