GPS Test

[Capt. Bill1]

quote:

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Released
January 19, 2011
FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION
FLIGHT ADVISORY
GPS Testing
CSFTL GPS 11-01
January 20-February 11, 2011
February 15-February 22, 2011
Brunswick, GA
The Department of Defense will conduct GPS tests on January 20th through February
22nd, 2011. During testing, the GPS signal may be unreliable or unavailable.
A. Location: Centered at 304906N/0802811W or the location know as 105.25
degrees and 52.1 NM from the SSI VOR.
B. Dates and times: GPS testing is scheduled on January 20th through February 11th,
2011 from 0000-0245 UTC daily and February 15th through February 22nd, 2011
from 0000-0245 UTC daily. These tests may not be concurrent so pilots are
advised to check NOTAMS frequently for possible changes prior to operating in the
area.
C. Duration: Several test events will be conducted and will be active for 45 minutes
followed by 15 minutes of off time.
D. During testing, GPS will be unreliable and may be unavailable with in a circle with
a radius of 370NM and centered at 304906N/0802811W or the location known as
105.25 degrees and 52.1 NM from the SSI VOR at FL400; decreasing in area with
a decrease in altitude to a circle with a radius of 325NM at FL250; a circle with a
radius of 260NM at 10,000FT MSL and a circle with a radius of 215NM at 4,000FT
AGL.
E. Pilots are highly recommended to report anomalies during testing to the
appropriate ARTCC to assist in the determination of the extent of GPS degradation
during tests.
The NOTAMs discussed in this advisory may change with little or no notice.
Pilots are advised to check NOTAMs frequently for possible changes prior to
operations in the area. NOTAMs will be published at least 24 hours in advance
of any GPS tests.
Released
January 19, 2011

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[FlyWright]

This happens frequently and interferes with GPS reception and accuracy over huge expanses of areas. Last month I experienced the loss of all GPS in flight on all three of our GPS/GNSS sensors. We could still navigate normally with inertial and ground station Distance Measuring Equipment (DME) inputs to our navigation platform. We could have also easily reverted to other forms of ground based navigation like VOR, TACAN and ILS.

As we were troubleshooting the GPS loss, ATC asked if we lost signal. Turns out there was a NOTAM out that I printed before the flight and had on board that detailed the testing like the one above. I had overlooked it in my preflight prep as they are frequently issued but no effect seen in the cockpit. Lesson learned.

 

[SCORPIO]

A good argument for keeping something like LORAN alive in this day of cyberterrorism.

 

[Bliss]

---- or doing dead reckoning and keeping a paper chart around.