Have you ever...

On Sat, 16 Apr 2005 06:29:37 -0000, Skywise wrote:

Due to the tight control of GPS by the US gov, the Europeans
are develping their own system called GALILEO which will use
the same base frequency (L1) as the NAVSTAR which means most
consumer level GPS units will be compatible. Once this is
available, the idea of the US Gov 'turning off' GPS is moot.

not really. US government has offered its 'help' in developing the European
system ... and Europe has readily agreed ... *sic*

#m
--
http://www.hotze.priv.at/album/aviation/caution.jpg

Morgans,

The economic fallout would be huge.


Exactly. And what is the world ultimately run by? Money! So it won't
happen.

--
Thomas Borchert (EDDH)

Bob,

Moot? Hardly.


Again: When was the last time GPS was turned off? ONe example would be
enough.

--
Thomas Borchert (EDDH)

squandering tens of billions of dollars of tax payers' money waging
your daddy's war during a time when our nation's future citizens are
being so poorly educated that it's embarrassing if not freighting.

Yeah, look what it did for your spelling.

Hey -- maybe Larry really *meant* that he's "freighted"?

;-)
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Actually, it doesn't even do that. There are what? Maybe 2 or 3 questions
on the test that deal with VORs? Anybody who flunks 'cause they missed
those is also missing a lot of other knowledge that they really should
have.

VORs are just a single example of (what I consider) silly stuff on the
Private written exam. Name five more, and we could pare the test down by
20%.

Although, again -- I wonder if the new Sport Pilot hasn't already done most
of this? Has anyone seen the written exam for Sport Pilot?

Heck, I don't even know if there *is* a written exam for Sport Pilot...
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

When was the last widespread GPS outage (when was the first, for that
matter?)? Except local outages announced per NOTAM, since those don't
really count.

I've been flying with GPS since ~1997, and I've not seen/heard of one.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Upgrade the entire fleet, and I might be taking your side of the argument
(actually, it would be moot {8^). But as long as VORs are actually in the
aircraft (and I don't mean a fancy VOR-exploiting moving map RNAV type
machine {8^), the pilots flying those should learn them.

I agree 100% that a pilot should learn to use EVERYTHING in the panel. But
does this specialized knowledge need to be tested on the Private written
exam? Are there questions about using audio panels on the Private written?
Intercoms? Auto pilots?

I guess that's really the crux of the issue. Should we be testing new
Private pilots to make sure they are safe fliers, or should we be testing
them to some level beyond that?

I would contend that in the year 2005 navigation via VORs rests squarely in
the "optional knowledge" category, and should not be on the Private written.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

I would prefer that any changes to the airman's written test primarily
result in increased safety not numbers.

I'm not sure what can be added to a written exam that will increase the
safety of a pilot in the air -- but I'd entertain suggestions.

With the advent of GPS satellite navigation equipped aircraft it seems
more appropriate to _ADD_ GPS related questions to the test.

On the surface this appears more logical than asking about VORs, but asking
about GPS is still testing OPTIONAL knowledge. To fly, all you really need
is a sectional map and a compass -- and I know guys who fly safely without
*those*.

Again, do we want to make flying more accessible, or are we trying to keep
it exclusive? I fear that if we continue to weed people out, we will find
ourselves more and more alone at the airports as the early Baby Boomers --
who make up a huge percentage of active pilots -- start to die out.

And when that happens, what happens to the FBOs? The avionics guys?
Airport funding? We're already fighting to "only" lose one airport every
14 days in this country -- and it will only get worse. We need more
pilots.

Sport Pilot will hopefully be the answer, but I'm not holding my breath.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

On Fri, 15 Apr 2005 16:10:37 +0200, Thomas Borchert
wrote in
::

Larry,

What I suggested
has occurred recently and is likely to occur again.


When was the last widespread GPS outage (when was the first, for that
matter?)?

For a GPS outage to be significant to an airman, it needn't be wide
spread.

There is some information at these links:
http://www.aerorfi.org/forum/read.php?f=1&i=115&t=115
http://www.schriever.af.mil/GpsSuppo...advisories.htm
http://www.sel.noaa.gov/nav/gps.html
http://www.schriever.af.mil/GpsSuppo...23_Anomaly.htm
http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/archive/2...eport-v4.6.pdf

Except local outages announced per NOTAM, since those don't
really count.

The "failed pilots" we should be concerned about are the ones who fail
because they are so intimidated by the process that they never even take
the
test.

I would prefer not to share the sky with those individuals, thanks.

That's just crap.

Walk into your airport today, Larry, with the eyes of a newbie. Try to
imagine knowing NOTHING about flying, and trying to get your foot in the
door. Imagine trying to know Step One to learning to fly, just by standing
in your airport terminal building.

It's intimidating as hell, even at most uncontrolled fields. At a Class C
airport, you might as well be trying to break into Area 51.

In fact, it's so intimidating that people don't even consider the fact that
they MIGHT be able to fly, let alone wonder who to speak with about it.
It's a terrible situation.

Without a mentor, most new pilots never get started. We've made airports so
inaccessible that flying has become like some sort of priesthood, where you
must be inducted into it by the Elders.

We're not Jedi Knights. While I love the thought that what I do is special,
and that I've got knowledge that very few others have, we've simply got to
get past this ego thing if general aviation is to survive.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"
"Larry Dighera" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 15 Apr 2005 13:40:17 GMT, "Jay Honeck"
wrote in
5vP7e.16612$xL4.10899@attbi_s72::