"solar flare radio bursts [which] could cause signals to drop by up to 90%"

[SilverFish]

Quoting from New Scientist:

"This may be a problem for aircraft navigation. The FAA uses GPS receivers for air traffic control, which Kintner says "will certainly fail" during these intense solar flare radio bursts, which could cause signals to drop by up to 90%, for hours at a time. Although planes can fly without GPS, outages force the FAA to increase the distance between aircraft and slow take-offs and landings, delaying flights."​

Interesting article in New Scientist about solar flare activity in 2011 and the effect it will have on GPSRs.

Is our very own PanEuropean Mike around to explain whether this will have much of an impact?

Maybe its not time to throw away that map just yet!

Cheers,

Mike

 

[BurnieM]

Maybe, maybe not

Certainly, the next solar flare cycle is supposed to be the biggest for 150 years and will cause some radio interference.

Solar flares cause a lot of static at HF (below 30 Mhz) frequencies but GPS is (roughly) 1500 MHz and the effect is unknown but significantly less than at lower frequencies.

Just have to wait and see I guess.

 

[ebbo]

I’m gonner stop in bed that day

 

[chasr]

The FAA uses GPS receivers for air traffic control,

ATC doesn't use GPS at all. Perhaps surprisingly, many long haul airliners aren't even fitted with GPS.

"will certainly fail" during these intense solar flare radio bursts,

First I've heard of this. And, even if true, so what? The aircraft's computed position comes from a variety of sources and a degradation in one system wouldn't affect the price of fish. As I've said above, many aircraft don't even have GPS.

outages force the FAA to increase the distance between aircraft and slow take-offs and landings, delaying flights.

This statement is simply not true. Bad weather/low visibility certainly causes delays. Problems with communications/datalink might also cause ATC to slow flow rates to maintain a safe level of operation but, again, this has nothing to do with GPS operation.

The aircraft I fly has 3 Inertial systems, 2 GPSs and uses information from VORs, DMEs, ILS (landing) systems, air data systems to compute its position. Virtually all of this is without input from the pilot. We can dispatch quite safely with unserviceable items, and can suffer multiple failures en-route with negligible effect. Finally, in the terminal area, ATC uses secondary radar (transponders) to determine aircraft position and issue approach guidance.

IMHO, the mini quote from NS is a typical piece of taking a grain of truth, and extrapolating far beyond any fact-based rational argument.

Bottom line ....... don't worry that your Quest 2's problem with sat-lock will, in any way, affect your annual holiday flight to Majorca

 

[chasr]

I would add that GPS approaches are flown by aircraft (at some airports in the USA), but this is not yet possible into LHR, LGW etc.

 

[bigbob1]

I agree with BurnieM as I have had practical experience with HF frequency,s they can be dead as a dodo for several days in a row after a strong solar storm from about 28mhz and below but do not usually effect VHF and UHF frequency where GPS signals reside. What would probably effect GPS more than solar flares would be especially those of us that live in high northern or southern latitudes is Aurora borealis (northern or southern lights) caused by ionisation of upper atmosphere which can be sometimes be seen.

cheers Bob

 

[(RIP) Bin Ridin]

I don't like to read "finally, in the terminal area" in a note about flying....

 

[RadioActive]

On this website http://www.sec.noaa.gov/NOAAscales/ it explains some of the effects of solar activity and they include "Increased satellite navigation errors in positioning for several hours on the sunlit side of Earth, which may spread into the night side" and "Minor disruptions of satellite navigation possible on the sunlit side of Earth" so I don't think the New Scientist article is too wide of the mark. It seemed to be concerned about the GPS frequency being close to that of the sun's natural noise and reducing reception quality. The jury is out as to whether anyone can predict the behaviour of the sun's activity cycles with any accuracy though.

I always have a map in the topbox, glove-compartment, saddlebag or rucksack depending on whether I'm going by GS, car, pushbike or foot. I don't trust these new-fangled gizmos too much