Why Panel GPS Is Critical

[CTLSi]

If you are flying with steam gauges and/or do not have at least a panel mounted GPS with moving map or an EFB in the cockpit with GPS, then you are open to possible tragedy.

A panel mount not only provides the sectionals (like a Garmin 796 or Dynon or Garmin touch) but can also quickly be used to find an alternate airport and create a navigation route by hitting the Direct button.

Here is a fatal crash where a pilot had requested an alternate airfield from ATC and was directed to a non-existent airfield that no longer existed. The pilot could not apparently verify that ATC was misdirecting him until it was too late.

http://www.flyingmag.com/technique/acci ... NDQwNDQwS0

[Wm.Ince]

If you are flying with steam gauges and/or do not have at least a panel mounted GPS with moving map or an EFB in the cockpit with GPS, then you are open to possible tragedy.

That is pure, unadulterated

The same could be said, "open to possible tragedy," for the most sophisticated flight deck in the world.

"The best safety device in any aircraft is a well trained pilot."

[rcpilot]

I'd have to agree with WM.Ince. First, how do we know they didn't have a GPS? According to the prelim report this was an "on demand air taxi flight" and I would imagine anyone doing that would have additional navigation aides. As a new student pilot/aircraft owner, I know that as PIC you're suppose to know where your alternatives are. From what I've read they were directing him to a non-existent "strip" in Bethpage. I know Bethpage has a rather large golf course but perhaps he could not see it.

[dstclair]

CTLSi assumes panel mounted GPS are something new. I put a Garmin GNC 150 in my Bellanca Super Viking back in 1995. It came with a Jeppesen database and handy little "NRST" button -- just like every GPS has today. I think it's a near certainty that a Bonanza flying air taxi had at least one GPS.

And before my GNC 150 and GPS in general, I had a "Loran Com" that had similar functionality.

[MrMorden]

Amazing that airliners crossed all the world's oceans 30 years before there was GPS in their cockpits. Some of the older planes relied on a SEXTANT to cross-check position, and they still got where they were going.

Oh, the tragedy!

[designrs]

Great to see a lively forum again!

I strongly prefer my iPad with ForeFlight over my panel mounted Garmin 696. Still I'm glad the Garmin in there for:

1) Redunduncy and position confirmation. It's good to know that both GPSs say that I'm in the same place.
2) "Threading the needle" between airspace. The 696 zooms in nicely for exact positioning, glare free. Although I'm not an advocate of this practice, some areas such as Florida, present a maze of airspace sometimes offering a very narrow corridor between airspace which may be necessary to utilize to avoid weather or to get where you need to go.
3) "Direct To" counts the miles to destination... perfect for calling a tower and pinpointing distance to airport.
4) The 696 feeds the audio alerts for terrain / obstacles / altitude etc.

[theoarno]

Amazing that airliners crossed all the world's oceans 30 years before there was GPS in their cockpits. Some of the older planes relied on a SEXTANT to cross-check position, and they still got where they were going.

Oh, the tragedy!

Well.....not always.
http://news.discovery.com/history/us-hi ... 141028.htm
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/25/world ... .html?_r=0

[BrianL99]

Amazing that airliners crossed all the world's oceans 30 years before there was GPS in their cockpits. Some of the older planes relied on a SEXTANT to cross-check position, and they still got where they were going.

Oh, the tragedy!

Yep, you have to wonder how anyone could fly this F-86A at 670 MPH and was able to find an airport to land at, without GPS.

[Wm.Ince]

. . . "you have to wonder how anyone could fly this F-86A at 670 MPH and was able to find an airport to land at, without GPS." . . .

That's easy.
It's called radar, GCA's and TACAN.

[drseti]

You have to wonder how anyone flying that F-86A at 670 MPH could find anything in that panel.

[MrMorden]

ergonomics, schmergonomics.

[designrs]

"You've never been lost until you're lost at Mach 3."
~ Richard Grahm, SR-71 Blackbird

Mach 3 = 2,000 kts
JFK to Washington in 5 minutes!

(Or two hours in my plane.)

[MrMorden]

Ha!

[drseti]

(Or two hours in my plane.)

So, the average trip in your plane only takes one hour 55 minutes more than it would in an SR-71? Not bad, Richard.

[BrianL99]

. . . "you have to wonder how anyone could fly this F-86A at 670 MPH and was able to find an airport to land at, without GPS." . . .

That's easy.
It's called radar, GCA's and TACAN.

I don't think they had TACAN around when the F-86A was produced. If I'm not mistaken, the majority of F-86A's were produced prior to the Korean War and TACAN didn't come out until the mid-late 50's.