Has anyone else had a chance to read Mac McClellan's article "The Magenta Line" in the August issue of EAA Sport Aviation? I know there are some magenta line naysayers out there, but I thought Mac had some good observations that I have been supporting all along since the big iPad boom with WingX, ForeFlight and other EFB's. The following is from the article;

Without a GPS we devote a great deal of time to determine exactly where we are. ......

With GPS all of that pilot concentration time spent on locating our position and determining our ground track and speed is now available continuously for other tasks. With GPS we have more time to scan for traffic, to monitor the engine and systems, and to keep up to date on the weather ahead. Aren't those more important to safety and maintaining situation awareness? I think so.

The real issue is that the magenta line frees us from cockpit chores that were previously essential because only the human could perform those tasks. Position finding and navigation are no less critical; they just can now be done by a machine with greater precision, giving the pilot time for other tasks machines can't do.

When I first learned to fly back in the 80's, I remember having a chart out in my lap with a compass ruler either doing deadreckoning or dialing in VOR radials to plot on the cart to see where they intersect. While I think these are great skills to teach students so they will have a means of backup navigation if they lost their GPS or other instruments, I agree with Mac that the GPS frees up so much of my time for other things, including sight seeing. It is also so nice now having a clutter free (paper free) cockpit.

So, what's the negative downside again?