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Date: Mon, 23 Nov 1998 11:40:54 -0600
From: Snowbird <snbird@ibm.net>
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Subject: Re: Cross-countries- finding an unfamiliar airport
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J L Bolinger wrote:

> If they have an NDB or VOR on field (yes, some uncontrolled fields 
> have VORs), use that, even if it is not on the field.  <...>
> The easiest way, if the plane has one, is a LORAN or GPS.

Just a comment on LORAN/GPS etc

I learned to fly with a strong emphasis on pilotage.  Now I
fly a plane equipped with two GPS (installed and handheld) and
a moving map.  And we went through a cycle of liking the gadgets--
maybe a little too much.

Frankly, even with a GPS, the best way to find the airport in
VMC is to be looking out the window, trying to match up patterns
of landmarks (off the chart) with what you see.  Otherwise it's
all too easy to have the GPS tell you you're a mile away, but
not have the airport in site yet.

A mile away from the airport is IN the traffic pattern, and two
miles away is 30 seconds from being IN the traffic pattern.

I've heard several stories of GPS-equipped pilots landing on
the wrong airport.  Presumably, they were a little too focused
on the gadget, looked up and saw an airport where the GPS said
it would be, and went ahead to land without using the Mark I
Eyeball to look at the details of the surrounding landmarks.

Snowbird


