Haven't flown vfr in years, need poor man's gps suggestions please!

JordanD said:
Plus, nothing ruins fun like stressing out over if the water tower that signifies the Bravo shelf is the one behind you, the third one to the left in front of you, or the second from the right, all with a giant sectional unfolded all over the front seats.
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In a 172 going 1.5 miles a minute, and identifying landmarks on a sectional is stress?

Wow. :)
 
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killbilly said:
While I don't disagree in principle, it's almost foolish to fly in certain airspace without GPS.
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Eh, perhaps there is some truth to that. But if you have time to ask questions on the internet about it, you have enough time to look at a sectional chart. Or, you know, just talk to approach.
 
killbilly said:
While I don't disagree in principle, it's almost foolish to fly in certain airspace without GPS.


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I fly in all kinds of high density airspace, on a daily basis, and I don't have any GPS in the MD88. Is it helpful? Yes, but it's not imperative to have.
 
Cptnchia said:
I fly in all kinds of high density airspace, on a daily basis, and I don't have any GPS in the MD88. Is it helpful? Yes, but it's not imperative to have.
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You do a lot of VFR in that MD88?

But no, if you take the time to look at the sectional, or if B, fly and/or TAC chart before you go, you can easily figure out a course that is very identifiable through recognizing obvious landmarks. You know, that pilot thing we don't really do in automated jets.
But I enjoy feeling like I'm still a pilot. ymmv.
 
Cptnchia said:
I fly in all kinds of high density airspace, on a daily basis, and I don't have any GPS in the MD88. Is it helpful? Yes, but it's not imperative to have.
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That's an excellent point.

What I'm thinking of is VFR in the DC SFRA.

And while I have, indeed, done it myself, the chances of a violation out here are greatly reduced with the GPS in that scenario.

But your point is well taken.


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While I agree that being able to read & determine location from a sectional is of the utmost importance and should still be used as a primary resource during VFR flying, I'm sure what the gripe is about the guy wanting something to enhance his SA especially while flying single pilot... Single pilot resource management advocates making effective use of ALL available resources.
 
over2departure said:
While I agree that being able to read & determine location from a sectional is of the utmost importance and should still be used as a primary resource during VFR flying, I'm sure what the gripe is about the guy wanting something to enhance his SA especially while flying single pilot... Single pilot resource management advocates making effective use of ALL available resources.
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As a guy who flys a lot of GA, I'm just poking fun at the gadgets and trying to get people to look where the fun is. The entire reason you're even in an airplane VFR is likely to go have fun doing it. This should not resemble what most of us do for a living in any way. If you want to stare at a screen, there's big airplanes and simulators. No need to go fly.
Seriously. There's an entire world out the front window and it's pretty cool.
 
If you have an Android phone. There is a program called Avare, it is free and has a host of good information including moving map GPS.
 
z987k said:
As a guy who flys a lot of GA, I'm just poking fun at the gadgets and trying to get people to look where the fun is. The entire reason you're even in an airplane VFR is likely to go have fun doing it. This should not resemble what most of us do for a living in any way. If you want to stare at a screen, there's big airplanes and simulators. No need to go fly.
Seriously. There's an entire world out the front window and it's pretty cool.
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Do you use any instruments when you fly vfr?
 
E_Dawg said:
Hi all,

I'm taking up an old 172 with no gps vfr in unfamiliar and busy airspace. I want to try to use some of this new fangled technology to help me stay as un-lost as possible.

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I'm looking at getting one of these Bad Elf GPSs. Can I connect it to my iPad to see where I am on a sectional chart? How accurate are they and do you have any app recommendations?

Thanks!!
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The only problem I've seen comes from the need to put it in some elevated position. If that happens to be up on the panel, the sun will destroy the screen pretty quick.
 
Cptnchia said:
I fly in all kinds of high density airspace, on a daily basis, and I don't have any GPS in the MD88. Is it helpful? Yes, but it's not imperative to have.
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Back in the day of AHRS-only mad dogs, it'd been helpful to have a sectional from time to time!
 
I mind me of a time when there was no need for GPS, and when you could blast off and not worry about TFRs or SFRAs or ADS-B requirements.

Sectionals were tool of the pilot. Not as clumsy or random as an iPad. But an elegant product, for a more civilized day in age.

Before the Dark Times. Before the Empire.

Richman
 
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