Solar storms spell trouble for GPS

The Earth compass, was powered by a windmill, just as many
crop dusters power their spray pumps, and similarly to using
a venturi to power gyros, if you're flying you have power.
Using a retractable generator is even part of the modern jet
airliner.

Yes, when your G1000 dies, you will have very limited
navigation or even communication options. Check out the
difference between a Beech Baron or Bonanza G36/G58 and a
Cessna NAV III on the manual section at Garmin. com




"Larry Dighera" wrote in message
...
|
|
| "Larry Dighera" wrote in message
| .. .
| | On Wed, 25 Oct 2006 06:17:38 -0500, "Jim Macklin"
| | wrote in
| | :
| |
| |
| | BFD, All those radios are called Aids to navigation
for
| a
| | reason, they are conveniences.
| |
| | Were you aware of the design flaw in GPS as
implemented?
| I just
| | thought it might be a good idea to provide the
information
| to those
| | weren't.
| |
| | Of course, this issue makes no mention of solar mass
| ejections, that
| | can potentially knock out any satellite.
| |
| | It appears that we are (finally?) seeing some
| technological innovation
| | tickling down to the GA fleet, but I'm becoming uneasy
| with the
| | apparent lack of robustness engineered in these early
| systems.
| |
| |
| | CAL found Paris with just a compass and a chart.
| |
| | Yes. It was an Earth Inductor Compass*. I've never
seen
| one of those
| | in any aircraft in which I've flown, let alone piloted.
| |
| |
| | *
http://oldbeacon.com/beacon/earth_inductor_compass.htm
|
| On Wed, 25 Oct 2006 14:38:27 -0500, "Jim Macklin"
| wrote in
| :
|
| An early version if the slaved compass, just like nearly
all
| cabin class and all G1000 systems use.
|
| Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't a slaved compass
require
| electrical power to operate? "Slim's" Earth Inductor
Compass didn't
| require any power except that generated by the coil
rotating in the
| Earth's magnetic field. So if I'm correct, those pilots
flying behind
| a dead glass-cockpit would only have a whiskey compass to
navigate
| with.

On Wed, 25 Oct 2006 17:54:17 -0500, "Jim Macklin"
wrote in
:

The Earth compass, was powered by a windmill, just as many
crop dusters power their spray pumps, and similarly to using
a venturi to power gyros, if you're flying you have power.
Using a retractable generator is even part of the modern jet
airliner.

A propeller turned an armature, but there were no field coils; the
Earth's magnetic field played that role; thus no battery, nor
generator, nor venturi, nor vacuum pump nor any other power source was
required to operate it, unlike a slaved compass..

Yes, when your G1000 dies, you will have very limited
navigation or even communication options.

If you're in IMC at the time of such a failure, you're only landing
option will be a GCA approach, unless you have portable Nav equipment.

Check out the
difference between a Beech Baron or Bonanza G36/G58 and a
Cessna NAV III on the manual section at Garmin. com

What will I find?

One point, any proper weather briefing will determine where
and how far VFR conditions exist. Did that 30 years ago.
If you don't have any more than a compass you can find North
Dakota or Texas from Chicago or Atlanta. Today, even a $100
GPS will steer you pretty well ands aircraft walkie-talkies
are common, not so 30 years ago. But even without GPS or
radar, I could find a safe place to land.



"Larry Dighera" wrote in message
...
| On Wed, 25 Oct 2006 17:54:17 -0500, "Jim Macklin"
| wrote in
| :
|
| The Earth compass, was powered by a windmill, just as
many
| crop dusters power their spray pumps, and similarly to
using
| a venturi to power gyros, if you're flying you have
power.
| Using a retractable generator is even part of the modern
jet
| airliner.
|
| A propeller turned an armature, but there were no field
coils; the
| Earth's magnetic field played that role; thus no battery,
nor
| generator, nor venturi, nor vacuum pump nor any other
power source was
| required to operate it, unlike a slaved compass..
|
| Yes, when your G1000 dies, you will have very limited
| navigation or even communication options.
|
| If you're in IMC at the time of such a failure, you're
only landing
| option will be a GCA approach, unless you have portable
Nav equipment.
|
| Check out the
| difference between a Beech Baron or Bonanza G36/G58 and a
| Cessna NAV III on the manual section at Garmin. com
|
| What will I find?