AIM — FAA OPERATIONAL GUIDANCE

4-7-3 Obtaining RNP 10 or RNP 4 Operational Authorization

AIM Chapter 4. Air Traffic Control — Section 4-7, Operational Policy/Procedures for the Gulf of America 50 NM Lateral Separation Initiative

Official text — AIM 4-7-3

AIM — FAA OPERATIONAL GUIDANCE

a. For U.S. operators, AC 90-105, Approval Guidance for RNP Operations and Barometric Vertical Navigation in the U.S. National Airspace System and in Oceanic and Remote Continental Airspace, provides the aircraft and operator qualification criteria for RNP 10 or RNP 4 authorizations. FAA personnel at flight standards district offices (FSDO) and certificate management offices (CMO) will use the guidance contained in AC 90-105 to evaluate an operator's application for RNP 10 or RNP 4 authorization. Authorization to conduct RNP operations in oceanic airspace is provided to all U.S. operators through issuance of Operations Specification (OpSpec), Management Specification (MSpec), or Letter of Authorization (LOA) B036, as applicable to the nature of the operation; for example, part 121, part 91, etc. Operators may wish to review FAA Order 8900.1, Flight Standards Information Management System, volume 3, chapter 18, section 4, to understand the specific criteria for issuing OpSpec, MSpec, and/or LOA B036.

b. The operator's RNP 10 or RNP 4 authorization should include any equipment requirements and RNP 10 time limits (if operating solely inertial-based navigation systems), which must be observed when conducting RNP operations. RNP 4 requires tighter navigation and track maintenance accuracy than RNP 10.

Reproduced from the FAA Aeronautical Information Manual (Basic (with Change 3)). The AIM is FAA guidance, not regulation. Verify against the official source before relying on it operationally.

Is this a regulation?

No — this is FAA guidance, not a regulation.

Aeronautical Information Manual. FAA operational guidance and recommended practices. The AIM is not regulatory, although it often explains how to comply with regulations.

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