The evaluation process, using properly equipped aircraft, regarding continuity, integrity and accuracy of significant parameters from radio

Radio

Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...

 navigation aids and procedures, aiming their calibration with international standards.

ICAO and FAA are most common international standards used within flight inspection.

VOR

VHF omnidirectional range

VOR, short for VHF omnidirectional radio range, is a type of radio navigation system for aircraft. A VOR ground station broadcasts a VHF radio composite signal including the station's identifier, voice , and navigation signal. The identifier is typically a two- or three-letter string in Morse code...

, ILS

Instrument Landing System

An instrument landing system is a ground-based instrument approach system that provides precision guidance to an aircraft approaching and landing on a runway, using a combination of radio signals and, in many cases, high-intensity lighting arrays to enable a safe landing during instrument...

, NDB

Non-directional beacon

A non-directional beacon is a radio transmitter at a known location, used as an aviation or marine navigational aid. As the name implies, the signal transmitted does not include inherent directional information, in contrast to other navigational aids such as low frequency radio range, VHF...

, VASI, DME

Distance Measuring Equipment

Distance measuring equipment is a transponder-based radio navigation technology that measures distance by timing the propagation delay of VHF or UHF radio signals....

, MLS

Microwave landing system

A microwave landing system is an all-weather, precision landing system originally intended to replace or supplement instrument landing systems...

, are different navigation aids and need periodic flight inspection.

Aircraft navigate. Traditional air navigation uses information given or sent by special dedicated transmitters on ground (called radio-navigation aids). There is a variety of aids’ type, supplying different information (bearing, distance, path deviation…) and, as any other electronic devices, these transmitters may fail, loose strength or accuracy, work out of tolerance or giving wrong information, with a prospective impact in airspace safety. This is the reason why a periodical flight service to check, verify and certify their data is needed. This is Flight Inspection for. Aircraft equipped with special and dedicated hardware (called Flight Inspection System) collect radio-navigation aids’ data and apply (compare with) international standards’ tolerance (this is called calibration), to validate electronic signal in space and certify final status of aids (so it to be published for general knowledge). The goal is having a safe air navigation infrastructure, ensuring the integrity of instrument approaches and airway procedures.

Arturo Cortijo 09:41, 17 June 2009 (UTC)