Roy Smith wrote:
(Maurice Givens) wrote:
IFR Magazine reported, that in several tests, pilots were able to
control the aircraft and fly to VFR conditions using only the Garmin
196. Check there web site. The article may have been placed there.

I've tried stuff like this a couple of times with students. So far, we
seem to do pretty well using the GPS as a heading reference only, and
maintaining heading with rudder only.

Roy,

Can you be a bit more specific?

Did you use the GPS as a substitute for DG, otherwise "partial
panel" of TC and pitot-static?

Or did you try Thomas' experiment of "fail all gyro instruments,
only pitot-static"?

What were your wx conditions ie day/night overcast/clear etc?

What GPS?

When you say "most light planes are so stable in pitch" would you
mind sharing which light planes you've tried this in?

I have not tried the "rudder only" trick. But I have to say neither
my Garmin 90 nor our (older) panel-mount GPS update rapidly enough
to serve as an adequate substitute for a DG IMO.

Thanks,
Sydney