Is one GPS enough

[Head Turner]

I fly several different helicopters VFR and in one there are 4 GPS displays driven off 4 antenna.
This is in my opinion an overkill.
Generally I find one to be sufficient.

How many GPS do you consider provides you with the data that you require when flying VFR?

[Nigd3]

4 GPS !!!!!!!!!!!!!
How big a helicopter do you fly? Where have they fit all the antennas without getting interference problems with other antennas?????

Sounds like very much overkill.

Perhaps they fitted one but it didnt work and they couldnt be bothered to remove the system, patch up the skin and remove the loom etc. Happened again and again and then on the 4th attempt it worked!!!:) :ok:

I've not come across any corporate jet under JAR 25 that has more than 2 GPS/FMS.

Oh well guess you have a quadruple redundant system:D

[md 600 driver]

ive got a 530 which normally is set to tcas,skymap3c set to ifr so i can check airspace , and a skymap3c on topo map so i can see the rising land

i dont think this is over the top

steve

[Nigd3]

Steve

Head turner is flying VFR so TOPO is not necessary as he should be looking for rising terrain with the old mk1 and flight planning.
Not sure what a 530 is (is it a Bendix King KMD system?) but have you not got a display that will pop-up for any TA's or RA's??
Most GPS systems will also alert you to any airspace ahead that is about to be entered without the need for it to be constantly displayed.
To me, 4 GPS is way over the top. 2 max

[Ascend Charlie]

I've got 3 in my S76 - one in the FMS box to drive the autopilot; a simple old Garmin that only gives basic info (too hard to take it out); and a new Garmin 196 moving map which shows airspace, topo and anything else I need. Two sets have antennas on the roof or tailboom, but all the 196 needs is its little suction-cup antenna, looking out the chin bubble! Doesn't even need to look upwards. Brilliant.

The 196, being portable, also slots into the Huey and the 47.

For basic VFR, though, something like a Garmin 195 or 196 moving map is plenty.

[John Eacott]

AC,

I'd expect KP to have bought you at least 2 x Garmin 530's, plus a Skymap, plus a TCAS, plus, plus,......;)

Or is it all in Nick's boat instead :ok:

[Head Turner]

md600Driver ,,, What on earth do you need a GPS map display to show you the rising ground when flying VFR. This just shows us how we are getting away from sensibility. You were provided with a set of eyes which require you to look out of the window to avoid hitting other aircraft and the ground. TCAS is fine if it warns you of the unseen. I am getting the impression that due to all these cockpit warning devices and moving map displays that LOOKOUT is being seriously damaged/degraded.

Surely when flying VFR you should have done your flight planning, drawn the track on your map and computed the headings and times. Then when in flight the eyes are looking out other than for the periodic scan of the instruments and checking position. Or am I of the past world and all these things are now done by magic.

Flying IFR is another topic

[Crashondeck]

If you have two GPS sets which one do you believe? They are bound to show slightly different positions. One's enough for me. And if that goes t*ts up, then I'll get the sextant out!

COD

[Ascend Charlie]

COD asks which one you believe as "they are bound to be different".

Are they?

For government purposes, they are the same - if you have them reading in lat and long, you look at one in flight, and by the time you look at the next, the position has changed anyway.

On the HSI screen, the first GPS has a track drawn according to the flight plan selected, and the scale is usually set between 25 and 50 nm - the acft symbol would be a mile wide anyway.
On the second set, reading distance to run to the next waypoint, the miles coincide with the FMS set, as near as dammit.
On the moving map, the scale is around 15nm, and again you couldn't pick the difference.

The only time you would notice a difference would be on the ground, with all sets showing lat/long. And I couldn't be stuffed twiddling the dials to check on it.

[Giovanni Cento Nove]

Slow day amongst the broom bushes??????