Preferred Navigation

[kgwilson]

Alan,

 

I fully agree about the over the sea situation as most times I have flown between the north & south islands of NZ in VFR conditions there were periods of time I could only see sea. I had charts, E6B, compass etc, I was on track when I left one coast & knew what should appear on the nose eventually. I never considerd I was lost. I always got a squawk code from ATC even though I was outside CTA, as a backup. I didn't have a GPS initially as they were so expensive way back then.

 

Reliance on a GPS has got far too may people into trouble and this continues to happen with regular monotony especially tourists who hire cars & blindly follow the GPS like the Asians on Stradbroke Island who drove into the sea because the GPS said there was a road there. The mind boggles at this stupidity. Hopefully all aviators are a cut above this sort of mentality.

 

 

[jetjr]

A good GPS gives far more information than just location which adds to safety and should be used. I really dont get the idea that its as some sort of cheat. I think the same team reckon EFIS and EMS give too much info and distract from flying too. Its about having all the info laid out accurately for you.

 

A Garmin 296 gives ground speed and ETE, ETA - (make sure youll make it, can help you work out wind). Even runs fuel calcs as a backup. Give nearest airfield , runway details, nearest NAV freq, nearest AWIS freq, last light all in a few button presses Also gives CTA and restricted areas warnings.

 

Sure saves a lot of pilot workload to do other things like look outside and communicate.

 

In saying that I ALWAYS carry appropriate maps - WAC, ERC etc and know how to use them. VFR you have to get a positive visual fix every 20-30 min. I also plot compass heading as this helps maintain track if GPS fails

 

I will also be mounting Ipad and Ozrunways shortly coz I like it