planned GPS outage on the west coast
THe Navy is up to something--secret: POPMech May not affect you too much on the ground unless you are near the Naval Weapons Station in the SoCal desert.
Forum Discussion
Fact Finder: Here is the NOTAM (Notice to AirMen)
https://www.faasafety.gov/files/notices/2016/Jun/CHLK_16-08_GPS_Flight_Advisory.pdf
Clicky
Now...I am no technical specialist, but the NOTAM is specific about the radius and altitude of the outage.
It is my understanding that the GPS reading comes from the co-ordination of two or more (three for a good reading) signals from satellites.
It is important to notice - the lowest altitude is 50 feet above ground level (AGL). It is somewhat strange that the 4000 ft notation is also "AGL" when in fact all aircraft use an altimiter (adjusted for local barometric pressure) and aircraft altitude is always noted as above mean sea level.
So...at the 50 foot level, it is an area from San Diego to Oakland and out in the desert past Lost Wages!!
It will be most interesting to see if the folks that travel in those mountains have any difficulties if they stay below 50 feet.
https://www.faasafety.gov/files/notices/2016/Jun/CHLK_16-08_GPS_Flight_Advisory.pdf
Clicky
Now...I am no technical specialist, but the NOTAM is specific about the radius and altitude of the outage.
It is my understanding that the GPS reading comes from the co-ordination of two or more (three for a good reading) signals from satellites.
It is important to notice - the lowest altitude is 50 feet above ground level (AGL). It is somewhat strange that the 4000 ft notation is also "AGL" when in fact all aircraft use an altimiter (adjusted for local barometric pressure) and aircraft altitude is always noted as above mean sea level.
So...at the 50 foot level, it is an area from San Diego to Oakland and out in the desert past Lost Wages!!
It will be most interesting to see if the folks that travel in those mountains have any difficulties if they stay below 50 feet.
