Canuck
David Megginson
- Joined
- Mar 31, 2016
- Messages
- 7,087
- Reaction score
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When I flew my plane to Brantford for its avionics upgrade yesterday, I decided to try something I haven't done for many yearsI drew my course on a paper Toronto VNC (sectional) in pencil, highlighted with yellow coloured pencil, with a cross-tick every 10 nm (and distance written below), then flew with my finger on the chart, constantly confirming my exact location by looking out the window (there's that lake with the island; here's the crossroad; that village must be Clinton; etc).
Of course, I had my GPS, navcom, ADF, and DME going as well, but I felt more engaged with my surroundings when my finger was always on the chart, and saw the actual name of every lake, village, and road I flew over. I think the reason for the emphasis on in-cockpit entertainment gadgets now (satellite radio, bluetooth, etc) is that we need to kill the boredom of GPS navigation. I wasn't bored for a second of my 2:25 flight navigating this way.
D
Of course, I had my GPS, navcom, ADF, and DME going as well, but I felt more engaged with my surroundings when my finger was always on the chart, and saw the actual name of every lake, village, and road I flew over. I think the reason for the emphasis on in-cockpit entertainment gadgets now (satellite radio, bluetooth, etc) is that we need to kill the boredom of GPS navigation. I wasn't bored for a second of my 2:25 flight navigating this way.
D
