Solar Storms And Your GPS
Posted: Mon Jun 28, 2010 1:16 pm
The Coming Solar Storms And Your GPS
Space scientists say that solar storms are on the rise and do cause problems for satellite-dependent systems like GPS and ADS-B. So, if you're wondering if there's anything to worry about, the short answer is, "yes," but there are caveats. Scientists at NASA's heliophysics division and NOAA's space weather prediction center told AVweb the storms can -- and have -- temporarily shut down certain GPS capability and are likely to (read: will) do it again. While that's not likely to happen very often, the challenge of predicting or identifying those moments (which can last days) and effectively communicating the threat to end-users (pilots) is not easily met. With more pilots relying on satellite-based systems during demanding modes of flight, the stakes are high. Joe Kunches is a space scientist at NOAA who works with industry stakeholders to define and understand their space weather needs.
AVweb's Glenn Pew spoke with Kunches Friday to determine the nature of the threat, our current defenses, and what the average pilot can do about it. (Hint: Don't throw out inertial navigation, VOR, or DME just yet.)
Space scientists say that solar storms are on the rise and do cause problems for satellite-dependent systems like GPS and ADS-B. So, if you're wondering if there's anything to worry about, the short answer is, "yes," but there are caveats. Scientists at NASA's heliophysics division and NOAA's space weather prediction center told AVweb the storms can -- and have -- temporarily shut down certain GPS capability and are likely to (read: will) do it again. While that's not likely to happen very often, the challenge of predicting or identifying those moments (which can last days) and effectively communicating the threat to end-users (pilots) is not easily met. With more pilots relying on satellite-based systems during demanding modes of flight, the stakes are high. Joe Kunches is a space scientist at NOAA who works with industry stakeholders to define and understand their space weather needs.
AVweb's Glenn Pew spoke with Kunches Friday to determine the nature of the threat, our current defenses, and what the average pilot can do about it. (Hint: Don't throw out inertial navigation, VOR, or DME just yet.)
Certainly should do as well as those rare C-170 coffee cups that are of extremely limited supplies --- initially anyway 
, the latter doesn't work for known reasons. 
This will be my first LONG cross country without both of these radios in the panel. I sure hope I can find Florida then Michigan with only two GPS's, a VOR, DME, hand-held nav/com, and two books full of sectional charts. 