True or false: SPS is used for civil navigation in controlled airspace in support of IFR operations.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. It is used only for military
• D. It has no aviation use

Answer: (A)

Standard Positioning Service is the civil, open signal of GPS. It is designed for civilian users and is available worldwide, not restricted to the military. Because of that, civil aircraft can rely on SPS for navigation in controlled airspace and for IFR operations, using GPS as a primary or supplementary navigation source. In practice, SPS provides the basic positioning, velocity, and time data needed for IFR flight, and accuracy is often enhanced by augmentation systems (like SBAS) for higher integrity and reliability. The statement is true because SPS is specifically the civilian GPS service used in civil aviation, while the military uses the encrypted PPS.