GPS/WAAS Scorecard

Did you know that GPS performance worldwide is continuously evaluated in great detail, to make sure the system remains safe and reliable for use by everyone? In 1999, the FAA began publishing quarterly Performance Analysis Reports on the basic Standard Positioning Service (SPS) that is provided by GPS. Lets take a look at some performance information critical to pilots. The latest report covers April 1 to June 30, 2013, and well look at some of…

Key Takeaways:

• GPS Standard Positioning Service (SPS) and WAAS demonstrated exceptional performance in the April-June 2013 period, achieving 100% availability in the U.S. and accuracy consistently better than minimum requirements.
• GPS accuracy can be degraded by factors including satellite geometry (PDOP), natural phenomena like solar activity and ionospheric effects, and various forms of man-made interference (e.g., jamming, multipath).
• The GPS system maintains very high reliability, with 99.97% availability during the reporting period despite occasional scheduled maintenance or rare unscheduled outages, all communicated via FAA's NANU and NOTAM advisories.
• WAAS has consistently maintained its integrity since its public release, with no recorded Hazardously Misleading Information (HMI) events, and its protection levels and LPV approach errors remained well within specifications.

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