Jay Honeck writes:

When I first started flying, flight planning was laboriously done with
a sectional chart and a pencil. I would carefully plot my course,
figure out VOR frequencies, plan waypoints where I could triangulate my
position with multiple navaids, and make note of visual checkpoints. It
could take 20 minutes to plan a 1-hour flight. It could take DAYS to
plan a multi-day, truly "cross-country" trip.

Now, unless we're going somewhere far, far away, we hop in the plane,
punch in "Direct to" on our dual GPS's, and we've got more information
at our fingertips about where we are (and where we're going) than we
could possibly use. Every radio frequency, the runway diagrams, the
approaches, the restaurants on (and off) the field, where to spend the
night, phone numbers, the controlling airspace -- even the LIVE weather
-- is all there, for easy viewing. It's absolutely miraculous.

How does pressing "direct to" replace a detailed flight plan? What do
you do if the GPS fails?

The other thing that has changed dramatically is a revolution that
often goes unnoticed: ANR headsets. When I used to get back from a
long cross country flight, I'd be exhausted, and often had a headache
from all the noise. Now, I arrive fresh as a daisy, even after flying
all day, thanks to my Lightspeed headsets. It's another miracle of the
modern age.

Perhaps a greater miracle would be a cockpit quiet enough not to
require hearing protection.

All of this makes it so hard to watch GA gradually withering -- we've
FINALLY got flying to the point where it's really quite safe, simple
and enjoyable to fly cross country, just in time for no one to want to
do it.

It's more expensive and complicated than it has ever been, in many
respects, even if certain aspects of actually flying in the cockpit
have become easier.

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