In a previous article, said:
I'm serious, though. I have heard several pilots tell ATC that they
have a handheld GPS and then ask for a vector. What's the point? If
you're going to ask for a vector why add the bit about the GPS? I can
only assume that they intend on flying the course from the handheld,
but ask for a vector because they've heard that its "legal" if you do
it that way.

On the other hand, I've had a controller ask me if I had a handheld
because he wanted me to fly direct to a VOR well outside reception
range. I didn't have one with me on that flight, so instead he gave me
a vector (it was a slow night).

On Saturday, I got an IFR clearance "KROC direct GEE direct KAGC", which
as soon as I got airborne was ammened to "direct KAGC". I was /A and I'd
filed along airways, but they must have known I had a handheld on board
and it was CAVU because I couldn't have flown that in IMC with the
equipment installed on the plane.


--
Paul Tomblin http://xcski.com/blogs/pt/
IMAP is just not a very rich protocol.
-- Steve Conn, Exchange Server product manager for Microsoft