This glossary is written for virtual airline and flight simulation use within Virtual Air Canada Airline. It is not intended as a real-world aviation reference.
PBN
Performance-Based Navigation
Performance-Based Navigation is the ICAO framework that defines navigation specifications based on the performance an aircraft must achieve rather than the specific equipment used to achieve it. PBN encompasses two families of specifications: RNAV specifications, which require area navigation capability but do not mandate onboard monitoring of navigation accuracy, and RNP specifications, which additionally require the aircraft to monitor its own navigation performance and alert the crew if accuracy requirements cannot be met.
Each PBN specification is identified by its required accuracy - for example, RNAV 5, RNAV 1, RNP 4, or RNP AR 0.1 - where the number represents the total system error in nautical miles that must not be exceeded for 95% of flight time. PBN has progressively replaced sensor-specific procedures (such as those requiring a specific VOR or DME) with performance-based equivalents, allowing airlines to use GPS, IRS, or DME/DME positioning interchangeably provided the required accuracy is met. This improves efficiency, enables curved and radius-to-fix approaches, and allows tighter obstacle clearance margins in complex terrain.