(Snowbird) writes:

I don't see that, and in fact the priorities you correctly list
contradict that view. A GPS helps (well, helps me anyway, YMMV) with
aviating and navigating. A cell phone helps only with communicating.
Communicating with anyone is a way lower priority than aviating
and navigating. Bernoulli not Marconi makes the plane fly, etc etc.

My reason for using a cell phone to talk to ATC after an electrical
failure in IMC would be to get a lot of help with the navigating, up
to and including a PAR approach if there was a military base nearby.
If I lose electrical in high IMC, it should be a non-event -- just
descend below the clouds and proceed VFR to the nearest field. If I
lose electrical in low IMC, I'm going to need all the weather and
navigation information I can get.


All the best,


David