A Statistical Analysis of Lateral GPS-Guided Category A and B Aircraft Final Approach Errors

David P. Stapleton

Peer Reviewed

Abstract:	Data have been analyzed for the cross-track component of the flight technical error (FTE) and total system error (TSE) associated with GPS navigation for 311 category A and B test approaches performed at Westheimer Airport in Norman, Oklahoma. Approach errors at along-track positions not near runway threshold are found to be approximately Gaussian (i.e., normal) near the mean, but non-Gaussian (with thicker-than-Gaussian tails) away from the mean. Distributions are plotted, and Kolmogorov-Smirnov analysis of the D statistic and hypothesis testing of skewness and kurtosis are employed to explore the appearance of the plots in relation to Gaussian distributions. Probability distributions for error are also compared with those (for Instrument Landing System [ILS] approaches) by the Collision Risk Model (CRM).
Published in:	NAVIGATION: Journal of the Institute of Navigation, Volume 49, Number 4
Pages:	193 - 204
Cite this article:	Stapleton, David P., "A Statistical Analysis of Lateral GPS-Guided Category A and B Aircraft Final Approach Errors", NAVIGATION: Journal of The Institute of Navigation, Vol. 49, No. 4, Winter 2002-2003, pp. 193-204.
Full Paper:	ION Members/Non-Members: 1 Download Credit Sign In