How Sad to see everyone getting so het up about things. A number of good points made but sadly a lack of knowledge about aviation history on show. A few points of my own they may not be entirely accurate but here goes.. .Firstly the reason that overhead to overhead is used in flight training is historical it goes back to the halcyon days when aeroplanes, even commercial flights were non radio. In the good old days you took off into wind and to avoid crashing into the other people in the circuit you climbed to the overhead to depart. On arrival you flew overhead to check the signals square and wind tee before joining the circuit.. .Secondly the reason that VFR navigation is still taught by the good old fashion book is that it works. Properly taught it gives a solid grounding in the basic principles.. .Thirdly whilst GPS and radio nav aids are fine in their place, remember that the CAA have to consider all possibilities. Imagine as a worst case scenario you have an electrical failure, smoke in the cabin. However as you have dilligenty read the Manuals you are able to shut down the electrics before it starts a fire. You need to get down sharpish! Wouldn't you prefer to be able to divert to an aerodrome with emergency services and good runways rather than just pick a field and hope.. .If you are following your track on the map you are more aware of what's around you than just following the bug on the GPS.. .Technology is a good slave but a bad master to misquote the old saw.. .The standards that are set when you're under instruction are done to start you off as you should try to go on. . .As for departing and joining its good airmanship and just plain self preservation to get briefed on local procedure. I found that one out the hard way myself , though fortunately the only thing damaged was my pride.. .The only way to learn aerial navigation is to do it. The more you do the easier it becomes. A few more hours under your belt and you'll be departing ahead and joining cross wind with the best of them <img src="wink.gif" border="0">
[ 27 February 2002: Message edited by: Windy Militant ]</p>