Bern-Belp Airport in Switzerland will introduce a new satellite-based approach procedure for runway 32 on March 19, 2026. The so-called RNP (Required Navigation Performance) procedure enables approaches from the south using highly precise GPS data.
This technological upgrade replaces the previous visual approach procedures and is intended to stabilize flight operations, particularly in challenging visibility conditions. Satellite-based guidance allows aircraft to approach the touchdown point more precisely, increasing the airport's operational reliability in European regional traffic.
A key aspect of the new procedure is the spatial rerouting of flight paths. The Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA) and air traffic control provider Skyguide designed the procedure to reduce noise pollution in densely populated areas east of the airport. The city of Bern and the municipalities of Ostermundigen and Muri bei Bern will particularly benefit from this reduction. Conversely, the new route will lead to localized increases in noise pollution in the southeast of the airport. To limit the acoustic impact, the approach angle has been set at four degrees, which is significantly steeper than the international standard of three degrees.
The rollout includes two variants, an eastbound and a westbound route, with air traffic control primarily directing aircraft to the eastbound route in operational practice. Airport management emphasizes that the technical upgrade is not intended to expand capacity or increase the number of annual flight movements. Rather, it aims to modernize the infrastructure in accordance with international standards of the ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization). Comparable systems have already been successfully implemented at other Swiss regional airports, such as Lugano-Agno, to improve precision in topographically challenging terrain.
From an economic perspective, the new instrument approach procedure strengthens Bern-Belp Airport's attractiveness for business travel and regional scheduled services. The increased precision reduces the rate of weather-related diversions to other Swiss airports such as Zurich or Basel. The technical implementation required extensive test flights and safety checks by the Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA) beforehand to ensure compatibility with the existing airspace management system in the vicinity of Payerne military airfield and with civilian airspace.