From 2 August, airborne users of the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service will have found the bar to aviation use removed.
On 12 July, the European Satellite Services Provider (ESSP) - managing the EGNOS space-based GNSS augmentation system (SBAS) - was certified as an Air Navigation Service Provider (ANSP) under Single European Sky (SES) regulations.
This enabled ESSP to provide navigation services to aviation and, as a result, 2 August saw the removal of 'Message 0' (Do not use in aviation) from the EGNOS signal - enabling initial use of EGNOS for en-route and lateral guidance approaches (LNAV).
Hence, from 2 August, aircraft equipped with GPS-SBAS receivers will be able to use the EGNOS signal within its coverage area. Initial use is limited to lateral guidance supporting en route, terminal and Non Precision Approach (NPA) procedures.
But, after an operational period of 3 months (on 3 November), the EC should declare the Safety of Life (SoL) service fully available to the aviation community - enabling the publication of precision approach procedures with vertical and lateral navigation guidance (APV) based on EGNOS.
European air navigation service providers will then be able to implement satellite-based precision approaches without needing ground equipment - with performance similar to that of the current Instrument Landing System (ILS) Cat 1.
Details from ESSP link here.
Source: www.rin.org.uk