"Jose" wrote in message news:IeDse.6352

By using paper charts, a compass, and dead reckoning as backup, I mean to
actually use a plotter, draw a line on the chart, and measure the course
line. Your paper chart indicates (for example) a desired course of 170,
and your GPS says 190. Something's wrong.

Well, I guess I didn't clarify. Oceanic, that's what you do with a plotting
chart. Its a line on paper, but its just a small scale chart so when you
line in the trip pre-flight, you can get the entire trip on one sheet
smaller than an enroute chart. All the DR data that might be needed for
reference...time, distance, course for each leg... is contained on the
computer generated flight plan -- its part of the cross check.
For a local or regional GA flight, your absolutely right -- the GPS data
ought to be periodically back-checked against a chart.