Speaker
Description
K. Sievers-1, L. Nikitina- 2, R. Fiori- 2
1 VC – Vereingung Cockpit, German Airline Pilots´ Association, 60549 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
2 Canadian Hazards Information Service, Natural Resources Canada, Canada.
What’s happening ?
The Sun sometimes releases bursts of energy that disturb Earth’s ionosphere. These disturbances, known as ionospheric scintillation, can impact GNSS signals, degrading positioning accuracy and integrity. Because airplanes depend on GNSS especially during landing- this can pose serious safety risks.
The Problem in Canada: uses the Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) to improve GNSS accuracy. During times of high solar activity (like now, in Solar Cycle 25), WAAS performance drops. This leads to loss of precision approaches (e.g. localizer performance with vertical guidance, or LPV).
Real Impacts on Flights
Pilots are forced to switch to less accurate navigation systems (e.g. Lateral Navigation, or LNAV). Flights may have to circle, fly multiple approaches, or even divert to other airports causing increased fuel usage or delays. Example: On 05 November 2023, a geomagnetic storm caused multiple Canadian flights to loose WAAS at once, forcing diversions and missed approaches.
Why It Matters
More space weather events = more flight disruptions. Pilots need good forecasting and awareness of space weather. Better monitoring and improved systems are needed to keep skies safe, especially during solar maximum years.
