July 12, 2016
Due to GPS testing associated with military activity, TCAS and ADS-B systems may be less sensitive than normal in the airspace over portions of the Hawaiian Islands between July 11 and Aug. 2, between the surface and FL500.
The airspace affected encompasses a 300-nautical-mile ring around the island of Oahu.
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.
A daily NOTAM will be published with the exact location and times of affected areas.
See a representative NOTAM from July 9 below:
FDC 6/2958 (PHZH A0742/16) ZHN SPECIAL NOTICE DUE TO A MULTI NATION HUMANITARIAN EXERCISE WITH INCREASED ACTIVITY ON 1030/1090 MHZ, THE TCAS SYSTEM AND ADS-B SYSTEM MAY BE LESS SENSITIVE THAN NORMAL IN THE AIRSPACE OVER PORTIONS OF HAWAII AND OAKLAND OCEANIC WI AN AREA DEFINED AS 300NM RADIUS OF 203602N1570642W. 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 ACT MAY BE PUBLISHED BETWEEN (11 JUL 2016 AND 02 AUG 2016. SFC-FL500 1607110400-1608022359
International Business Aviation Council Ltd.