IFP design covers the planning of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) routes used by pilots and air traffic control from take-off to landing; a complex and highly regulated process. All IFP design must be undertaken by an Approved Procedure Designer (APD) that is authorised by the relevant State. In the UK, all IFP design must be undertaken in accordance with Civil Aviation Publication (CAP)785.
Our highly experienced team of Procedure Designers can support you in the following areas:
IFP Design & Feasibility Studies
We assist Air Navigation Services Providers (ANSP), Aerodromes and Aircraft Operators with the planning and design of flight procedures based on both conventional and satellite-based navigation, in accordance with CAA standards.
We can also conduct feasibility studies to assess the cost and benefits of new flight procedures or optimise existing procedures for efficiency and to assess their impact on the environment.
5-Yearly Reviews
Licenced Airports & Aerodromes are responsible for ensuring that all published IFPs are reviewed as a minimum, every five years.  Our approach is to work closely with our clients to discuss the existing published IFPs to ensure that they are meeting current needs and will continue to do so for the next five years. The ongoing review and safeguarding of IFPs can be a time consuming, and sometimes costly, process, so our aim is to ensure that the published IFPs offer the best and most effective solutions for both the airport and their users. In this way we can assist in significantly reducing the cost of subsequent reviews and ensure procedures remain safe.
IFP Safeguarding
Licenced Airports & Aerodromes ensure safe operations in their vicinity by minimising, as far as practicable, any penetration of the Obstacle Limitation Surfaces (OLS).  Whilst the OLS offers vital protection to aircraft against new and existing developments, they do not ensure that IFPs remain unaffected by such developments. It is also vital that airports & aerodromes are made aware of any new development that may require an increase to the published Obstacle Clearance Altitude (OCA).
In the UK, such IFP safeguarding studies can only be undertaken by a CAA APD working within an audited and approved Quality Assurance (QA) structure. Osprey can assist airports to identify critical areas outside of the OLS in which Local Planning Authorities (LPAs) are made aware that any new structures that will require an assessment against the published IFPs. Overlays can be made available to LPAs in a format that enables them to quickly assess any proposed structures and advise the airport of any potential impacts. We can also provide Airports with IFP Safeguarding Mapping that quickly enables their Safeguarding teams to identify those areas that are particularly sensitive to new developments that may affect published IFPs.
