What capability does WAAS provide for aviation navigation?

• A. Cat I ILS
• B. Cat II ILS
• C. Cat III ILS
• D. Localizer only

Answer: (A)

WAAS adds precision capabilities to GPS by improving accuracy, integrity, and availability, which allows for approaches with vertical guidance. This is realized through LPV-type approaches that provide a guided descent path, giving pilots both lateral and vertical information similar to ILS Cat I minima. It can achieve precision guidance comparable to Cat I, but it does not reach Cat II or Cat III thresholds, which require additional ground-based augmentation and systems. It’s more than a localizer-only solution because vertical guidance is part of the WAAS-enabled approach.