Aviation GPS

Aviation GPS systems have contributed enormously to the improving safety record of aircraft in all classes, from military transports to the classic Piper Cub. In fact, it is becoming unheard of for a pilot to leave the ground without turning on the cockpit GPS system. GPS does not rely on the weather or potentially outdated maps in order to navigate to a target location. Instead, signals beamed from geostationary satellites allow GPS systems to locate themselves virtually anywhere in the world. Originally a military technology, civilian GPS systems have become ubiquitous in automobiles, boats, and aircraft over the past decade, and both the accuracy and reliability of these systems has improved dramatically.

One of the most difficult parts of flying is figuring out where you are and what you need to do to get where you need to go. Before the advent of aviation GPS, Pilots had to rely solely on compass bearings, landmarks, and sometimes questionable maps in order to find their destination. In bad weather, pilots unfamiliar with an area can easily become lost, a frightening prospect when navigation problems have led to a number of tragic accidents during the century long history of flight.

It is extremely easy to get lost in an airplane, especially in unfamiliar territory. Landmarks can be obscured by fog, smog, or low lying clouds. Magnetic compasses can be thrown off by atmospheric conditions or simply go bad. And maps can be outdated, just plain wrong, or a pilot may not have the right map for an area if bad weather has forced a significant deviation from the intended flight path. Novice pilots are especially vulnerable to navigation issues, but even well trained professional pilots benefit from aviation GPS technology.

The GPS systems in aircraft can and should be thought of as essential safety features, an indispensable backup for even the most veteran pilots who have devoted their lives to aviation. GPS systems do not get tired, and they are difficult to fool. While an aviation GPS cannot be blindly relied upon, due to the fact that any technology can malfunction, it can still provide an incredible measure of safety to any pilot navigating the sometimes treacherous skies.

It cannot be stressed enough that every pilot should have an aviation GPS in the cockpit, charged and activated at all times. It simply isn't worth the risk to be without one.