Airways face numerous operational challenges these days, particularly associated to Russian airspace. Properly, right here’s an attention-grabbing twist on that, whereby Finnair is having to droop a path to Estonia because of actions on Russia’s half…
Finnair suspends Tartu flights for a month
Between April 29 and Might 31, 2024, Finnair has suspended its flight between Helsinki, Finland (HEL), and Tartu, Estonia (TAY). Tartu is the second largest metropolis in Estonia, positioned close to the border with Russia. Finnair is the one airline working service there, The oneworld provider makes use of an ATR-72 turboprop for the route, overlaying a distance of simply 152 miles.
So, why is that this route being reduce for now? The strategy strategies presently used at Tartu Airport are based mostly on a GPS sign. Sadly GPS interference, which is kind of frequent within the space, is impacting the usability of this strategy technique, and may forestall the plane from touchdown there safely.
For instance, not too long ago two Finnair flights to Tartu needed to return to Helsinki after GPS interference prevented the strategy. For now, Finnair is suspending this route for roughly a month, with the purpose of constructing an strategy technique on the airport that allows a protected and easy operation and not using a GPS sign.
Right here’s how Jari Paajanen, Finnair’s Director of Operations, describes this improvement:
“We apologize for the inconvenience the suspension causes to our prospects. Flight security is all the time our high precedence, and because the strategy to Tartu presently requires a GPS sign, we can not fly there within the occasion of GPS interference.”
“The methods on Finnair’s plane detect GPS interference, our pilots are properly conscious of the problem, and the plane produce other navigation methods that can be utilized when the GPS system is unserviceable. Most airports use different strategy strategies, however some airports, equivalent to Tartu, solely use strategies that require a GPS sign to help them. The GPS interference in Tartu forces us to droop flights till different options have been established.”
This has turn out to be an more and more frequent downside
Finnair isn’t alone in coping with a big enhance in GPS interference since 2022, when Russia invaded Ukraine. Specifically, Finnair pilots have reported interference close to Kaliningrad, the Black Sea, the Caspian Sea, and the Japanese Mediterranean.
Ordinarily, GPS interference doesn’t influence flight routes or security, as pilots have different methods in place which can be used when the GPS sign is interfered with. Nonetheless, as you’ll be able to see, that is particularly a difficulty at Tartu Airport, given the dearth of other strategy strategies.
In case you’re curious to be taught extra in regards to the idea of GPS jamming, under is a video that explains this intimately.
Backside line
Whereas there was rising speak of GPS jamming impacting aviation, it’s not usually that we see a route being suspended due to it. Nonetheless, that’s precisely what occurred to Finnair’s flight to an Estonian airport close to a border with Russia, the place repeated GPS jamming is impacting the provider’s means to function this flight.
For now the route is suspended for round a month, although I’m curious to see how this performs out.
What do you make of Finnair’s GPS jamming difficulty?