On Wed, 25 Oct 2006 17:54:17 -0500, "Jim Macklin"
wrote in
:

The Earth compass, was powered by a windmill, just as many
crop dusters power their spray pumps, and similarly to using
a venturi to power gyros, if you're flying you have power.
Using a retractable generator is even part of the modern jet
airliner.

A propeller turned an armature, but there were no field coils; the
Earth's magnetic field played that role; thus no battery, nor
generator, nor venturi, nor vacuum pump nor any other power source was
required to operate it, unlike a slaved compass..

Yes, when your G1000 dies, you will have very limited
navigation or even communication options.

If you're in IMC at the time of such a failure, you're only landing
option will be a GCA approach, unless you have portable Nav equipment.

Check out the
difference between a Beech Baron or Bonanza G36/G58 and a
Cessna NAV III on the manual section at Garmin. com

What will I find?