Hughes Aerospace Corporation

Last updated
Hughes Aerospace Corporation
Company typePrivate
IndustryAviation, Navigation Services
Founded2008
FounderChris Baur
Headquarters Houston, Texas, U.S.
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
Chris Baur (President & CEO)
ServicesInstrument flight procedure design, validation, maintenance
Website www.hughesaerospace.com

Hughes Aerospace Corporation is an American air navigation service provider that specializes in the design, validation, and maintenance of instrument flight procedures. The company is noted for work in Performance-based navigation (PBN) and rotorcraft operations.

Contents

History

Hughes Aerospace was established in 2008 by Chris Baur, a former pilot with the U.S. Army, Coast Guard, Air Force, and Continental Airlines. [1] The company was created to address growing demand for advanced navigation procedure design and expanded its operations to work with airports, commercial operators, government agencies, and international aviation authorities. [2]

Hughes Aerospace was founded in 2008 by Chris Baur and is headquartered in Houston, Texas. It holds certification from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as a Part 97 Public Service Provider and is endorsed by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) as an air navigation service provider. [3] [2]

Regulatory status

The FAA has approved Hughes Aerospace as a Part 97 Public Service Provider, authorizing it to develop and maintain public instrument flight procedures in the United States. [3] ICAO endorsement allows the company to provide similar services internationally, including China. [2]

Operations and services

Hughes Aerospace designs and maintains instrument flight procedures, with a focus on PBN and helicopter operations. Services include: [1]

In 2025, Hughes Aerospace collaborated with Garmin to introduce guided visual approaches that support autopilot-coupled visual procedures for WAAS-equipped aircraft. [5]

The company designs and maintains performance-based navigation procedures, including RNP and RNP AR instrument flight procedures. [6]

Projects

Helicopter PBN development

Between 2015 and 2017, Hughes Aerospace worked with Bell Helicopter to develop procedures for helicopter operators in China. [2] In 2019, the company validated an IFR helicopter network using RNP 0.3 and RF segment coding. [1]

Naples Airport noise mitigation

In 2024, the Naples Airport Authority awarded Hughes Aerospace a contract to develop noise mitigation procedures. Aircraft altitudes were increased before descent, with testing beginning in 2025. [4] [7]

Leadership

The company's founder, Chris Baur, serves as president and chief executive officer. Baur is an aviator with experience in military, law enforcement, and commercial aviation, including service with the U.S. Army, Coast Guard, and Air Force. [1] He also worked as a criminal investigator and pilot with the U.S. Customs Service and later as a captain with Continental Airlines. He holds degrees from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Brown University, and IE Business School and is a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society. [5]

Baur participated in the 1994 Salvador Allende helicopter rescue mission, recognized as one of the longest over-water helicopter rescues in history. [8] [9] Since 2023, he has served as Industry Co-Chair of the U.S. Helicopter Safety Team (USHST), and in 2025 he was elected to the board of Vertical Aviation International. [10] [11] [12]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Bellamy III, Woodrow (February 1, 2019). "Airliner-Style PBN for Helicopters". Avionics Magazine. Retrieved October 2, 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Trautvetter, Chad (April 10, 2015). "Bell Helicopter and Hughes Aerospace Developing PBN for China". AIN Online. Retrieved October 2, 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 "Hughes Aerospace PBN Executive Summary" (PDF). FAASafety.gov. Federal Aviation Administration. January 1, 2024. Retrieved October 2, 2025.
  4. 1 2 Layden, Laura (April 1, 2024). "Naples Airport Authority hears update on Hughes Aerospace study". Naples Daily News. Retrieved October 2, 2025.
  5. 1 2 Langfield, Mandy (March 4, 2025). "Interview: Supporting safety from every angle (Chris Baur, CEO of Hughes Aerospace)". AirMed & Rescue. Retrieved October 2, 2025.
  6. ↑ Independent source here
  7. ↑ Layden, Laura (May 1, 2025). "Naples Airport to start testing new flight procedures". Naples Daily News. Retrieved October 2, 2025.
  8. ↑ "2 Crewmen From Sunken Ship, 7 Bodies Recovered". Los Angeles Times. December 11, 1994. Retrieved October 2, 2025.
  9. ↑ "106th Rescue Wing Celebrates Milestones in 2000" (PDF). New York State Division of Military and Naval Affairs (Guard Times). 2000. Retrieved October 2, 2025.
  10. ↑ "USHST names Chris Baur as its next industry co-chair". AerialFire Magazine. March 1, 2023. Retrieved October 2, 2025.
  11. ↑ "USHST names Chris Baur as its next industry co-chair". RotorHub International. March 7, 2023. Retrieved October 2, 2025.
  12. ↑ Epstein, Curt (March 6, 2023). "Baur Steps In as New USHST Industry Co-chair". AIN Online. Retrieved October 2, 2025.
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