Israeli airspace suffers weeks of GPS disruption, source unknown

Staff at Ben-Gurion Airport, the IAA added, have constantly monitored all aircraft taking off and landing, and "at no stage" was there a safety-related incident.

By EYTAN HALON
An El Al plane in Ben Gurion Airport (photo credit: REUTERS)
An El Al plane in Ben Gurion Airport
(photo credit: REUTERS)
Aircrafts in Israeli airspace have been experiencing GPS navigation system disruption for three weeks, the Israel Airports Authority (IAA) said on Wednesday, but emphasized that no planes have been endangered by the signal issues.
The disruptions, the IAA said, only affected aircraft in the air and not navigation systems on the ground, with the impact felt by both pilots and air traffic control.
“Since the first day of the disturbances, all authorities in Israel have been working to find a solution and the source of the problem,” the IAA said in a statement. “As a result of the disturbances, changes were made to some of the entry procedures for landing, based on safe and professional processes in daily use around the world and in Israel in particular.”
Staff at Ben-Gurion Airport, the IAA added, have constantly monitored all aircraft taking off and landing, and “at no stage” was there a safety-related incident related to the GPS disruptions, either in terms of navigation accuracy or following flight routes.
The airport has been relying on its Instrument Landing System (ILS) – a precision runway approach aid used in combination with newer GPS technology – to guide aircraft during their approach to landing. Additionally, notice to airmen (NOTAM) – which refers to routine instructions for aviation authorities and flight personnel regarding safety hazards – have been issued to airlines flying to and from Ben-Gurion regarding the GPS disruptions.