2024-04-30 18:04:48
Finnish airline Finnair says its regular flights to Tartu, Estonia’s cultural center, cannot be operated safely because approaches to the airport rely on global positioning system (GPS) technology.
In a message on social network X, Finnair said: “From April 29. until May 31 we are stopping flights to Tartu. Currently, the approach methods used at Tartu Airport are based on the GPS signal, and GPS interference in the area affects the usability of this method.”
Russia is widely suspected of jamming or corrupting GPS signals near its borders. Tartu Airport is approximately 40 km from the Russian border.
Finnair says it is working on an alternative landing solution that does not require a GPS signal.
Last week, two Finnair planes had to turn back to Helsinki because GPS problems prevented them from landing at Tartu Airport. April 25 and 26 the evening flight from the Finnish capital aborted its planned landing and turned around.
Finnair is the only airline operating international flights to and from Tartu.
Jari Paajanen, the carrier’s director of operations, said: “Finnair’s on-board systems detect GPS interference, our pilots are well aware of this problem, and the planes have other navigation systems that can be used when the GPS system is not working.
“Most airports use alternative approach methods, but some airports, such as Tartu, only use methods that require a GPS signal to support. Due to GPS interference in Tartu, we are forced to suspend flights until alternative solutions are found. We apologize for the inconvenience caused to our customers by the suspension,” said J. Paajanen.
Finnair claims that GPS interference will be eliminated from 2022. increased significantly. Airline pilots reported interference near Kaliningrad, a Russian exclave between Lithuania and Poland.
GPS interference has also been encountered in the Black Sea, the Caspian Sea and the eastern Mediterranean. This occurs in two ways: jamming, which prevents pilots from knowing their exact location using GPS, and spoofing, where aircraft systems are tricked into reporting a false position.
Generally, GPS interference does not affect flight routes or flight safety because pilots are aware of it and aircraft have alternative systems installed that are used when the GPS signal is disturbed.
Downing Street reported last week that a Royal Air Force (RAF) plane carrying UK Defense Secretary Grant Shapps was affected by GPS interference for 30 minutes over the Baltic Sea.
Pagan pagan „The Independent“ inf.
2024-04-30 18:04:48