Technology is Incredible...

Are there handhelds certified for aviation use?

That's a question that has pilots bumping heads against one another.
Google similar threads here in the past (hint: search for "tuna
sandwich" and "ham sandwich").

The answer is:

There are =no= handhelds that are certified for =reliance= on under IFR.

=All= handhelds are permitted to be used in aviation.

When flying a certificated airplane (as opposed to an experimental) in
tue US under IFR, one is required to have instrumentation "appropriate
to the navigation system being used". Although there are many wrinkles,
in terms of GPS this generally means that you need to have an "aviation
certified"(*) unit, whose installation is also "aviation certified". No
handhelds fit this category.

There are several levels of such certification, including "approach
certified" and "enroute certified". It is not illegal to have, and to
use, other equipment (including the proverbial tuna sandwich used for
navigation), but if you are =relying= on a unit for primary guidance in
a certificated airplane under IFR, it must be a certified unit.

This causes unending discussion, because...

.... it is perfectly legal to =have=, and to =use=, non-certified
equipment, even in a certificated airplane, even under IFR. This
includes handhelds. It also includes the tuna sandwich (it means just
what it sounds like) and tea leaves.

In an emergency of course, you can use anything you have, and disobey
any rule you need to, in order to safely get on the ground. There may
be paperwork later, but it beats bandages and incense.

Jose

(*) unofficial term
--
"Never trust anything that can think for itself, if you can't see where
it keeps its brain." (chapter 10 of book 3 - Harry Potter).
for Email, make the obvious change in the address.

Gig 601XL Builder writes:

Have you ever even seen a real aircraft up close? Jets are loud.

I've been a passenger in large jets often enough, and I don't find
them particularly loud, although they are louder than I'd prefer.

Propeller-driven aircraft tend to be a lot more noisy for passengers.
In fact, as I recall, NASA's experiments with propellers for
high-speed aircraft were hampered by the fact that the props are so
incredibly loud that they wouldn't be practical in real aviation.

--
Transpose mxsmanic and gmail to reach me by e-mail.

Wizard of Draws writes:

Duh. Please leave the confines of your parent's basement and take an intro
flight.

Is the certification status of handheld GPS units a typical subject of
discussion during intro flights? Do I get one as a gift at the end of
the flight?

--
Transpose mxsmanic and gmail to reach me by e-mail.

If the GPS fails, you aren't lost - you're on course. Anyone with Jay's
experience should just be able to pick up the chart and eyeball it from
thereon in, and perhaps tune in a couple of VORs.

What MX doesn't understand (and, in fairness, it's not something non-
or new pilots often DO understand), is that an experienced pilot of a
well-equipped GA airplane has a plethora of navigational aids at
his/her disposal -- not just GPS.

I know before I flew I often wondered how in the *hell* those fellers
in the sky knew where they were! Now, with dual VORs, DME, two GPS
units on board, charts, experience, and two Mark Five eyeballs, it's
hard to imagine a scenario where I *could* get lost.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Jose writes:

The answer is:

There are =no= handhelds that are certified for =reliance= on under IFR.

Oh. There seems to be some disagreement here, then.

--
Transpose mxsmanic and gmail to reach me by e-mail.

Jay Honeck writes:

I know before I flew I often wondered how in the *hell* those fellers
in the sky knew where they were! Now, with dual VORs, DME, two GPS
units on board, charts, experience, and two Mark Five eyeballs, it's
hard to imagine a scenario where I *could* get lost.

Is it difficult to read charts and fly? Somehow I find it hard to
picture flying the aircraft and spreading a chart out on the
right-hand seat and trying to read it. How do pilots manage this? I
find it awkward even in simulation, and I sometimes have to pause the
simulation while I read the chart (if it's the MSFS chart, I have no
choice, since it stops the simulation when you look at the chart).

--
Transpose mxsmanic and gmail to reach me by e-mail.

On 10/31/06 10:12 PM, in article ,
"Mxsmanic" wrote:

Jose writes:

The answer is:

There are =no= handhelds that are certified for =reliance= on under IFR.

Oh. There seems to be some disagreement here, then.

No disagreement at all.
If you had the reading comprehension above that of a 5 year old, you might
have noticed Jose specified *IFR*. You asked about aviation units, with no
specification beyond that.

A simple Google search will answer your question if you can figure out how
to do one. Perhaps someone here will be kind enough to explain it to you in
monosyllabic terms. We should caution them to type slowly for you, as I've
done here.

Any CFI will personally take the time to answer all of your "questions" and
clear up any confusion you truly have about aviation if you take the time to
ask before, during and after an intro flight.
--
Jeff 'The Wizard of Draws' Bucchino

Cartoons with a Touch of Magic�
http://www.wizardofdraws.com

More Cartoons with a Touch of Magic�
http://www.cartoonclipart.com

"Mxsmanic" wrote in message
...
Is the certification status of handheld GPS units a typical subject of
discussion during intro flights? Do I get one as a gift at the end of
the flight?

Yes, if you pay enough for the intro flight...

"Mxsmanic" wrote in message
...
Is it difficult to read charts and fly? Somehow I find it hard to
picture flying the aircraft and spreading a chart out on the
right-hand seat and trying to read it. How do pilots manage this? I
find it awkward even in simulation, and I sometimes have to pause the
simulation while I read the chart (if it's the MSFS chart, I have no
choice, since it stops the simulation when you look at the chart).

We don't need to open the entire sectional chart at once. We use it refolded
to the area and just looking at the part of interest at the moment. If I'm
flying around here, I don't have my chart open enough to see the layout
around Omaha.

"Dylan Smith" wrote

I had about 1000 hours when I flew my Cessna 140
coast to coast in the United States. It was all done by hand, and by
looking out the window - the fun of the trip was partly in the
navigating.

It didn't take days to plan - indeed, planning took about as long as
reviewing the charts and drawing a line (which I like to do when using
GPS anyway, so I'm well aware of special use airspace).

How did you decide on stops, and such? Fuel would be nice to have at the
airports where you stop, no? g
--
Jim in NC