Stupid Newbie Pattern Question

What Jay said.

What Jay said is just a demonstration of how inappropriate use of GPS
navigation is creating pilots who don't have a clue of where they actually
are relative to the world.

I swear, the more I read your posts, the more I doubt that you have
actually piloted an aircraft in the last 10 years.

GPS has changed *everything* about flying -- and clinging to the old
VOR system is just another example of calcified thinking.

I have no doubt that 50 years ago some felt the same way about those
pilots who didn't "have a clue" where the A/N radio ranges were, and
nowadays (every now and then) I hear old timers grumbling about the
loss of our NDB approach into Iowa City. Time doesn't stand still, and
many people long for the familiarity of what they know best -- but
pilots are supposed to be lighter on their feet than the average Joe on
the street.

Change can be difficult to accept, and the elderly often find it easier
to just sit back and feign superiority...but I didn't think you were
*that* old, Pete.

If there is a VOR close enough to an airport to be usable as a reference for
traffic reports, then any pilot operating at or near that airport has an
obligation to be aware of the VOR and its position, whether or not they are
using the VOR for navigation.

Have you done a cross country flight lately, Pete? I don't mean to
Spokane -- I mean CROSS COUNTRY. If so, you would know how ludicrous
your statement truly is.

If not, you really aren't qualified to comment.

We are about to embark on a cross-continent cross-country flight. If
at any point in the next three days I turn on my VORs, it will be
because I am bored, and we will have listened to all our music CDs.

Stupidly, I might attempt to use my 1950s-tech dual VORs to
"cross-check" my dual GPS-verified position, even though I know that
they are exponentially less accurate instruments.

THAT is the reality of VORs to the modern pilot, Pete. Welcome to the
real world. You should have taken the Blue Pill.

rant on
I realize that it's human nature, and perhaps even a bit fashionable, to be
clueless with respect to your surroundings. Not just in aviation, but in
all aspects of life, people seem to want to forget that they are a part of a
living, breathing world. They want to abstract their existence as much as
possible, and forget about reality. But every time they do so, they
sacrifice true awareness and an ability to interact with reality, because
they are ignoring reality. Unfortunately for those people, reality doesn't
care about abstractions; it exists, regardless of whether you pay attention
to it or not. If you fail to pay attention to it, you will pay the price.
/rant

Wow. That's deep.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"