"Mxsmanic" wrote in message
...
Maxwell writes:

Why would a pilot care?

When reporting position, or when following instructions to "cross XYZ at
6000," or whatever. Or when giving the location of a family in distress
next
to their SUV below.


It's never that critical if you are reporting a position to some form of
ATC. Anything within a couple miles will do on VFR. IFR you have VOR and
DME, and ATC understands their accuracy.

Estimating a ground position would usually be given from a ground reference.
Using road section lines you can estimate to a 1/2 or 1/4 mile pretty well.
Just report something like 2.5 miles west of the river, railroad tracks,
general store, etc.

The only time you need to look straight down is while skydiving. Then you
are looking through an open door, and with very little experience you can
judge to a couple hundred feet from 10,500. The parachute does the rest.