stupid GPS question

OK I am just getting into the VFR GPS navigation thing. Here is my question:
what is the origin of all of these intersections? I see some as airway
intersections on sectionals, but many seem random.
And why is it when I file an airway flight plan with AOPA flight planner, it
always throws a couple of these in the route? Why not just go from the last
VOR direct to your destination airport? Does it assume that I have a GPS
with a current database? Or is it assuming that if I am creating an airway
route that I am IFR?

--
Hello, my name is Mike, and I am an airplane addict....

"Mike W." wrote in message
...
OK I am just getting into the VFR GPS navigation thing. Here is my
question:
what is the origin of all of these intersections? I see some as airway
intersections on sectionals, but many seem random.

Depends on what intersections you're talking about.

However, many "intersections" on an airway are not actually places where
another airway crosses. They are, instead, the intersection of that airway
and some reference from a navaid somewhere else. Usually for the purpose of
defining a distance, a transition route to an instrument approach, that sort
of thing.

Without knowing exactly what intersection you're referring to, it's hard to
answer the question more specifically than that.

And why is it when I file an airway flight plan with AOPA flight planner,
it
always throws a couple of these in the route?

I guess you'd have to ask the folks who wrote the routing algorithm for the
AOPA flight planner. However, your guesses could be correct, or it could be
related to some maximum distance from a point to the destination allowed by
the routing algorithm. It's possible (I don't know, not having used the
AOPA flight planner) that there's an option that tells it to only use VORs;
that would be an appropriate restriction on the routing algorithm for VFR
flight, and would eliminate those intersections from your route.

Pete

In a previous article, "Mike W." said:
And why is it when I file an airway flight plan with AOPA flight planner, it
always throws a couple of these in the route? Why not just go from the last

You're VFR with a GPS. Go direct. (Draw the line on a chart to make sure
you don't cross any restricted airspace and the like.)


--
Paul Tomblin http://xcski.com/blogs/pt/
please excuse my typing, but my whole left arm is in a cast. and i don't
mean _the king and i_.

In a previous article, "Morgans" said:
"Paul Tomblin" wrote
You're VFR with a GPS. Go direct. (Draw the line on a chart to make sure
you don't cross any restricted airspace and the like.)

I seem to recall someone saying that when filing, put in the remarks
section, something like "VFR GPS onboard."

Helpful?

If you're vfr, nobody cares how you navigate.


--
Paul Tomblin http://xcski.com/blogs/pt/
please excuse my typing, but my whole left arm is in a cast. and i don't
mean _the king and i_.

Yes that is the fastest way. I just have a hard time putting so much trust
in one box. Of course, whether you navigate with a GPS or a compass and a
stopwatch, I guess you still have to look out the window.

"Paul Tomblin" wrote in message
...
In a previous article, "Mike W." said:
And why is it when I file an airway flight plan with AOPA flight planner,
it
always throws a couple of these in the route? Why not just go from the
last

You're VFR with a GPS. Go direct. (Draw the line on a chart to make sure
you don't cross any restricted airspace and the like.)


--
Paul Tomblin http://xcski.com/blogs/pt/
please excuse my typing, but my whole left arm is in a cast. and i don't
mean _the king and i_.

For example, just northwest of my home base airport, KOSU, there is an
intersection named DIPNE. It is on the V12 airway between the DQN and APE
vor's, but it doesn't appear on the sectional. So I guess not all
intersections appear on sectionals?

"Peter Duniho" wrote in message
...
"Mike W." wrote in message
...
OK I am just getting into the VFR GPS navigation thing. Here is my
question:
what is the origin of all of these intersections? I see some as airway
intersections on sectionals, but many seem random.

Depends on what intersections you're talking about.

However, many "intersections" on an airway are not actually places where
another airway crosses. They are, instead, the intersection of that
airway
and some reference from a navaid somewhere else. Usually for the purpose
of
defining a distance, a transition route to an instrument approach, that
sort
of thing.

Without knowing exactly what intersection you're referring to, it's hard
to
answer the question more specifically than that.

And why is it when I file an airway flight plan with AOPA flight
planner,
it
always throws a couple of these in the route?

I guess you'd have to ask the folks who wrote the routing algorithm for
the
AOPA flight planner. However, your guesses could be correct, or it could
be
related to some maximum distance from a point to the destination allowed
by
the routing algorithm. It's possible (I don't know, not having used the
AOPA flight planner) that there's an option that tells it to only use
VORs;
that would be an appropriate restriction on the routing algorithm for VFR
flight, and would eliminate those intersections from your route.

Pete

"Mike W." wrote in message
...
[...] So I guess not all intersections appear on sectionals?

That is correct. Especially those intersections created for the purpose of
IFR flight, one may find them only on instrument charts.

Paul Tomblin wrote:

If you're vfr, nobody cares how you navigate.

Back before my instrument rating, I once had a controller at my home
class C airport ask me if I could navigate to a nearby VOR. I answered
yes and was instructed to fly to the VOR for sequencing into the airport.

Now technically she probably didn't care how I got there, but the fact that
I could made her job just a little easier during that series of arrivals.

--
Peter


















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"Paul Tomblin" wrote

You're VFR with a GPS. Go direct. (Draw the line on a chart to make sure
you don't cross any restricted airspace and the like.)

I seem to recall someone saying that when filing, put in the remarks
section, something like "VFR GPS onboard."

Helpful?
--
Jim in NC

Mike W. wrote:
For example, just northwest of my home base airport, KOSU, there is an
intersection named DIPNE. It is on the V12 airway between the DQN and APE
vor's, but it doesn't appear on the sectional. So I guess not all
intersections appear on sectionals?

A small percentage of the intersections appear on the sectional.