Smart Tracking is a satellite-assisted navigation technology that allows aircraft to fly more accurately and can help enable an airplane to land in low visibility conditions.
On the Gold Coast, Smart Tracking allows aircraft to approach Track 14 from the south and north with most of the flight path over the water before making a final approach for landing. Intelligent tracking at the Gold Coast airport has an altitude or decision minima where the pilot must be able to see the runway to continue with the 430 foot landing. In comparison, an ILS provides a minimum decision altitude of 280 feet and improves landing predictability under low visibility conditions.
Precision approach radar (PAR) is a type of radar guidance system designed to provide lateral and vertical guidance to an aircraft pilot for landing, until reaching the landing threshold. After the aircraft reaches decision height (DH) or decision altitude (DA), the orientation is only for advice. The controllers that monitor the PAR screens observe the position of each aircraft and issue instructions to the pilot that hold the aircraft on course and on the glide path during the final approach. It is similar to an Instrument Landing System (ILS) but requires control instructions. An instrument approach that can make use of PAR is the field-controlled approach (GCA). The air traffic controllers must transmit a minimum of every 5 seconds to the pilot in relation to the azimuth portion and, once the sliding path is intercepted, its elevation. The approach is terminated when the aircraft reaches the OCA / H (Height / Height of Obstacle Clearance). However, the information is provided up to the threshold and the aircraft can be monitored by the controller until the moment of landing. The controller in charge of PAR should not be responsible for any duties other than the PAR approach involved.