Recently, there have been reports of increased interference with satellite positioning in aviation in Finland. General and recreational aviators should note that especially when flying in the South-East of Finland, there might be interference in the data of the GPS equipment. This makes it even more important to be aware of your location beyond the GPS data.
Recently, there have been reports of increased interference with satellite positioning equipment in Finland. In these situations, the location information obtained by satellite positioning systems has been inaccurate or incomplete. The disruptions have mainly affected flights in the Southern Finland region and the Gulf of Finland region.
In most cases, the flight altitude during these disturbances has been around 10,000 ft, i.e. about 3 km, or above it. In addition, a few cases have been reported to Traficom in which a plane flying at lower altitudes has encountered GPS interference.
GPS interference may occur e.g. when the aircraft's equipment does not display the location correctly or when the wrong location is displayed. A traditional, up-to-date aeronautical chart is a reliable navigation tool even in the event of GPS interference.
"While flying, it is even more important to know your location than just relying on GPS data. I believe that our general and recreational aviators are well aware of the situation and will act accordingly,” says Traficom’s Director responsible for aviation Jari Pöntinen
Report occurrences and interferences to Traficom
If you notice GPS interference during the flight that has an impact on the safe conduct of the flight or unusual effects on the operation of the aircraft's systems, submit an aviation occurrence report to Traficom. These may include situations where the location of the aircraft is displayed in the incorrect section in the GPS navigation system, you cannot land at the desired landing point due to interference, or you need navigation assistance from air traffic control.
Radio frequency (such as GPS) interference that does not affect the safe conduct of a flight should also always be reported to Traficom, because the agency investigates radio interference and compiles incident information in Finland. The radio interference report form can be filled on Traficom's website easily by using e.g. a mobile phone.
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Enquiries:
Traficom media hotline tel. +358 29 534 5648