I've found that I can fly the airplane IMC with just the HSI page on my
Garmin III Pilot as long as I keep the control inputs gentle. Doing this,
my instructor covers all the flight instruments. Update rate is a little
on the slow side, but as long as you keep your turns gentle it is very
doable. This is in a Piper Cherokee Six, which is a pretty stable
platform to begin with. I'm not so sure that it would be doable with
something more slippery like a Bonanza or a Tiger, but it works well in
the truck. It does take a light touch and some practice, but it can
definitely be done.

David Megginson wrote:

(Lynne Miller) writes:

I think it is very safe to fly the airplane with two VORs and ADF,
if you are a proficient instrument pilot. This was done for thirty
plus years prior to GPS coming into the cockpit without much
problem. Remember, GPS is still a rather new invention when it
comes to aviation usage.

The reason I'm puzzled by the original poster's statement (and his
instructor's) is that the GPS, VOR, and ADF are all secondary
problems.

The primary task during flight in IMC is keeping the plane upright,
and a GPS does not help with that any more than a VOR or ADF does (in
fact, in the unlikely event that I lost *all* gyros but still somehow
had electricity, I'd probably choose the ADF over the GPS for trying
to keep the wings level, due to the ADF's faster response time).

Unless you're flying very low around high terrain, even a
completely-busted VOR, ADF, or GPS shouldn't kill you, so I don't see
how a functioning one puts you at risk. Of course, you will need some
way to land eventually, but in that case ILS is more accurate than GPS
anyway.

All the best,

David

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