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AIM 

9/5/24 

on a procedure affected by an expired or unsatisfactory flight inspection, or a procedure that is based upon a recently 
decommissioned NAVAID. 

4. 

Pilots may not substitute for the NAVAID (for example, a VOR or NDB) providing lateral guidance for the final approach 

segment. This restriction does not refer to instrument approach procedures with “or GPS” in the title when using GPS or 
WAAS. These allowances do not apply to procedures that are identified as not authorized (NA) without exception by a 
NOTAM, as other conditions may still exist and result in a procedure not being available. For example, these allowances 
do not apply to a procedure associated with an expired or unsatisfactory flight inspection, or is based upon a recently 
decommissioned NAVAID. 

5. 

Use of a suitable RNAV system as a means to navigate on the final approach segment of an instrument approach procedure 

based on a VOR, TACAN or NDB signal, is allowable. The underlying NAVAID must be operational and the NAVAID 
monitored for final segment course alignment. 

6. 

For the purpose of paragraph c, “VOR” includes VOR, VOR/DME, and VORTAC facilities and “compass locator” 

includes locator outer marker and locator middle marker. 

d.  Alternate Airport Considerations.

 For the purposes of flight planning, any required alternate airport must 

have an available instrument approach procedure that does not require the use of GPS. This restriction includes 

conducting a conventional approach at the alternate airport using a substitute means of navigation that is based 

upon the use of GPS. For example, these restrictions would apply when planning to use GPS equipment as a 

substitute means of navigation for an out

of

service VOR that supports an ILS missed approach procedure at 

an alternate airport. In this case, some other approach not reliant upon the use of GPS must be available. This 

restriction does not apply to RNAV systems using TSO

C145/

C146 WAAS equipment. For further WAAS 

guidance, see paragraph 1

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18. 

1. 

For flight planning purposes, TSO-C129() and TSO-C196() equipped users (GPS users) whose 

navigation systems have fault detection and exclusion (FDE) capability, who perform a preflight RAIM 

prediction at the airport where the RNAV (GPS) approach will be flown, and have proper knowledge and any 

required training and/or approval to conduct a GPS-based IAP, may file based on a GPS-based IAP at either the 

destination or the alternate airport, but not at both locations.  At the alternate airport, pilots may plan for 

applicable alternate airport weather minimums using: 

(a) 

Lateral navigation (LNAV) or circling minimum descent altitude (MDA); 

(b) 

LNAV/vertical navigation (LNAV/VNAV) DA, if equipped with and using approved barometric 

vertical navigation (baro-VNAV) equipment; 

(c) 

RNP 0.3 DA on an RNAV (RNP) IAP, if they are specifically authorized users using approved 

baro-VNAV equipment and the pilot has verified required navigation performance (RNP) availability through 

an approved prediction program. 

2. 

If the above conditions cannot be met, any required alternate airport must have an approved instrument 

approach procedure other than GPS that is anticipated to be operational and available at the estimated time of 

arrival, and which the aircraft is equipped to fly. 

3. 

This restriction does not apply to TSO-C145() and TSO-C146() equipped users (WAAS users). For 

further WAAS guidance, see paragraph 1

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18. 

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4.  Recognizing, Mitigating, and Adapting to GPS Jamming and/or Spoofing 

a. 

The low

strength data transmission signals from GPS satellites are vulnerable to various anomalies that 

can significantly reduce the reliability of the navigation signal. The GPS signal is vulnerable and has many uses 

in aviation (e.g., communication, navigation, surveillance, safety systems and automation); therefore, pilots 

must place additional emphasis on closely monitoring aircraft equipment performance for any anomalies and 

promptly inform Air Traffic Control (ATC) of any apparent GPS degradation. Pilots should also be prepared to 

operate without GPS navigation systems. 

b. 

GPS signals are vulnerable to intentional and unintentional interference from a wide variety of sources, 

including radars, microwave links, ionosphere effects, solar activity, multi

path error, satellite communications, 

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Performance

Based Navigation (PBN) and Area Navigation (RNAV)