Chick writes:
My message is all pilots should avail themselves of all the aids available for flight that can be had and or used and are within the financial reach of all pilots.
I agree, adding that a pilot should be trained and must be able to navigate without depending on the GPS magenta line but using it as a cross check.
Last month I crossed Europe VFR in an unfamiliar complex aeroplane with marginal weather.
No moving map GPS, only an old "go to" handheld, used to crosscheck VOR and plog headings. Navigation itself was not an issue, but I would have appreciated an instrument that warned me if I was busting airspace (nothing in the post so far) since I was skimming around many ATZs and ZITs and ground references weren't always easly available.
In fair weather blue sky conditions I would not have felt the need for it, having flown many long distance flights without a GPS and enjoying using map, watch and compass.