Don't go to SoCal without your VOR check!

[RNC]

http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/GPS-Interference-NOTAM-For-Southwest-226365-1.html

A Notam (PDF) is warning operators of “all aircraft relying on GPS” of widespread GPS outages starting Tuesday throughout the Southwest and especially southern California. Although the FAA doesn’t go into detail, it seems the military is testing something that can disrupt GPS over a huge area, centered on China Lake, California, home of the Navy’s China Lake Naval Weapons Center. On Tuesday, June 7, the FAA is warning that GPS signals down to 50 feet AGL could be “unreliable or unavailable” between 9:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. local time over a radius of 253 nautical miles, which includes the L.A. Basin, Bay area and Las Vegas. There will be further outages of similar potential duration June 9, 21,23, 28 and 30. The circles expand with altitude and at 40,000 feet the interference will affect a circular area of the Southwest 950 nautical miles across, reaching central Oregon, Colorado and New Mexico.

 

[Commander91gm]

Re: Don't go to SoCal without your VOR check!

Always getting alerts about GPS outages in the southwest . Real common in the Southern CA deserts ,northern Nevada and north of Albuquerque. Never really created a problem for me, but good to know where you are , and be able to fall back to VOR nav. If necessary .

 

[Dober]

Re: Don't go to SoCal without your VOR check!

Nothing wrong with using VOR's, a compass, or heading bug with wind calculations for a route.... Its always good to have those skills fresh in the pilotage tool kit on board

 

[Sherman]

Re: Don't go to SoCal without your VOR check!

Reminds me of Billy Mitchell story 1925: And when the entire satellite system is,'taken out', and they have eliminated all VORS and ILS --it will be 1925. Only us 'kids' will know how to Fly, 'aviate/navigate'. WW2 LORAN was a whole lot more accurate than gps-especially in Chesapeake Bay boating/keeping one between the tributary channel markers at night.

Must admit gps on sectional /terminal charts , when working, can spoil one.