Hi Joe,
In the absence of the Track Files from your PilotAware, I have run the PilotAware Groundstation Playback Tool and checked for tracks as reported from your aircraft via the PilotAware ATOM-GRID Groundstation Network.
The Playback Tool reports 404C04 departing Enstone at ~13:00 (local) on
Thursday, 3rd October and heading towards Shobdon as you reported. On that occasion,
there is a solid track with continuous reports from multiple Groundstations (up to 10 or more at the same time)
from take-off at Enstone to a position just south-east of Leominster at just under 3,000ft,
where the signal suddenly and immediately drops out from all of the multiple groundstations at the same time and remains disconnected from all of them for a significant period of time. This indicates that up to that point your PilotAware was working and transmitting its position normally, and that (for whatever reason)
it suddenly stopped transmitting. The aircraft appears again just after take off for its return flight at 13:55 local, being reported by stations at Shobdon and Milson (north-east of Shobdon) for a short period of time, until it again dropped out at ~1,850ft
well before reaching Leominster - i.e. well to the west of the point where it dropped out on the outbound flight. It reappeared (again suddenly) at 14:12 (local) at ~3,500ft over Acton Green (reported again by multiple ground stations at the same time from the point at which it appears) and continued to report solidly via multiple groundstations until landing back at Enstone at ~14:52.
There is another solid track with multiple Groundstation reports from take-off at Enstone at 12:09 (local)
on Friday, 11th October, until the signal again drops out suddenly from all of the multiple reporting stations at the same time, as the aircraft approaches Leominster. The aircraft reappears as it takes off from Shobdon at 13.09 (local) and climbs to ~2000ft, at which point the P3i signal again drops out suddenly as it heads east towards Leominster (at about the same point as it dropped out on 3rd October), before re-appearing at ~3,650ft as the aircraft approaches Pershore and remains visible until landing back at Enstone at 13.02 (local).
There is, however, yet another set of reports from the same aircraft on 11th October - departing Enstone at 13:42 (local) and flying to Wolverhampton Halfpenny-Green (EGBO), landing at 14:24 (local) and returning between 15:30 (local) and 16:13 (local),
with no drop-outs at all during either of those two later flights on that same day (which of anything adds to the confusion).
The only reported difference between the above flights (apart from the destination) seems to have been that the pilots on each occasion used their own tablets (with of course their own tablet and 'Nav' software).
I have to say that the suddenness of the dropouts and re-appearances make me sceptical as to the cause being a 'simple loss of GPS'. Whilst loss of GPS can of course cause dropouts (PilotAware won't transmit if it isn't certain of its correct position), these would normally manifest themselves as irregular (and usually short) gaps - both in transmission and in (for example) SkyDemon Track Logs - as the GPS dongle loses and re-acquires signals from the GPS satellites. More prolonged drops are likely to indicate a more serious fault, such as a loss of power, or a range of other issues. The actual reason(s) should however (dependent on software version) be recorded in the onboard PilotAware Track Log - which is why Lee has asked you for these. Without access to the actual track logs for the flights from the PilotAware concerned, we can at this stage only make 'educated guesses' as to the cause.
In the meantime, if you would like to see the Groundstation Tracks for yourself, you can do so by clicking on the following link, then selecting the appropriate date and time for the start of the flight and (I would suggest at least initially) a 3 hour search window. You can then narrow the search window and then follow through the flight by dragging the 'marker' along the lower profile screen - adjusting the zoom and chart position as necessary as you go.
https://playback.pilotaware.com/playback/groundstations/?ICAO=404C04&RxType=PAW&adbVariant=*&Station=*
Looking forward to seeing the Track Files.
Best Regards
Peter
p.s if you need help in downloading and sending in the tracks - just ask!
