"Jose" wrote in message
. ..
His destination and all options only have GPS instrument approaches, or
all
his other IFR instruments crapped out.

If all the other IFR instruments crapped out, something is seriously wrong
that needs fixing. Go to the VFR alternate. If, once VFR, the weather at
the destination allows VFR flying, then fly VFR to the destination
(assuming it is unlikely that the rest of the airplane will fall apart,
leaving the pilot clutching the 396 and an empty yoke, like in the
cartoons.

What he is thinking of doing, is not telling anyone that his other stuff
crapped out, and go ahead shooting a GPS approach to high minimums, and
if
the weather does not let him decide early to go visual, go missed.

Yes, I figured. That would be an emergency procedure. This isn't an
emergency yet. Don't make it one.

Yes, it's likely that the 396 will do fine. But it may be "less than
fine" in a surprising way, since it hasn't been tested in ways the FAA
considers sufficient. I have issues with the FAA sometimes, but they also
have their good points.



Now here's where I don't understand the FAA's logic.

I'm building an airplane. I can put in any non-certified equipment I want to
including NAV equipment that is not new or yellowed tagged and "I" can
certify that it is up to IFR standards.

But... If I want a IFR GPS it has to be installed to the standard of the TSO
(Can't remember number).

Basicly Garmin gould build a device that derived it's information from
VOR/LOC/NDB/GS to the same standard as the 1/2/396 and I could fly IFR with
it. But because they use GPS I can't.