Bush Prepares for Possible GPS Shutdown

On 17 Dec 2004 08:17:09 -0800, wrote:

There is a new system in the works by the europeans, Galileo. It is
supposed to be independent of military control so you won't see threats
of system shutdown. I'm sure the pentagon is working out how to jam it,
etc.

The Wall Street Journal has covered both these issues in the past few
weeks.

With respect to Gallileo, indeed the Pentagon was upset that GPS would
slip outside its control, but in the end the Americans and the
Europeans agreed that either could locally either system in time of
military emergency.

With respect to the title of this thread, none other than Phil Boyer
of AOPA has pointed out that the current White House initiative on GPS
is actually an improvement over the status quo, and to be applauded by
pilots.

all the best -- Dan Ford
email: (put Cubdriver in subject line)

Warbird's Forum www.warbirdforum.com
Piper Cub Forum www.pipercubforum.com
the blog www.danford.net

G Farris wrote:

Galileo has won some European funding approval this year, so it should move
forward to at least the next stage.It is a very clever initiative, because it
plays on the Europeans' pride (particularly the French) in not having to rely
on something developed and offered (even for free) from the Americans.

Actually, it was't pride. If I recall correctly, the Europe didn't want
to re-invent the wheel but to cooperate with the USA. It was the USA who
declined to give guaranties, basically saying that GPS was crucial
military infrasturcture and that the US army would always reserve the
right to shut it down, jam it or whatever at its discretion. It was at
this point that Europe said no thanks, we're gonna develop our own
system, even if it's expensive.

Stefan

In article ,
says...

G,

If Europeans could see past their pride,


like Americans?


Well, if Americans could see past their pride a lot of things might change . .
But in matters specific to general aviation, I think you'll agree, being based
at EDDH, that there is a big problem in Europe with a heavy-handed
administration that fails to take personal and small business aviation into
consideration. By lumping these ops in with the bigger fish, they are
subjected to regulations and costs that cannot be supported by their mission,
and thus a whole sector of practical and profitable aviation is disappearing
(and at this writing, almost completely gone) in Europe.

No matter how you cut the cake, Galileo is an initiative that is going to cost
a lot, and because of the way fees are apportioned in Europe, it will be users
who have to pick up much of the ticket. While LAAS and WAAS approaches with
RAIM are coming on line in the US, and free to use, Europeans will have to
wait many more years, then pay high user fees and equipment costs for
something that in any case cannot be better than the GPS system.

Sometimes good management is just a matter of knowing a good thing when you
see one. By making diplomatic agreements to tap in to the GPS system, Europe
could not only benefit directly from a system that's already in an advanced
state of development, but also profit from the scale economies of the US
market for GPS navigation equipment. By building an entirely parallel system,
they have to support the costs of development, deployment and maintenance of
the system, as well as highest possible costs for a niche market in compatible
NAV equipment. To me that smacks of blind pride.

G Faris

G Farris wrote:

Sometimes good management is just a matter of knowing a good thing when you
see one. By making diplomatic agreements to tap in to the GPS system, Europe
could not only benefit directly from a system that's already in an advanced

As I already wrote in an earlier post: This is exactly what Europe had
tried. It was the USA who declined, basically saying: Feel free to use
it, but it's ours and we reserve the right to alter the signal or even
to shut it down at any time at our discretion. It was at this point that
Europe said no, thanks.

The future will tell whether this was a good move or not.

Stefan

G,

I agree that GA is screwed here - but not because of pride. Just plain
dumbness.

As for Galileo, well, I used to think it was stupid European pride. In
fact, you'll probably find posts by me through Google, where I'm saying
what a waste of money it is to reinvent the wheel for the benefit of
EADS on the bill of the EU tax payer.

Then, along comes Baby-Bush announcing he might just switch GPS off at
his rather dangerous and illogical whim. All of a sudden, Galileo makes
a lot more sense. Sadly.

Also, as I mentioned earlier, I have to wonder about the practicality.
A huge part of emergency response and police forces rely heavily on GPS
to do their thing. In all probability, MORE harm would be done by
switching off GPS after or during a GPS based attack.

--
Thomas Borchert (EDDH)

On Sun, 19 Dec 2004 18:03:49 +0100, Thomas Borchert
wrote:

Then, along comes Baby-Bush announcing he might just switch GPS off at
his rather dangerous and illogical whim. All of a sudden, Galileo makes
a lot more sense. Sadly.

If you are talking about the recent announcement concerning the GPS system,
upon which this thread is based, your impression of that announcement is at
odds the impression of AOPA.

Do you think AOPA's interpretation is incorrect?


Ron (EPM) (N5843Q, Mooney M20E) (CP, ASEL, ASES, IA)

Thomas Borchert wrote:

Then, along comes Baby-Bush announcing he might just switch GPS off at
his rather dangerous and illogical whim.

Which he did *not* do. In fact, he just signed a bill which orders the military
to keep it available for civilian use. See
http://www.aopa.org/whatsnew/newsite...1216space.html

George Patterson
The desire for safety stands against every great and noble enterprise.

Ron,

Do you think AOPA's interpretation is incorrect?


I don't know. All I notice is that AOPA seems to be the only voice
interpreting it this way.

--
Thomas Borchert (EDDH)

G.R.,

See
http://www.aopa.org/whatsnew/newsite...1216space.html


I saw. And I saw
http://cnn.netscape.cnn.com/ns/news/...21290001739682
&dt=20041215212900&w=APO&coview=

My point is this: While all of us probably knew that switching GPS off
was always an option, making it policy gives fuel to the Galileo
proponents.

--
Thomas Borchert (EDDH)

On Sun, 19 Dec 2004 21:47:46 +0100, Thomas Borchert
wrote:

Ron,

Do you think AOPA's interpretation is incorrect?


I don't know. All I notice is that AOPA seems to be the only voice
interpreting it this way.

Perhaps you should read the report itself

http://www.aopa.org/whatsnew/newsite...pace_facts.pdf

and make your own interpretation, instead of relying on various news
services whose record of accuracy, with regard to aviation matters, has
been less than stellar.

You should also put the document in context with what has been going on in
the past.

I have no doubt that news services no longer just report the news. Rather
they interpret it according to their own agendas. I believe that is what
you are seeing here.


Ron (EPM) (N5843Q, Mooney M20E) (CP, ASEL, ASES, IA)