GPS use in GA aircraft (flying IFR)

[js797]

Hello - my first post on pprune so I think I should introduce myself a little, I'm a university student from the UK with a long-standing interest in aviation and in flight simulation. I've flown mainly the 767 aircraft type on fs9 for a number of years and have also controlled on the VATSIM network, notching up a good 800 online hours on those two combined! Needing to concentrate on my studies I left my VA (BAV) and am rediscovering flightsim with smaller aircraft. Which brings me to my question:

Do GA pilots flying IFR actually use their GPS (if installed) to fly their flightplan (using presumably intersections as well as VOR's - not sure whether VNAV is a function on GPS systems?) or do they rely simply on VOR navigation? Seems like a silly question having done flightsim for this long, but I've always had an FMC at my disposal. I can't find the answer to this question anywhere else!

Thanks a lot :)

Jonathan

[Tinstaafl]

If it's available then yes, of course! Even in GPS 3rd world countries like the UK...

In other parts of the world eg USA, Australia, parts of the Pacific etc it's common practice to use GPS. Not just for en-route but also for published GPS approaches.

[Pace]

Even in the UK there are now experimental Approved GPS approaches. Two airfields spring to mind that I have flown into.

Inverness and Gloucester which both have published GPS approaches.
Flying airways intersections are used all the time and you are often given points to fly to well out of range of VOR reception.

Without GPS these would be almost impossible

pace

[js797]

Brilliant, thanks for the info guys