Why does the topic of GPS always arouse religious navigation wars??
GPS is by far the most accurate and easy to use navigation system, but the context in which it is used is important. I have a handheld GPS the trusty little pilot III from Garmin. It is very convenient to use since I can download routes and update its database from my PC using Navbox and Jepp.
It is my primary navigation aid and I've been guided right across France by it before now, BUT IT's NOT THE ONLY ONE, because like everything else it can fail and indeed it lost all contact with satellites while I was flying in the crud only the other day.
I was not then blind because I had two VOR and a DME and an ADF all tuned and I knew precisely where I was because I had been cross referencing my GPS position with my chart at regular intervals and could now do the same using the radio aids. The difference is that the answer is probably a mile or more out with Radio Navaids and it's much more work for the old brain to cope with when flying the plane and managing the engine.
Happily the little beast recovered and helped me into my destination which had no approach to follow and before anyone jumps down my throat the cloud base was well above circuit height and vis about 3kms so I could have used nothing but MK1 eyeball if push had come to shove.
The whole point about tools is they are supposed to make things easier to accomplish well. Surely no-one is going to suggest that GPS doesn't make navigation easier and more accurate
