Was the navigation system of the plane with which Von der Leyen landed in our country jammed by Russia? Is it a rumor that the pilots had to use paper maps to get to the airport in Plovdiv? These questions were discussed by aviation expert Todor Ivandzhikov on the air of NOVA NEWS.
“We do not know where the truth is, since we do not have feedback from the pilots“, the expert began, specifying that the jamming of GPS signals occurs through a strong radio signal from a certain point on the ground or in the air. However, according to Ivandzhikov, aviation has a system for duplicating navigation technologies, which means that such a problem does not pose a risk to passengers.
“The fact that a GPS signal is lost does not mean that there is a danger to passengers“, he explained. Signal loss is a common occurrence in certain areas of the world, especially in areas of military conflict, where such “black zones” are marked and pilots, as well as airlines, are well informed about them.
Regarding the rumors that pilots are using paper maps instead of electronic navigation systems, Ivandzhikov was categorical: “Most companies use electronic maps, so I don't believe these rumors are true.“
The expert's words are also supported by the opinion of the flight tracking platform Flightradar24.com, which stated that the GPS signal in the affected area was good the entire time. “There may have been some minimal problem, but it is certainly not related to the signal“, they point out.
Ivandzhikov added that the jamming in the area of Bulgaria, Romania and the Bosphorus is a phenomenon that has been observed relatively often after 2022, but it does not threaten flight safety.