I remember an old timer telling me back in the day, his buds thought he was a wimp flying an NDB approach instead of using the radio range. After all "real" pilots navigated listening to the dots and dashes not taking the "easy" way out and following the needle. His response was the NDB was better and easier to use so why not take advantage of the technology.
The NDB was the best pilots had 30 years ago but technology has moved on. I sure don't miss those NDB letdowns in the British Columbia mountains with higher terrain in all quadrants.....
Anybody who is flying a for real instrument approach to minimums and is not using the best most accurate nav aids available (GPS over ADF in the context of this argument) is IMO being irresponsible. I did a lot of flying in the pre GPS days and still use the needle as a situational aid, but when it comes with the job of aligning the airplane with the runway on the final approach track I know where I am primarily looking and it sure is not the wobbly ADF needle
