Paul Tomblin wrote:
We had a local safety counsellor give us a seminar on GPS and he said
something that seems pretty ridiculous. I understand that when you're
using GPS, if you file an alternate, it has to have non-GPS approaches in
case GPS isn't working in the area or your own GPS unit is T/U. And he
wasn't entirely clear, but it makes sense to me that if you get to your
alternate and your GPS is working fine, sure you can shoot the GPS
approach rather than the non-GPS approach. But then he said something
that makes no sense to me: he said that if you have to go missed at your
alternate, you're not allowed to use GPS to navigate the missed approach
procedure. Please tell me that he was misinterpreting a rule that said
you have to be *able* to navigate the missed approach procedure without
GPS, but you don't *have* to do so. So, for instance, if the missed
approach involves holding at a NDB, you have to have a ADF in the plane in
case GPS isn't working, but if the GPS is there and working you can use
it?

The restriction applies to TSO C129 navigators like e.g. the Garmin 430/530. It
doesn't apply to TSOC146 navigators like e.g. the Garmin GNS480.

The restriction is on what may be *filed* as an alternate airport. There is no
restriction on what approaches are actually flown, or how you navigate.

You are correct. The safety counsellor is confused.