WAAS
Scope status
This page is a source-routed system note for WAAS, the U.S. SBAS implementation operated in the FAA civil-aviation context.
The verified WAAS-specific claims on this page route to Source - WAAS. Cross-system provider context routes to Source - SBAS Service Providers. Equipment and article-approval claims are kept separate and route to Source - RTCA DO-229 and Source - FAA TSO-C145e and TSO-C146e.
Boundary:
- This page does not publish real-time WAAS status, service-volume boundaries, or availability statistics.
- This page does not approve a particular aircraft, receiver, operator, route, runway, or procedure.
- This page does not compare WAAS performance against other SBAS systems unless matched official provider evidence exists.
Working definition
WAAS is the Wide Area Augmentation System, the FAA/U.S. satellite-based augmentation implementation for civil aviation. FAA public material describes WAAS as supporting all classes of aircraft and all phases of flight, including en-route navigation, departures, arrivals, and vertically guided landing approaches at qualified locations in the U.S. National Airspace System context.
Official source signals
| Signal type | Current authenticated source-routed statement |
|---|---|
| System identity | WAAS = Wide Area Augmentation System; routed to Source - WAAS |
| Operating authority | Federal Aviation Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation |
| Service role | FAA public material describes WAAS as developed for civil aviation and supporting all classes of aircraft in all phases of flight |
| Approach context | FAA material connects WAAS to vertically guided landing approaches in instrument meteorological conditions at qualified locations |
| LPV/LP public snapshot | FAA August 2025 quick-facts material reports LPV and LP procedure-count snapshots; keep those counts in Source - WAAS rather than duplicating them here |
Relationship to civil aviation use
WAAS is relevant to the KB because it is a major operational SBAS reference point for civil aviation. It connects service-provider commitments to:
- airborne SBAS equipment standards in Source - RTCA DO-229;
- FAA article approval in Source - FAA TSO-C145e and TSO-C146e;
- procedure-design and PBN context in Source - ICAO PANS-OPS Doc 8168 and Doc 9613 PBN Manual and Source - FAA and EASA Procedure-Design and PBN Material;
- civil-aviation navigation and approach topics in SBAS in Civil Aviation MOC.
Claims intentionally not duplicated here
To prevent overlapping knowledge, this page does not copy the full FAA LPV/LP counts, equipment caveats, or source excerpts. Those belong in Source - WAAS. This page only states the system-level meaning and routes readers to the source note.
Source anchors
- Source - WAAS — dedicated WAAS child source note for official FAA WAAS material.
- Source - SBAS Service Providers — service-provider family router for system identity and source-maturity tracking.
- Source - RTCA DO-229 — SBAS airborne-equipment MOPS routing.
- Source - FAA TSO-C145e and TSO-C146e — FAA article-approval routing.
- SBAS Standards Source Matrix — claim-routing matrix for standards/source families.
Open verification questions
- Which FAA source should be treated as the canonical WAAS service-definition/performance standard for service-volume and availability claims?
- Which FAA procedure-publication source should be used if runway-specific LPV/LP procedure availability enters the KB?
- Which FAA operational guidance should be used for aircraft/operator authorization questions?