required eqipment for ifr

Andrew Gideon wrote:
It's certainly time well spent to *really* learn the GPS. But a good NDB
approach, or hold, is quite satisfying. Given the choice of which to
carry, I'd pick the GPS. But if I have the NDB, I'll use it.

The question is not whether there is greater than zero value in NDB.
It's clear that there is. As for satisfaction, well yes, I agree that
there is satisfaction in mastery of almost any skill. That's why I
learned how to work a sextant. Am I ever going to use that skill for
real? Hardly, but it sure is satisfying to spend half an hour working a
round of sights and getting a nice tight fix (say, under a mile probable
error).

The question is whether it's worth investing the time it takes to master
it. Especially when that time could be spent mastering a tool which
provides such a vastly greater amount of information, utility, safety,
etc. It's pretty much a zero sum game. If you spend an hour working on
one thing, that's one hour less you get to spend on something else.

Of course, if the student *wants* to learn how to fly NDB approaches, I
see nothing wrong with teaching them, as an optional part of the
curriculum. I just don't see the point of making it required.

My club recently voted to get rid of all our ADFs. We'll keep them in
the planes as long as they work, but won't spend any more money fixing
them when they break.