In rec.aviation.piloting Mxsmanic wrote:
Ron Natalie writes:

Nope, GPS finds a 3-d position based on the relative distances between
sets of satellites in geosynchronous orbit.

Roughly, yes.

It knows no more about
true north than magnetic without elaborate conversion between where
the satellites are at any given instant and where the earth is.

With two fixes, it has true north. If it's moving, it has at least two fixes.

And that tells you your course, not which direction the nose is pointed.

There is no GPS instrument available that will tell you which way
your nose is pointed.

Funny, I'm looking at the sky today and all I see are clouds.
My compass still works.

There are lots of places on Earth where your compass won't work, but an ANS
will.

The only two places on Earth a magnetic compass doesn't work in an
airplane are over the north and south magnetic poles.

You really are ignorant, aren't you?

You are clueless aren't you. The engine in just about every airplane
out there runs just freaking fine without any electrical power consumed
nor delivered to the rest of the aircraft.

Are they all Diesels?

Good lord.

Ignorant doesn't even begin to describe how totally, utterly, and
completely clueless you are.

Piston engines have magnetos which generate the spark plug firing
voltage, and only the spark plug voltage. The engine has no other
need for electrical power and doesn't generate electrical power
to run things like GPS unless it has a generator or an alternator
installed. Many airplanes have neither a generator or an alternator.

Turbine engines only require electrical power to start. Once they
are running, they are self sustaining.

If you are going to be a pretend pilot, at least go learn some
basics so you don't look like a complete fool.

--
Jim Pennino

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