Aircraft experience disruptions in radio communications due to solar flares

Airline Industry Information, Oct 30, 2003

AIRLINE INDUSTRY INFORMATION-(C)1997-2003 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD

Canada's civil aviation navigation service has said that aircraft flying north of the 57th parallel experienced some disruptions in high frequency radio communications yesterday (29 October).

The radio communication disruptions are thought to be due to the geomagnetic storm from solar flares. Flights travelling north of latitude 57 degrees, which runs from northern Scotland across Hudson Bay to the lower tip of Alaska and across Russia, were affected and were required to stay on specific routes.

The UK's national air traffic services also kept transatlantic jets on more southerly routes than usual to avoid solar flare interference with communications, according to The Associated Press.

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