Are we ready for a GPS failure ?

[skyranger]

Here is and interesting YouTube video about solar flares . Good history too ! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HzaYMOPra4

[CraigCantwell]

Learned to navigate with a map and compass when I was a kid. Haven't found a real need for GPS yet. Maps and compasses don't need batteries and magnetic disruptions can be compensated for with a bit of knowledge and practice. Whizzwheels and a pencil are the same way.

[robert l]

Here is and interesting YouTube video about solar flares . Good history too ! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HzaYMOPra4

I use GPS a lot, flying and driving, it's very convenient. There was no GPS when I got my PPL, i'm a little rusty but I keep a road atlas in my truck and a VFR chart in my flight bag. I also use check points and land marks when using the GPS.
Bob

[rwanttaja]

For me, my navigation is mostly IFR: I Follow Roads. :-)

Ron Wanttaja

[malexander]

I use GPS a lot, flying and driving, it's very convenient. There was no GPS when I got my PPL, i'm a little rusty but I keep a road atlas in my truck and a VFR chart in my flight bag. I also use check points and land marks when using the GPS.
Bob


DITTO, exactly. :)

[skyfixer8]

Guess I am a dinosaur. I use sectional chart , compass, look out the window, and the old reliable ADF sometimes for cross check. Yes, there are still a lot of AM radio stations out there. I had a GPS steer me to wrong airport once.

[WLIU]

The tablet navigation programs can mostly be used as hand-held sectional charts without a GPS signal. You just have to manually keep track of your location and move the displayed map.

I agree that "children of the magenta line" might be in trouble if the GPS signal is interrupted. And GPS based instrument approaches will be problematical.


Best of luck,

Wes

[malexander]

Guess I am a dinosaur. I use sectional chart , compass, look out the window, and the old reliable ADF sometimes for cross check. Yes, there are still a lot of AM radio stations out there. I had a GPS steer me to wrong airport once.


I'll use the VOR in my 150 on occasion, just for fun.

[skyranger]

I don't think many of you went to the you tube link I put in my GPS statement . There is a lot more to GPS system than navigation !

[Airmutt]

Video was way short on technical information. The effects of solar flares have been long understood before the gps constellation was established. The video failed to note that the satellites are built with radiation-hardened components and shielding, and have redundancy in key subsystems. Error detection and correction routines guard against charged particles randomly “flipping” bits of computer memory.

[Auburntsts]

I’m a bit of an outlier here as all of my x/c flying, which is akin to about 80-90% of the flying I do, is IFR. For IFR, IMO, GPS is a game changer for both Enroute and Approaches. That said I do have VOR/LOC/GS capability in my plane and occasionally practice using it as well as keep up with the VOR log. I also won’t launch IFR without at least one functional Nav radio if there’s a NOTAM’d GPS outage, or potential outage, along the route. That’s happened to me on more than one occasion although I have never lost the GPS.

[enginesrus]

GPS ? Yeah here I go again giving up my patent-able ideas for free. I really thought with all the talk for the last 50 plus years about redundancy in the airplane world, that a GPS like system hasn't been developed that uses the existing aviation nav aids that have been with us since before my flying days in the mid 70's. Yes retain the normal GPS system, but have this one I speak of as a redundant use and cross reference reliability check for both systems. All should be tied into synthetic vision that is also redundantly tied to millimeter radar, and infrared. In this day and age there is no excuse for flying into something (other than a major on board electrical failure), or getting lost is zero viability fog, and low clouds.