GPS Testing in Southeast U.S. in March and April

March 15, 2016

Due to military activity, the TCAS and ADS-B system may be less sensitive than normal in the airspace over portions of Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida – and extending approximately 200 nautical miles offshore – between March 16 and April 14, between the surface and FL500.

According to the FAA, these activities will not generate false TCAS targets. Any traffic advisory or resolution advisory should be treated as valid and pilots should respond accordingly. In the unlikely event that pilots experience an anomaly with TCAS or ADS-B, pilots are advised to notify the appropriate ATC facility immediately. This notification will allow ATC to implement established protocols to mitigate reported anomalies.

No pilots have reported anomalies with TCAS or ADS-B attributed to similar military activities the FAA has supported in the past. The FAA said the likelihood of any potential anomaly is remote, but has established protocols to mitigate the effects should they occur. The FAA’s radar systems in the area are not affected by the military activity, and air traffic controllers will continue to provide safe separation of aircraft.

At this time, the proposed specific dates for GPS interference testing are March 21, 30 and 31 between 1100z-1900z. These dates are subject to change and additional dates and times are possible.

The FAA will publish an advisory notice specific to the potential GPS related effects on the days when testing will occur.

The NOTAM numbers are as follows:

• 6/5092: Washington Center (ZDC)
• 6/5094: Jacksonville Center (ZJX)
• 6/5095: Miami Center (ZMA)
• 6/5091: NY Oceanic (ZWY)

ZDC NOTAM:

FDC 6/5092 (KZDC A0072/16) ZDC ..SPECIAL NOTICE..DUE TO REQUIRED MILITARY ACTIVITY ON 1030/1090 MHZ, THE TCAS SYSTEM AND ADS-B SYSTEM MAY BE LESS SENSITIVE THAN NORMAL IN THE AIRSPACE OVER PORTIONS OF MARYLAND, VIRGINIA, NORTH CAROLINA, SOUTH CAROLINA, GEORGIA, AND FLORIDA WI AN AREA DEFINED AS 375023N0791719W TO 390709N0781624W TO 395203N0753315W TO 394526N0711853W TO 380722N0685504W TO 361217N0684002W TO 334259N0701220W TO 282939N0734642W TO 270556N0752051W TO 254108N0795001W TO 255511N0820616W TO 283334N084244W TO 304313N0844227W TO 335829N0825527W TO POINT OF ORIGIN. THESE ACTIVITIES WILL NOT GENERATE FALSE TCAS TARGETS. ANY TRAFFIC ADVISORY AND/OR RESOLUTION ADVISORY SHOULD BE TREATED AS VALID AND PILOTS SHOULD RESPOND ACCORDINGLY. IN THE UNLIKELY EVENT THAT PILOTS EXPERIENCE AN ANOMALY WITH TCAS OR ADS-B, PILOTS ARE ADVISED TO NOTIFY THE APPROPRIATE ATC FACILITY IMMEDIATELY. THIS NOTIFICATION WILL PERMIT ATC TO IMPLEMENT ESTABLISHED PROTOCOLS TO MITIGATE REPORTED ANOMALIES. SIMILAR REQUIRED MILITARY ACTIVITIES HAVE BEEN CONDUCTED RECENTLY WITHOUT PRODUCING NOTABLE DEGRADATION REPORTS. HOWEVER, PILOTS ARE ADVISED TO MAINTAIN AN INCREASED AWARENESS IN THIS AREA. DAILY NOTAMS FOR THIS ACTIVITY MAY BE PUBLISHED BETWEEN 16 MARCH 2016 AND 14 APRIL 2016. SFC-FL500. 1603160500-1604140459

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