Originally Posted by
Greyman
The most important aspect not really touched on must be safety – yours and every other poor f*@?** up there.
Of course I agree 100% with that.
Originally Posted by
Greyman
If you spend most of your time ‘heads in’ playing with kit then you’re just a liability up there.
Well that's where I disagree. Using all navigation aids doesn't mean you have to be "heads in". It all comes down to being prepared ahead of time. You can setup your VOR('s), GPS, ADF, radio comm freqs while on the ground, then use them as a cross check against the plotted map course / visual lookout.
With the equipment "preset", it shouldn't require "heads in" playing, rather just glancing at the readouts to confirm them, just like you'd glance at a speedometer in a car.
Originally Posted by
Greyman
Once you have a degree of proficiency and, most importantly, capacity, then is the time to start using your aircraft, and all the kit, as a tool to allow you to accomplish more – which is presumably why people want to fly anyway.
Electronic navigation aids are amazing bits of kit that reduce pilot workload and can increase efficiency and accuracy. However, sometimes that comes at the price of distraction and reduced lookout (in a VFR context). They have a place, but all in good time. Master the basics first and you will always have a solid foundation to refer to.
GM
As others have mentioned, not using all available aids, is akin to "handcuffing" yourself.
Why not cover up the ASI / ALT and all othe other instruments while we're at it, as they are just "distractions" and cause a pilot to be "heads in" ?
Mike