Pilots who encounter GPS navigation interruptions that affect flight safety or have flight control related issues can say "stop buzzer" to air traffic control. This term should initiate a pause test to resume the process of receiving navigation signals.
In previous GPS interference incidents, pilots have announced an emergency, but due to ATC's lack of understanding that the emergency is related to GPS interference, signal jammers interference continues. According to the pilot/controller Glossary, "stop buzzer" is a term used by ATC to request the suspension of "electronic attack activity"- Encountered flight issues during known GPS interference events. They should clearly indicate to ATC that they are facing an emergency situation related to GPS, and stopping GPS interference will solve the problem.
Pilots flying in airspace affected by GPS interference during a four day military exercise described the impact of AOPA, from unstable notifications to unexpected flight routes. Although some so-called GPS interference incidents are planned to occur in several regions in the near future, AOPA is still dissatisfied with FAA's efforts to adopt a solution.
Rune Duke, AOPA's senior director in charge of airspace, air traffic and aviation safety, said, "We heard from pilots about security concerns and how their navigation systems might respond." "AOPA has communicated these concerns to the Federal Air Administration of the United States, but we think they have not paid enough attention to this issue."
A paradoxical driving situation is emerging: more and more aircraft owners are complying with the task of equipping themselves with GPS based Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B) technology to avoid being excluded from controlled airspace after January 1, 2020, as a defensive obstacle to the increase in GPS exercises.
The flight consultant of the Federal Air Administration of the United States informed the pilots of the planned "GPS interference test" activity in Lewisburg, Washington; Fort Polk, Louisiana; White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico; And Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Flight consultation stated that every event lasting for multiple days "may result in unreliable or unavailable GPS signals".
The GPS interference incident in Washington State highlights the profound impact of GPS interference. The exercise revolves around a complex airspace in densely populated areas, and is expected to attack 67 airports where about 1500 aircraft are located, as well as many flights at Seattle–Tacoma International Airport.
AOPA - noting that the number of GPS jammers incidents tripled between 2012 and 2017- raised this issue with the leadership of the Federal Air Administration and the Department of Defense, "but we think action is needed," Duke said.
The starting point of the action plan was released in 2018 by the AOPA Co-Chair Working Group of the Technical Consulting Organization RTCA
