-·

Maintenance of Radio Navigational

Aids sites and ILS Critical/Sensitive
m«ftlr ~11101qtt01 ~ Areas.

CNS CIRCULAR 08/2019

3'11'<<1~ll faCHra=tqi"tiTI ~
Airports Authority of India

Directorate of CNS-OM
Rajiv Gandhi Bhavan
Safdarjung Airport New Delhi- 110003

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 Maintenance of Radio Navigational
Aids sites and ILS Critical/Sensitive
Areas.

CNS Circular 08 of 2019

(File Reference No: - E5083/NM-18020/l/2015-CNS-OM/CNS Circulars/Part-!)

Subject: Maintenance of Radio Navigational Aids sites and ILS Critical/Sensitive Areas.

In order to prevent unacceptable interference to ILS and other navigational Aids System,
areas around antenna shall be protected as per provision of ICAO Annex 10 Volume 1.

For the above purpose, following guidelines shall be followed for the maintenance of
critical and sensitive area ofiLS, protected area around VOR (As defined in attachment 1),
DME, NDB/Locators, Marker beacons and area around DGPS point used for flight
calibration by FlU at the Airports.

1. Localizer and Glide Path:

1.1 Protection of Critical and Sensitive Area: - Ideally, the critical area protection is
enforced during all ILS operations with protection afforded down to at least the Category I
decision height. A critical area disturbance would normally impact all aircraft using the ILS
signal at a given time (entire approach). The critical area is typically safeguarded
through marked boundaries, limiting access to the area or through procedural means if
there are overlaps into operational areas. From an operational perspective, the sensitive
area would ideally protect aircraft operations at least from the Category I decision height
down to the runway, and be activated during low visibility conditions only (e.g.
Category II and III). A sensitive area disturbance would normally be of a transient
nature, and produce a local disturbance affecting a single aircraft only.
Details regarding protection of critical and sensitive area during CAT-II/III operations at an
airport are given in station specific, Low Visibility Procedure [LVPs] and should be enforced
during operations as per the guidelines.

Other guidelines issued on the subject by regulatory authority from time to time on the
subject shall be strictly complied with.

Dimension of ILS Critical and Sensitive area as per revised guidance given in ICAO
Amendment 91 to Annex 10 Volume I -Radio Navigational Aids is given in attachment 1
to this circular. Details regarding Amendment 91 to Annex 10 Volume-! -Radio
Navigational Aids issued vide ICAO state letter Ref: AN/7/62.2.2-18/18 Dated 23rct March
2018 which has become applicable on 08111 November 2018 are available on AAI website,
"aai.aero" at the link "https://aim-india.aai.aero/ais-document"

1.2 Maintenance and access control of ILS Critical and Sensitive areas:

1.2.1 The height of Grass and shrubs is not to exceed 150mm in the critical area of ILS .

1.2.2 During ILS operation, access of personnel, vehicles and carrying out of maintenance
activities in the critical area of ILS shall be done as per the following procedure:-

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 Maintenance of Radio Navigational
Aids sites and ILS Critical/Sensitive
~ faltlcrtqttcrt ~ Areas.

~ Access control to critical and sensitive area of ILS, operational as CAT II and CAT
III, shall be as per promulgated provisions of Low Visibility Procedure (L VP) of the
airport. In absence of such procedure, access to the area shall be done with prior
coordination with ATC.
~ Maintenance activities like Grass mowing, maintenance of Airport lighting etc. in
the critical area of ILS shall be carried out in coordination with ATSEP during watch hours
of ILS operation. ATSEP should have prior coordination with ATC for execution of work.
~ No metallic objects including vehicles shall be permitted to enter into critical area
of ILS during operations. If entry of vehicle in to critical area becomes necessary due to
operational reason prior coordination shall be done with ATSEPs and ATC. Before issuing
such permission, guideline contained in above para shall be kept in view.

2.VOR
2.1.1 Grass and shrubs within 300 Meter radius of the site must be mown or cut regularly
so that their heights do not exceed 600mm.
2.1.2 Grass cutting equipment is not to be parked within 300 Meter radius of the VOR
building.
2.1.3 The vehicles used by airport maintenance staff are to be parked underneath the
counterpoise or beyond the radius of 300 Meter.

3. NDB/Locators, Marker Beacons and DME facilities:-

The height of grass and other vegetation over the protected area(within 30 metres of 100
watt NDB/ Locators and 100 metres for 400/500 watt NDB) covering the Antenna Mast(s),
the earth mat, buildings is not to be exceed 600mm.

The area below the stand alone Marker beacons and DME antenna shall be free from tall
grass and shrubs.

4. DGPS point maintenance:-

4.1 The DGPS point marked by FlU for flight inspections ofthe facilities of the airport.

4.2 Grass and other vegetation at the Site must be mown or cut regularly. The height of
grass and other vegetation around the point is not to exceed 100 mm.

5. Signage: Proper signage shall be provided to delineate the boundaries of critical and
sensitive areas of navigational Aids. Sign boards shall be made of non-metallic material
and shall be provided as per DGCA CAR Section -4 Aerodrome Design and operations
Series -B Aerodrome Facilities Part-I Aerodrome design and operations.

6. Water Logging: Action shall be taken to avoid water logging in critical and sensitive
area and around antenna system ofNav Aids.

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 Maintenance of Radio Navigational
Aids sites and ILS Critical/Sensitive
Areas.

7. Limitation of Construction of Structures/Obstacles: Construction of any structure in

the vicinity of Nav Aids are to be controlled as per Ministry of Civil Aviation GSR 751 (E)
Dated 30.09.2015. Unauthorized construction/obstruction which is likely to affect the
performance of Nav Aids is to be brought to the notice of competent authority for
immediate action as per GSR 751 (E) along with other guidelines issued on the subject and
as amended from time to time.

8. No uncovered drainage/water pipe shall be allowed to pass through the critical area of
ILS .If this is already existing, necessary actions are to be taken so that water logging does
not take place in the area.

9. No overhead electrical power line to be permitted to pass through critical area of ILS
and in the protected area in case ofVOR, DME NDB and Markers.

10. Consideration during operation of facility, civil works like new construction
excavation digging and levelling is not allowed in critical area and around antenna system
of ILS and in the protected area as mentioned above for VOR, DME NDB and Markers.

11. Applicability: - All concerned officials at field stations are required to follow
guidelines to maintain Nav-Aids sites & ILS Critical and Sensitive Areas as provided in this
circular when planning for or maintaining an existing Nav Aid Installation.

12. Queries: -Any queries or further guidance required on the content of this CNS circular
should be addressed to: -

Executive Director [CNS-OM]

Airports Authority of India
Rajiv Gandhi Bhavan
Safdarjung Airport New Delhi- 110003
E mail: edcnsom@aai.aero or gmcnshrm@aai.aero .

13. Validity: -This CNS Circular shall be in force until further notice. This CNS Circular
supersedes CNS Circulars 0112008 and 07/2018.

~~-
[Pan Singh]
Executive Director [CNS-OM]

Enclosed: Attachment -1 -Dimensions of ILS Critical/Sensitive Area and protected

area of DVOR.

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 Maintenance of Radio Navigational
Aids sites and ILS Critical/Sensitive
~ fal11014tl01 ~ Areas.

Attachment-1 to CNS Circular 08 of2019

Dimensions of ILS Critical and Sensitive areas and protected area of DVOR

Definition of ILS Critical and Sensitive area

Critical Area: - The ILS critical area is an area of defined dimensions about the
localizer and glide path antennas where vehicles, including aircraft, are excluded
during all ILS operations. The critical area is protected because the presence of
vehicles and/or aircraft inside its boundaries will cause unacceptable disturbance to
the ILS signal-in-space;

Sensitive Area: - The ILS sensitive area is an area where the parking and/or movement
of vehicles, including aircraft, is controlled to prevent the possibility of unacceptable
interforence to the ILS signal during ILS operations. The sensitive area is protected
against interference caused by large moving objects outside the critical area but still
normally within the airfield boundary.

1. Dimensions of ILS Critical and Sensitive areas:-

1.1 Technical determination of critical and sensitive area dimensions- Critical and
sensitive areas are normally calculated in the planning stage, prior to ILS installation,
using guidance given in ICAO Annex 10, Volume-!. A similar process is used when
there are changes to the installation or to the environment around antenna system.

1.2 Factors impacting the sizes of critical and sensitive areas - Localizer and Glide
path antennas with optimized radiation patterns, especially when combined with two-
frequency transmitters, can be very effective in reducing the potential for signal
disturbance and hence the sizes of the critical and sensitive areas. Other factors
affecting the sizes of the areas include the category of approach and landing operation
to be supported, the amount of static disturbance, locations, sizes and orientations of
aircraft and other vehicles (particularly of their vertical surfaces), runway and taxiway
layout, and antenna locations.

2. ILS Localiser and Glide path Critical and Sensitive Area dimensions:-

2.1 ICAO vide Amendment 91 to Annex -10 Volume-1 has given guidance to select
typical ILS Localiser and Glide path, Critical and Sensitive Area dimensions at and
airport depending on following factors:-
(i) LLZ and GP Antenna type;
(ii) LLZ antenna aperture size;
(iii) Type of aircraft/vehicle operations at airport; and
(iv) Runway orientations (Parallel/Perpendicular).

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 Maintenance of Radio Navigational
Aids sites and ILS Critical/Sensitive
Areas.

2.2 Considering above factors, fo llowing typical Critical and Sensitive area
dimension for ILS Localizer and Glide path as given below shall be used when
planning for or maintaining an existing ILS installation:-

2.2.1 ILS Localiser Critical and Sensitive area dimensions:-

~ Rear sensitive area ~ Critical area

~ SensitiYe area
Additional rear seruiti\·e area for ~ Additional seruiti\·e area for non-perpendicular, non-parallel to runway
perpendicular to runway orientations orientations

Zs1
:~
I I
I I

e
a I
II
..."' I
I
I
I
I
Zc: I
----+:1+-----
1
Localizer I
antenna array 1..---- -
1
I
I
I
I
Xs
NottoscllU
DlmeiUiotu in ~ Tote.;;;;. l'J and Xm are determined by a sire-speclflc study. Where no sile-speclflc study has
been undertaken, the default value for X rH is zero.

Figure C-3. Example of localizer critical and sensitive area dimensions

(values in associated Table C-1 below)

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 • Maintenance of Radio Navigational

A~
Aids sites and ILS Critical/Sensitive
~ FciJIJiilqtfiil ~ Areas.

Table 1: Localizer [LOC] Critical and Sensitive area dimensions:

Aircraft/vehicle H:S6m 6 m <H:S 14m 14m < H :S20 m 20m <H :S 25m
height Ground vehicle Medium aircraft Larf,!e aircraft Very larf,!e a ircraft
LLZ Antenna Large
Medium Large Medium Large Medium Large Medium
aperture
Critical area 580 m
(CAT I) Xc 65 m 45 m 200 m 150 m 500m 410 m 660 m
Zc 10m 10m No aircraft movement behind LOC ant. in India

(seeNote 10) Yc 15 m 20m 25 m 25 m 50m 30m 55 m 40m

Sensitive area
1100 m
(CAT I) Xs 1300 m
Yl/Y2 No Sensitive Area No Sensitive Area No Sensitive Area 90m 50m

Zsl/Zs2 60m 60m

Critical area 675 m

(CAT II) Xc 75 m 55 m 200m 200m 500m 475 m 750m
Zc 10m 10m No aircraft movement behind LOC ant. in India

(seeNote 10) Yc 15 m 20m 25 m 25 m 50m 30m 170m 50m

Sensitive area Localizer

(CAT II) Localizer to
Xs to threshold
No No threshold distance.
75 m sensitive 500m sensitiv 2 100 m 1400m distance.
Y1 15 m area 50m area 125mxK 60mxK 180mxK lOOm xK

Y2 15 m 50m 125mxK 60mxK 180m xK 125mxK

Zs 1 15 m 15 m 35 m 35 m 60m 60m 70m 70m

(see Note 7) Zs2 15 m 15 m 45 m 45 m 160m 160m 250m 250m

Critical area 675 m

(CAT III) Xc 75 m 55 m 200m 200m 500m 475 m 750m
Zc 10m 10m No aircraft movement behind LOC ant. in India

(seeNote lO) Yc 15 m 20m 25 m 25 m 50m 30m 70m 50m

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 Maintenance of Radio Navigational
Aids sites and ILS Critical/Sensitive
~ ~AI01qi'101 ~ Areas.

Sensitive area Localizer

(CAT III) Localizer to
Xs to threshold
No No
threshold distance.
sensitive sensitiv
100m 900m 3100 m 3100 m distance.
area area
Yl 15m 50m 140mxK 120mxK 180mxK 150mxK

Y2 15m 50m 160mx K 120mxK 260mxK 180mxK

Zsl 15m 15m 35m 35m 60m 60m 70 m 70m

(see Note 7) Zs2 15m 15m 45 m 45 m 160m 160m 250m 250m

Xc and Yc for an ILS shall depend on type of moving objects (ground vehicles/aircrafts),
aperture of antenna (LOC) as per Note 3 (given below).

Notes:
1. For vehicles smaller than 2. 5 m in height, Zc = 3 m, assuming a 23 dB front/back ratio for the
transmitting antenna for both course and clearance signals.
2. For systems with near-field monitor antennas, vehicles must not enter between the monitor
antennas and the transmitting antenna.
3. Small aperture: II elements or less. Medium aperture: I2 to I5 elements. Large aperture: I6
elements or more. Simulations have been conducted using a commonly installed I2 element
system for the medium and a commonly installed 20 element system for the large aperture
cases. It is assumed that Category 11/111 operations are not conducted on runways equipped
with small aperture localizers, and that aircraft as large as a 747 are not operating on such
runways.
4. For localizer arrays with very low height, additional critical area will be needed due to the
greater attenuation of the direct signal at low vertical angles.

5. For localizer arrays with very low height, additional critical area will be needed due to the
greater attenuation of the direct signal at low vertical angles.

6. K = localiser to threshold distance

3300m

7. The rear dimensions for sensitive areas may be changed based on specific study results
considering fielded antenna pattern characteristics. A directional array with a 23 dB
front/back ratio is assumed for course and clearance signals.
8. Single aircraft taxiing or holding parallel to the runway does not generate out-of-tolerance
signals.
9. Boundaries for critical areas or rear sensitive areas apply to the entire longitudinal axis
(both tail and fuselage) of the interfering aircraft. Boundaries for sensitive areas apply only
to the tail of the interfering aircraft.
10. The critical area semi-width, Yc, should exceed the actual physical dimension of the
localizer antenna array by at least IO m laterally (on both sides) in its portion between the
localizer antenna array and the stop end of the runway.

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 Maintenance of Radio Navigational
Aids sites and ILS Critical/Sensitive
Areas.

2.2.2 G lide Path (GP) Critical and Sensitive area dimensions: -

Exampl e taxiway

antenna

120m
(400ft)

>: } .. ···.
.·.·.-.·-: i
··.·
.·.·.:-:-·-: ... ....
.. .. . .--:. ..····
. . .......
.·.
. . . <· .... .
: ~ : r ::~:: ~ : ~:~ : :~: : ~ : ~ : :~~~':::~- -~.: ~ : ~ :-~: ~ _ - : -
.. .. ..
>l·>. . ..
. . . . . . . . . .<: :.: :..-:.: : .<<·

Runway

300 m (1000 ft)

0 Critical area
(not to scale)
Direction of
approach
1:: -::·! Sensitive area

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 • Maintenance of Radio Navigational

~
Aids sites and ILS Critical/Sensitive
Areas.

Table 2: GP critical and sensitive area dimensions for parallel and perpendicular
orientations*.
Vtircraftlvehicle height IH:S6m 6 m < H:S 14m 14 m < H:::; 20 m 20 m < H :::; 25 m
~round Medium aircraft Large aircraft Very large
~ehicle aircraft
Glide path Antenna type M-Array M-Array M-Array M-Array

CAT I critical area X 299m 329 m 467 m 610 m

y 29m 20m 22m 15m

CAT I sensitive area X 299m 279m 417m 510 m

y 29m 20m 22m 15m

CAT II/III critical area X 299m 329m 567m 660m

y 29m 20m 22m 15m

CAT II/III sensitive area 299m 429m 517 m 560m

X 29m 20m 22m 15m
y

Table 3: GP critical and sensitive area dimensions for other orientations*

Aircraft/vehicle height IH:S6m 6 m < H:S 14m 14m< H:::; 20m 20 m < H :::; 25 m
~round Medium aircraft Large aircraft Very large
~ehicle aircraft
Glide path type M-Array M-Array M-Array M-Array

CAT I critical area X 298m 297m 444m 591 m

y 24m 39m 35m 34m

CAT I sensitive area X 298m 297m 444m 541 m

y 24m 39m 25m 24m

CAT II/III critical area X 298m 347m 544m 672m

y 24m 39m 35m 34m

CAT II/III sensitive area 298m 297m 528m 610 m

X 24m 39m 25m 24m
y
.. ..
X cnttcal & Y cnttcal depends on RWY onentatton, type of movmg objects (ground
vehicles/aircrafts).
Notes:
1. Xb = 50 m and applies to both critical and sensitive areas for the large and very large
aircraft category only. Otherwise, Xb = 0 m.
2. The ground vehicle category also applies to small aircraft. Simulations have
approximated these aircraft or large ground vehicles using a rectangular box (4 m
high D 12 m long D 3 m wide). Depending on local conditions, it may be possible to

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 Maintenance of Radio Navigational
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~ ~AICI14ttil1 ~ Areas.

reduce especially Category I critical area dimensions such that taxiing or driving on the
taxiway directly in front of the glide path antenna may be allowed.
3. Separate tables are given for parallel/perpendicular and for other orientations in
order to not penalize parallel taxiway operations. To derive worst-case keep-out
areas, the largest number among the two tables must be used.
4. Simulations are referenced to the glide path antenna mast using a typical perpendicular
distance to the runway centreline of 120 m and a nominal parallel distance from the
runway threshold of 300 m. For different antenna-to-runway offsets, the critical and
sensitive areas have to be shifted accordingly.
5. The edge of the runway closer to the glide path antenna defines the inner limit of the
critical area. The farther edge of the runway defines the inner limit of the sensitive area.
6. Depending on simulation choices (transition point), the critical area may be larger
than the sensitive area and impact associated management procedures.
7. Category I critical area is typically equal or larger than the sensitive area, protecting
the Category I sensitive area may not be necessary.
8. Boundaries for critical and sensitive areas apply to the entire aircraft (entire fuselage and
wings).

3. DVOR Protected area: - An area within 300 Meter radius from the centre of the
antenna of the facility.

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