Biplane adventurer Tracey Curtis-Taylor crashes in Arizona desert - BBC News
Two things that I found strange? How did the plane get to America, last time I heard it was in Australia. Don't answer that I know it was in a container. So its not really flying around the world and who was flying the plane when they had the power loss.
I know its just sour grapes, but still.
About GPS use. I know it has taken the challenge out of Navigation, but on the way to Australia our plane had a range of about 360 sm and we had to do a flight to a tiny atol in the Timor Sea about 1,000 meter long 400 meters wide. Traughton island, there was a runway on it and more fuel. It was 320 from Timor. We could not have been sure of making the flight without the GPS on board. So it takes away the challenge of Navigation, but opens up the opportunities to fly small aircraft around the world with little budget. We wouldn't have left home without the GPS, because we couldn't have got to Australia.
I've written an article in the June addition of Pilot about touring and all the misconceptions of planning and costs. Blag a copy and have a read.
Colin H.
KR2 World Tour