ABSTRACT
This chapter provides an overview of the Global Positioning System (GPS) system, aviation augmentations, GPS avionics, and aviation applications. Code division multiple access (CDMA) is utilized for all the GPS navigation signals, that is, all of the satellites broadcast their signals upon the same carrier frequencies. GPS receivers determine their position and precise time using passive range measurements to visible satellites. These range measurements are obtained through a measurement of the transit time of the broadcast navigation signals and are referred to as pseudoranges since all simultaneous measurements may have a large common bias due to a low-cost receiver clock. GPS avionics used in general aviation (GA) aircraft fall into two main categories: integrated flight decks and panel-mounted GPS navigators. The GPS receivers themselves may be remote mounted and combined with very-high-frequency (VHF) omnidirectional range/instrument landing system and VHF communication receivers. Portable GPS receivers are commonly used in GA aircraft, sometimes sharing the cockpit with more traditional installed GPS equipment.
