Quote:
Originally posted by Seahawk
Sooo much has changed...as a measure of progress in my time flying, I did the first Navy flight test of the NAVSTAR five channel GPS. Covergare was spotty, the thing was has big as a suitcase, but you could plainly see the future.
And here it is.
As an aside, there is still no substitute for pilotage.
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We have used it for years and love it but... I just sit back and laugh at many of the kids coming up the ranks these days. As part of my "captain upgrade" checks I would turn the EFIS tubes off in flight, then ask the other guy "where are we?"
They usually do not have an idea without the electronic gadgets to show them. Pilotage I tell them! Look out the frigging window! See that railroad, mountain, river, town and tell me where we are? Pull a map out, compare what you see and figure out where you are!
Slowly they figure it out but we are clearly an electronic society. I love the PFM boxes but someday they will go dark and you may need to DR your way to an airfield, road or field where you can land.
Kids! Course when I was still "wet behind the ears" my IP (instructor for you civie types) held my hand until I came around. I was lucky enough to have a pilot who flew Spitfires in the Battle of Britain as my commercial instructor. He had forgotten more than I may ever know and was a real pilot, through and through.
Enough rambling... check six!
Joe A