Narrative:

I was preparing for a trip to dts and looking at the approach plates. The RNAV (GPS) runway 32 approach has a lowest minimum listed of 420 ft. In looking at the plate on my computer screen it was listed as an 'lp category' minima. I figured that was a typo for localizer performance with vertical guidance (lpv) as I'd never heard of an localizer performance (lp) approach.I did a computer search and found some pertinent quotes from a navigation/data provider including: 'but even with the right hardware (waas supported GPS); you still can't fly an lp approach right now. That's because the [commercially provided] database does not support lp approaches. It's a completely new type of approach; and the provider is still working to integrate these into your normal update cycle. Their goal is to support lp approaches 'sometime soon;' so stay tuned.'I suspect very few active IFR pilots appreciate there are a significant number of published approaches that general aviation aircraft are incapable of flying. It sets up a situation where pilots could very easily bust minimums without knowing it.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: While planning a future flight; a commercially rated pilot noted 'LP' minima on the RNAV/GPS approaches at his destination; an approach type with which he was unfamiliar and for which; a computer search revealed; his aircraft's commercially provided GPS database was unable to utilize.

Narrative: I was preparing for a trip to DTS and looking at the approach plates. The RNAV (GPS) Runway 32 approach has a lowest minimum listed of 420 FT. In looking at the plate on my computer screen it was listed as an 'LP category' minima. I figured that was a typo for Localizer Performance with Vertical Guidance (LPV) as I'd never heard of an Localizer Performance (LP) approach.I did a computer search and found some pertinent quotes from a navigation/data provider including: 'But even with the right hardware (WAAS supported GPS); you still can't fly an LP approach right now. That's because the [commercially provided] database does not support LP approaches. It's a completely new type of approach; and the provider is still working to integrate these into your normal update cycle. Their goal is to support LP approaches 'sometime soon;' so stay tuned.'I suspect very few active IFR pilots appreciate there are a significant number of published approaches that general aviation aircraft are incapable of flying. It sets up a situation where pilots could very easily bust minimums without knowing it.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2013 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.