Navigation systems at Zurich Airport are being checked

From 10 to 14 March 2025, periodic measurement flights will be carried out at Zurich Airport to check the navigation systems.

These flights are necessary to ensure the accuracy of the instrument landing systems (ILS and GBAS) on the various runways. They involve precise approaches in which the aircraft flies both to the side and above and below the usual flight path. The measurement flights sometimes take place in the afternoon and late evening hours, up to 2 a.m. at the latest.

The tests are carried out using a Beechcraft King Air 350, a twin-engine propeller aircraft equipped with state-of-the-art navigation aids and a precise flight measurement device. The aim of the measurement flights is to record and evaluate the signals from the navigation systems in order to ensure that they are functioning correctly and are accurate. During the test, the flight route is flown several times in order to collect precise measurement data.

Skyguide, the Swiss air traffic control authority, is responsible for planning and carrying out these measurement flights. This periodic inspection is an important part of air traffic safety and ensures that the navigation systems continue to work correctly in the future.