Why The Hell... (random rant)

"Tim" wrote in message
...

Not all planes have GPSes. In fact, most don't. Many of the haldheld
units fail. \
A bit OT, but I was delivering a sailboat from Ventura to Richmond one
November, and the handheld GPS died in heavy fog under the Golden Gate
Bridge. We replaced batteries, figured out it was not the unit, and
navigated by fog horns to the east bay. Sometimes, you just have to know
how to drive (boat, plane, car). And, you can't _simulate_ the real feeling
when a Golden Gate ferry blows across your port bow assuming (and hoping)
his radar saw you.

-CJ

In rec.aviation.piloting Mxsmanic wrote:
writes:

A sensor to find true north in an airplane in flight doesn't exist.

GPS finds true north. And, just incidentally, you can find true north by
looking at the sky. ANS will do that, and people can do it, too.

Utter nonsense; you have no clue.

The isogonic lines on a chart take care of all the problems of where
the actual north/south magnetic poles are.

Documenting them doesn't really eliminate them.

It doesn't matter, you go by the chart.

Wrong again, bucko, there is nothing better for finding north in an
airplane in flight.

GPS is better, and more accurate, to name just one.

Utter nonsense; you have no clue.

The only ways to find true north are celestial navigation and a true
gyro compass.

You can find true north by looking at the sky, or with GPS, or with ANS
(automated looking at the sky), or with an INS. The latter usually has to be
on the ground, although some systems support align-in-motion with a longer
setup time.

Utter nonsense; you have no clue.

You can't use celestial navigation unless you have a clear sky, an
almanac, a precise clock, and the necessary instruments to measure
celestial angles and the training to be able to use it all.

You need a precise clock to do just about any navigation. The need for the
rest is debatable, depending on how resourceful you are.

Utter nonsense; you have no clue.

GPS could be used to indirectly find either type of north, but it
doesn't work without power, which is an important concideration
when flying a real airplane without a pause button.

Unless the airplane is a glider, you have power.

Utter nonsense; you have no clue.

Inertial navigation requires an initial set up against something
else, constant updating measured in minutes, and again, power.

One third correct: it requires power, but engines provide power. It doesn't
have to be set up against anything else to find true north. It doesn't need
to be constantly updated; the whole idea is to be fairly autonomous.

Utter nonsense; you have no clue.


--
Jim Pennino

Remove .spam.sux to reply.

writes:

It doesn't matter, you go by the chart.

So you need a chart, which means that a compass alone isn't much use.

--
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In rec.aviation.piloting Mxsmanic wrote:
writes:

It doesn't matter, you go by the chart.

So you need a chart, which means that a compass alone isn't much use.

If you want to go to and from true and magnetic, you need a chart to
get the local difference.

If you want to go somewhere in particular, you need a chart to find it.

If all you want to do is go in some particular direction until you
can see a recognizable landmark, all you need is a compass.


--
Jim Pennino

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writes:

If you want to go to and from true and magnetic, you need a chart to
get the local difference.

If you want to do anything, you need more than a compass.

If all you want to do is go in some particular direction until you
can see a recognizable landmark, all you need is a compass.

In order to recognize the landmark, you need something more than a compass.

--
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Mxsmanic wrote:

In order to recognize the landmark, you need something more than a
compass.

It is called a chart. If you have a chart and a compass, you are
all set.

--Sylvain

In rec.aviation.piloting Mxsmanic wrote:
writes:

If you want to go to and from true and magnetic, you need a chart to
get the local difference.

If you want to do anything, you need more than a compass.

You need to know the heading to use to get somewhere. You use the
compass to actually go that direction.

If all you want to do is go in some particular direction until you
can see a recognizable landmark, all you need is a compass.

In order to recognize the landmark, you need something more than a compass.

You mean like fly a heading 230 degrees for 47 miles and there will be
a lake. At the lake fly a heading of 273 degrees for 32 miles and
at that airport, fly a heading of 264 degrees for another 44 miles
and you will be at your destination?

You obviously know nothing of real world navigation.

--
Jim Pennino

Remove .spam.sux to reply.

writes:

You need to know the heading to use to get somewhere. You use the
compass to actually go that direction.

You don't know what that heading is unless you already know where you are.

You mean like fly a heading 230 degrees for 47 miles and there will be
a lake.

How do you know about the lake, with only a compass as your guide?

At the lake fly a heading of 273 degrees for 32 miles and
at that airport, fly a heading of 264 degrees for another 44 miles
and you will be at your destination?

How do you get this information from a compass?

You obviously know nothing of real world navigation.

No, it's just that I know about covert channels.

--
Transpose mxsmanic and gmail to reach me by e-mail.

On Apr 5, 1:12 am, Mxsmanic wrote:
writes:
If you want to go to and from true and magnetic, you need a chart to
get the local difference.

If you want to do anything, you need more than a compass.

If all you want to do is go in some particular direction until you
can see a recognizable landmark, all you need is a compass.

In order to recognize the landmark, you need something more than a compass.

Yeah, eyes. Lots of people flew across the Atlantic with sometimes
just a compass, and they easily recognized the coast of England /
France / whatever with their bare old eyes ;-)

Heck, you don't need a chart with you to recognize the Eiffel Tower,
for example.

Kev

"Kev" wrote in message
oups.com...

Heck, you don't need a chart with you to recognize the Eiffel Tower,
for example.


How would I know if I was in France or Virginia?