PBN means Performance-Based Navigation

Despite the fact that some States of License Issue (SOLI) endorsing the PBN as part of the type rating directly in the flight crew license - e.g. B 737 300-900/IR/PBN, it's not quite right.

PBN refers to Article 4a(1).

Pilots may only fly in accordance with performance-based navigation (“PBN”) procedures after they have been granted PBN privileges as an endorsement to their instrument rating (“IR”). A pilot shall be granted PBN privileges where he or she fulfils all of the following requirements:

  • the pilot has successfully completed a course of theoretical knowledge including PBN, in accordance with FCL.615 of Part-FCL;
  • the pilot has successfully completed flying training including PBN, in accordance with FCL.615 of Part-FCL;
  • the pilot has successfully completed either a skill test in accordance with Appendix 7 to Part-FCL or a skill test or a proficiency check in accordance with Appendix 9 of Part-FCL.

The requirements of paragraph 2(a) and (b) shall be deemed to have been fulfilled where the competent authority considers that the competence acquired, either through training or from familiarity with PBN operations, is equivalent to the competence acquired through the courses referred to in paragraph 2(a) and (b) and the pilot demonstrates such competence to the satisfaction of the examiner at the proficiency check or skill test referred to in paragraph 2(c).

A record of the successful demonstration of competency in PBN shall, upon completion of the skill test or the proficiency check referred to in paragraph 2(c), be entered in the pilot's logbook or equivalent record and signed by the examiner who conducted the test or check. Instrument rated pilots without PBN privileges may only fly on routes and approaches that do not require PBN privileges and no PBN items shall be required for the renewal of their instrument rating, until 25 August 2020; after that date, PBN privileges shall be required for every instrument rating - including the type-related instrument rating.

From 25 August 2020, elements related to performance-based navigation were supposed to be part of flight training in flight schools, as well as part of recurrent training and recurrent checking in the airlines.

The date of 25 August 2020 was extended until 25 August 2021 due to the global pandemic COVID-19. Latest at on this date the Boeing 737 300-900/IR endorsement will have to meet the standards for PBN authorizations.

Thus, it can simply be said that the PBN rating is part of the instrument rating for a given aircraft type. The validity of the performance-based navigation authorization is therefore the same as the validity of the IR instrument rating for the aircraft type.