There is absolutely no question that GPS has made navigation clearer, simpler and is a fabulous benefit. However, as with everything it is how it is used. If an individual builds his experience, ratings and navigation skills, then with that knowledge GPS can be utilised in so many ways. The workload being removed.
Now, an individual, flying VFR, with limited skill level in navigation, utilising the GPS as sole reference, and not even a map in the cockpit, yes I have witnessed them, and gets into muck, well the ducks start to mount.
I was lucky, I learned all my navigation in a Chipmunk, with a map and stop watch, and no aids, not even a hand held GPS.
Now, on most of my flights, I have most aids ''on'', with my passenger following the map, and keeping an understanding of where we are.
Some 18 months ago I had an electrical failure, 6500', all went including the GPS, however, the map was being followed, and we descended on track into an airfiled that was some 20 miles on the nose. Now, if I had been reliant solely on the GPS, things may have gotten trickier.
I also asaked some fellow pilots, fairly recently, to map read and plog, on a trip of some 225 miles. They did not have a clue, and one had 300 hours
