Re: Light-Sport Aircraft Yahoo group Use of GPS in private pilot certification? (WAS: "Re: A starting point")

I'm not a DPE (if there's one on the list please chime in) but I can fill you in on how we do things.  First, on an LSA, there often isn't a certified anything on board, let a lone a GPS.  Virtually nothing needs to be TSOed (except I think the transponder and maybe the radio since you have to meet FCC requirements to broadcast) so you have to take yourself out of that mindset.

The VOR and NDB, TWEB and all sorts of obsolete stuff IS still on the written although the alphabets are trying to get that changed.

For the practical, as I recall (no PTS in front of me now) there's a line about "electronic navigation as applicable".  In our case that generally means a Garmin 496.  What we see on the private pilot exams in the examiners are looking for a more in depth knowledge of how the GPS and other equipment works than on a sport test.

As for required instruments, I believe that is largely left of to the discretion of the CFI and DPE.  The bigger problem we have on some of these LSAs designed for VFR opts is finding a way to properly blind the student.  Foggles often don't cut it when you have windows everywhere.

Helen

On 8/6/2013 4:35 PM, A. Censor wrote:

Hi Helen,

 

You wrote --

 

"VOR navigation is no longer part of the PP PTS. VORs aren't even
required for instrument flight any more."

 

Thanks for updating my education. I was under the false impression VOR still was part of the Private Pilot and even on their knowledge test.  As a point of curiosity, do you happen to know when it was dropped off? ) As you well know for decades it was the primary cross country navigation tool for most private pilots, and some still swear by it for backup.)

 

That does raise some interesting questions though, that maybe you or someone here could educate me on:

 

This off the web from one CFI's Q&A:

"....To complete your private pilot flight training , your aircraft you use will also need to have instrumentation to be able to fly solely by instruments. Usually, your flight examiner will accept having a turn & bank/turn coordinator to meet this requirement. Used in combination with the airspeed indicator and altimeter, you will be able to meet this portion of the training and flight test requirements. Additionally, the examiner will usually want you to demonstrate the use of some means of radio navigation such as a VOR or a GPS. This is entirely up to the examiner though, so you and your flight instructor may want to talk with the examiner....."

 

 

So, if some navigation instruments are required for completing private pilot requirment you "be able to fly solely by instruments" I would think the GPS would surely be one of the prime one expected or required. Not so?

 

My son may want to get his PP on my LSA. But, for example, my excellent iFly GPS is not an FAA certified instruments and it pops up saying (not an exact quote) "Don't use this as your primary navigation instrument."

(I would suggest that most any pilot who has only one GPS in the cockpit who says he/she is not using it as their primary cross country navigation instrument is lying, but that's another story.    )

Point being I'm not SURE if one could use a non-certified aviation GPS to pass their private pilot portion that (unlike my sport pilot license) requires a certain minimum instrument navigation portion)  whether in my ELSA, or in any other aircraft.

 

Any thoughts, or better yet, solid info on those issues?

To recap: Those issues are ,

# What instruments are required for the "fly solely by instruments" and the "demonstrate the use of some means of radio navigation " part of the PP?

# Is a GPS that isn't FCC certified as an aircraft navigation instrument acceptable for that?

 

Alex

 

 

A.