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#11
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GPS and old-fashioned thinking?
Roy Smith wrote:
I agree -- the biggest problem with today's crop of GPS is that the UIs all stink. Having a full keyboard would help a lot (not full in the sense of a normal PC keyboard, but all the digits and letters). The problem is, there's no place to put such a thing in a typical GA cockpit. They are starting to appear, however, in conjunction with cockpits designed from the ground up to use modern systems (http://www.lancairusa.com/20051103.html, for example). The avionics engineers call it panel "real estate." No high-end FMS systems use the QWERTY keyboard, rather they use a non-typist alpha-numeric keypad. |
#12
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GPS and old-fashioned thinking?
john smith wrote:
Knowing EXACTLY where I am at all times and being able to direct to pretty much everywhere (just the prohibited and restricted airspaces, oh and TFR's to go around), save time, money and fuel. And you cannot do that with a map and compass? OMG, a true reactionary! |
#14
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GPS and old-fashioned thinking?
In article z67kf.62948$qw.39145@fed1read07, wrote:
The FAA, and the rest of the world as well, want to eventually shut-down the VORs. The only remaining ground-based systems will be ILSes. DME, and probably MLS, will be around for a while longer. Alas, where are the MLSes? Outside of the US -- Bob Noel New NHL? what a joke |
#15
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GPS and old-fashioned thinking?
john smith wrote:
Knowing EXACTLY where I am at all times and being able to direct to pretty much everywhere (just the prohibited and restricted airspaces, oh and TFR's to go around), save time, money and fuel. And you cannot do that with a map and compass? What's a compass? John |
#16
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GPS and old-fashioned thinking?
In article Qn8kf.10512$_k3.3263@dukeread01,
JPH wrote: john smith wrote: Knowing EXACTLY where I am at all times and being able to direct to pretty much everywhere (just the prohibited and restricted airspaces, oh and TFR's to go around), save time, money and fuel. And you cannot do that with a map and compass? What's a compass? John It's that funny thing above the dashboard that you hang the fuzzy dice from. |
#17
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GPS and old-fashioned thinking?
In article Qn8kf.10512$_k3.3263@dukeread01,
JPH wrote: john smith wrote: Knowing EXACTLY where I am at all times and being able to direct to pretty much everywhere (just the prohibited and restricted airspaces, oh and TFR's to go around), save time, money and fuel. And you cannot do that with a map and compass? What's a compass? John It's the funny-looking thing above the dashboard that you hang the fuzzy dice from. |
#18
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GPS and old-fashioned thinking?
wrote:
Roy Smith wrote: I agree -- the biggest problem with today's crop of GPS is that the UIs all stink. Having a full keyboard would help a lot (not full in the sense of a normal PC keyboard, but all the digits and letters). The problem is, there's no place to put such a thing in a typical GA cockpit. They are starting to appear, however, in conjunction with cockpits designed from the ground up to use modern systems (http://www.lancairusa.com/20051103.html, for example). The avionics engineers call it panel "real estate." No high-end FMS systems use the QWERTY keyboard, rather they use a non-typist alpha-numeric keypad. We used to have those non-qwerty keyboards in our Approach Control facilities. Don't know if it's true, but I heard rumors that they were made that way to prevent overloading the computer with fast typing. They never had to worry about that from me! Some of the new PDA's have small folding keyboards that use bluetooth technology to input the signal, those might be an option for tight cockpits. No wires, and not much space required when not in use. John |
#19
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GPS and old-fashioned thinking?
Bob Noel wrote:
In article xl0kf.62898$qw.59268@fed1read07, wrote: The FAA, and the rest of the world as well, want to eventually shut-down the VORs. The only remaining ground-based systems will be ILSes. DME, and probably MLS, will be around for a while longer. Don't count on it...elimination of all ground-based navaids. Even the FAA has reconsidered this flawed from the beginning concept. Ron Lee |
#20
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GPS and old-fashioned thinking?
And you cannot do that with a map and compass?
Nothing wrong with doing that way. But even when you can (and you can't always, consider VFR on top), the GPS is more accurate. And when you are flying over Canada, over unfamiliar terrain, it gives a level of confidence that you don't get by map and compass. Compasses are subject to magnetic anomolies, and many, many, aren't that accurate. When coming into Las Vegas airspace (and never been there before) and I see that the airport is 7.3 miles dead ahead, but still can't see the airport, I KNOW where I am, where to fly next with ease and precision you don't get with a map and compass. And I don't have to divert my attention from flying the plane, just a glance at the GPS and I KNOW. Also, it makes flight planning a breeze. No legs to figure. Just click in your route, check for restricted/prohibited airspace and TFR's and go direct! I have a Floatplane and I have put the Floatplane landing lakes (and there are lots without anchors that you see on the charts), into my GPS, so I have those without consulting some archane book. Also, like I said, I have the names of the rivers and highways at my fingertips for everyone to enjoy. I flew direct (good to save fuel) from Sioux St Marie to a small airport 200 miles north of Montreal over terrain that was remarkably difficult to get good visual fixes on, and out of range of VOR's. There were lakes, but one lake tended to look the same as the next. Other than that, just rolling terrain that was endlessly similar. Occasionally you would see a road or railroad (like every 150 miles), but lets face it . What with tight on fuel, and such, I don't think I would have gone direct here without a GPS. Too risky. I would have diverted to the airways (which were NOT convenient), used more fuel and taken longer.In that case enough longer I don't think I would have made it in one day. That would have meant finding and airport with a hotel and all that. There seems to be some macho, hair on the chest attitude about not using the GPS. Lots of instructors that ignore it's existence, won't let their students use it, but lets face it, there isn't a pilot out there that actually goes anywhere cross country that doesn't have one and use it. No reason not too. They work great! There is a need to be able to navigate by other means as there is always a chance the GPS signal will not be there or your unit will malfunction. So cross checking with other navigation techniques periodically is still a good idea. I have over 2000 hours behind mine though, and have yet to really loose a signal (a couple of times, temporarily, and I suspect it was my unit, not the satellites). When I land in a strange town and borrow the courtesy car (or rent one), and want to see the sights, my Garmin car unit tells me where the museums are, where the resturants are, where the rivers are. Great little device for that too. |
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