After a GNSS failure, what should ATC provide to support safe navigation?

After a GNSS failure, what should ATC provide to support safe navigation?

• A. Alternate routing or vectors
• B. Additional climb performance
• C. Inbound fix identifications
• D. Immediate diversion to nearest aerodrome

Answer: (A)

When GNSS is unavailable, pilots lose their precise position fix, so ATC must provide guidance that doesn’t rely on satellite navigation and still preserves safe separation. Alternate routing or radar vectors accomplish this by steering the aircraft onto a path that can be navigated with conventional navigation aids (like VOR/DME, NDB, or known waypoints) or by giving headings to intercept a rejoin point. This keeps the flight on a defined track and maintains separation from other traffic while GNSS is restored or until a safe alternative procedure is established. Other options don’t directly address navigation guidance in a GNSS outage: extra climb performance doesn’t resolve the loss of position information; identifying inbound fixes depends on reliable navigation that GNSS may be providing; and diverting immediately to the nearest aerodrome is a drastic action that isn’t required unless there’s an immediate safety imperative.

When GNSS is unavailable, pilots lose their precise position fix, so ATC must provide guidance that doesn’t rely on satellite navigation and still preserves safe separation. Alternate routing or radar vectors accomplish this by steering the aircraft onto a path that can be navigated with conventional navigation aids (like VOR/DME, NDB, or known waypoints) or by giving headings to intercept a rejoin point. This keeps the flight on a defined track and maintains separation from other traffic while GNSS is restored or until a safe alternative procedure is established.

Other options don’t directly address navigation guidance in a GNSS outage: extra climb performance doesn’t resolve the loss of position information; identifying inbound fixes depends on reliable navigation that GNSS may be providing; and diverting immediately to the nearest aerodrome is a drastic action that isn’t required unless there’s an immediate safety imperative.