In message , ArtKramr
writes
Subject: Flight Lessons
From: "Paul J. Adam"
The problem with GPS is that it works too well while it works. Because
it's quick and easy to program and follow, less care often goes into
checking and planning the route, and often less care gets taken in
double-checking that the real world conforms to what the GPS says.

That is not he fault of the GPS.

No, but it's a human mistake. It's a training issue to make sure that
when the GPS bings off a waypoint, you check a few landmarks to make
sure you're where the gadget says you should be. Currently, that doesn't
reliably happen because people have too much faith in the GPS.

the GPS acts up or the information it provides isn't used wisely.

That goes for anything and everything. Not just GPS.

The trouble is, GPS is too damn useful. Mike Marron wrote eloquently
about how a working GPS can replace most of your flight instruments...
as long as the GPS is working. But it's a low-powered signal from orbit
and it's easily jammed. GPS jamming isn't a feature of civilian life,
but it's a serious military problem. GPS offers much more than any other
navaid I've heard of, no wonder people turn to it first.

It's great kit, but the ground you're flying over / sailing past still
has to have priority - and it's harder than you'd think to make people
believe that.

With GPS you wouldn't need navigators, the lead pilot just follows the
little arrow and everyone else formates on him. Big saving in manpower,
training, and it frees up some weight per plane for more fuel or armour
(or lets the B-26 be a little lighter)

Not really. In the B-26 the bombardier and the navigater was they same guy

With GPS the pilot can fly to a calculated release point and the
computer will drop the bombs. The bombs can even be GPS-guided (see
JDAM, JSOW et al). Replace the B/N with a machine and hope? Keep him
along for the ride?

I'm not saying "get rid of GPS", it's great kit and well worth using. I
_am_ worried that users depend on it and neglect the skills that would
let them double-check what the GPS display tells them.


(How _did_ B-26 formations bomb? I just realised that I really don't
know. Every aircraft flying final attack with its own bombardier, "hold
formation and drop when leader drops", something else?)

--
When you have to kill a man, it costs nothing to be polite.
W S Churchill

Paul J. Adam