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Real GPS Outage

One has only to monitor the GPS NOTAMs to conclude that our near-100 percent confidence in GPS is misplaced. Here’s a story of a real GPS outage.

No GPS position
Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • A localized GPS outage at an airport was caused by interference from two re-radiating GPS test systems operating simultaneously in a nearby maintenance hangar.
  • The incident underscores the critical need for pilots to be prepared for GPS failures, advocating for proficiency in non-GPS navigation (VHF nav) and ensuring aircraft are equipped with alternative systems for IFR flights.
  • Pilots should routinely verify GPS integrity before departure and maintain readiness to navigate without it, as GPS reliance can be problematic and outages can affect various systems, including car navigation.
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Routinely, my two GPS navigators will lock onto GPS satellites within a few minutes once powered up. But not this time. Both indicated LOI (loss of integrity), implying that the GPS satellites were insufficient. This was confirmed when no satellites appeared on the GPS Status pages. With the failure in two separate units, a failure in the airplane was unlikely. I suspected some systemic GPS problem.

Curiouser and Curiouser

Once I taxied perhaps 100 yards beyond the FBO, the satellites came alive one-by-one. Since I remain well practiced in VHF nav, and it was a local flight, I continued.

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