while were speaking airplanes...

[+JamesJM]

What do you pilots think of GPS...both VFR and IFR?

 

I have come to think it's indispensible, even though I rarely use it.

 

truth is, in IFR conditions, I don't go up. But I LOVE marking sites on my 'off in the wilderness ranch' and using that info to do low fly-overs.

 

But back to point...do you think GPS will eventually make all the other forms of navigation impotent? - JamesJM

[+Team GPSaxophone]

My Suburbans don't fly high enough to need anything but GPS

 

Took sun from sky, left world in eternal darkness

[+sbukosky]

It will make me sound ancient but I wish I had one when I was flying around in my dad's old Aeronca 7AC. Only navigation tools I had was the compass, my sectional and the slip stick. Did finally get a hand held radio but couldn't hear it most of the time unless I throttled back. I did fly Skylanes with a full panel so did appreciate the VORs and ADF. If I was still doing it, I'd be using my Garmins!

 

Steve Bukosky N9BGH

Waukesha Wisconsin

[+wannafly]

If there is a lot of replies, we'll get varying awnsers here. I know Cessna training centers program doesnt include GPS usage until the ladder part of the program.

 

VFR - It's an aid, a very helpful one, but hopefully will NEVER be the primary form of naviation. In canada(i've heard) most VFR pilots havent used and dont train with GPS's.

 

IFR - I'm not IFR rated, but i've flown with someone in IFR conditions. It's much more helpful, although it does make navigation easier, sometimes its relied upon too much, i'd say.

 

Overall, no i dont think it will ever make other forms "impotent" - not in recreational/hobby flying at least, commercial is a different story.

[+hoys]

When I took my flying lessons a few years ago, my instructor completely banned GPS from the cockpit while he was on board. I had to learn VOR, DME, and pilotage. My instructor beat the lesson of "GPS should never be used as a primary means of navigation" so hard I still have marks.

 

When I started going out solo, and since I got my license, my GPS is in my flight bag all the time, with fully-charged batteries and waypoints for all of the airports I have interest in or might potentially need (for a forced or fast landing). I keep it right next to my handheld AV/COM that sticks around in case I lose electric.

 

Most of the time, it stays there, and I end up coming back with a GPS with fully charged batteries.

 

Sometimes, when I am out flying over a whole lot of nothing, I use it to get a more accurate vector to the target airport. It saves me fuel and that all important (and expensive) engine time. I've also used it to keep the track and print it out on a map for passengers, but it stays sitting on the back seat.

 

I am VFR only, so I can't speak to IFR.

 

However, the instant I find that I cannot handle a VOR or AV-Chart, I will go back to a school or instructor and buy some remedial training before I take passengers up again.

[+JamesJM]

quote:

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Originally posted by hoys:

When I took my flying lessons a few years ago, my instructor completely banned GPS from the cockpit while he was on board. I had to learn VOR, DME, and pilotage. My instructor beat the lesson of "GPS should never be used as a primary means of navigation" so hard I still have marks.

.

---

 

In it's own way I think that's wise.

 

Pilots should most definitely understand the nuts and bolts of navigation and relying on ANYTHING...including VOR is not the best way to learn. - JamesJM

[+hoys]

quote:

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Originally posted by JamesJM:

Pilots should most definitely understand the nuts and bolts of navigation and relying on ANYTHING...including VOR is not the best way to learn. - JamesJM

---

 

Good point. Guess I should have listed pilotage BEFORE VOR and DME, as that's the way I learned.

 

Especially since GPS is probably technically more reliable than VOR or DME stations, but nothing is more reliable than knowing where you are in the first place.

[+Sluggo]

I don't fly now, but I bought my Garmin GPS III Pilot in 1996 and used it a lot as a backup/toy. It was never use as a primary means of navigation. It seemed cumbersom and just a lot of added tasks in the cockpit to use it in any other way but passively. (Maybe with the exception of the Emergency button which shows you the 10 nearest airpoirs and goes right into the "Navigate to" mode.)

 

Now with a couple of years geocaching and practically living with a GPS, I think I would be tempted to use it as primary (VFR only, I'm not instrument rated) and cary the charts, E-6B, etc, as back-up.

 

I can see how you could loose your navigational proficiency from using only GPS.

 

This 'flying saucer' situation is not at all imaginary or seeing too much in some natural phenomena. Something is really flying around. The phenomenon is something real and not visionary or fictitious. - Gen. Nathan Twining Chief of Staff, US Air Force, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff