Communications from the control tower at Nantes airport were jammed by waves from an old TV amplifier hidden in a camper van.
THE communications between the control tower of Nantes airport and the plane pilots were disturbed by an unexpected object. This object was completely forgotten on board a camping-car.
Communications at Nantes airport jammed by an unexpected object
Quickly, the General Directorate of Civil Aviation (DGAC) was alerted by these abnormal disturbances. They sent a specialist team to identify the source of the problem. In just two hours of research, experts finally located the origin interference. It was a campervan parked about two kilometers from the airport, in a garden.
The owner of this vehicle was not aware that this old amp tv could cause such problems. Besides, this amp was forget and hidden in his vehicle for a while. The specialists quickly managed to deactivate the device to put an end to this unusual incident.
photo credit: PxHere Sometimes, some old items can be more dangerous than you think.
The history of this motorhome seems uniquebut unfortunately it is not not so rare. Some devices of this type are capable of emitting waves capable of interfering with VHF frequencies used by civil aviation. Each year, approximately 40 similar cases are recorded in France. Of old domestic equipment are often involved, such as television amplifiers, modems or radios.
Hidden object in RV creates surprising problems
The waves emitted by these objects can actually disturb air communications. Moreover, the National Frequency Agency (ANFR) reminds that these devices can still emit frequencies capable of jamming critical communications systems. This is particularly the case for those used in civil aviation.
This type of problem therefore recalls the impatience of the regulation and the surveillance radio frequencies in France. Old, poorly maintained or even forgotten devices can cause problems. unforeseen malfunctions. Sometimes they may have serious consequences. This can quickly become catastrophic, especially for the safety of aircraft in flight.
Fortunately, the rapid intervention of the authorities made it possible to solve the problem of the motorhome quite quickly. No major incident occurred and everything is now back to normal. The owner of the motorhome did not hesitate to cooperated with the DGAC teams to disconnect the device causing the unintentional interference.
The DGAC and ANFR teams continue to to watch carefully the frequencies. Their goal is to minimize the risk of similar interference in the future. Sometimes, even our oldest household appliances can be a problem. menace which we cannot expect.
Source: www.autoplus.fr
