Comms & Navaid Failure in IMC
There was a guy some years ago, in the early days of GPS, tracking Brisbane direct Cairns.
Penetrating CTA as he went along his merry way.
When quizzed by ATC as to his present position, the answer was along the lines of....
"I'm 350 nm from Cairns!"
He had no idea where he was!
Penetrating CTA as he went along his merry way.
When quizzed by ATC as to his present position, the answer was along the lines of....
"I'm 350 nm from Cairns!"
He had no idea where he was!
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The only hard bit then is flying an AH failure if it occurs....
A wise IFR pilot will ensure he he keeps current on limited panel (no AH) flight by hiring a synthetic trainer for an hour of limited panel practice several times a year. And for the cost conscious, it is a valid tax deduction.
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Some of the experiences you guys have shared are very sobering indeed and really do highlight the adage that you can never be too prepared for the uncommon, the 'once in a blue moon' and the totally unexpected. Jaba's comment about wanting to walk in the future is not too far off the mark now! 
I often wonder how pilots and crews coped in the early days of IFR operations, pre WWII for example, with equipment that was experimental at best, lacking redundancy and no real understanding of the physiological effects of flight in form of illusions and vestibular problems.
Hats off to some bloody good aviators!
I often wonder how pilots and crews coped in the early days of IFR operations, pre WWII for example, with equipment that was experimental at best, lacking redundancy and no real understanding of the physiological effects of flight in form of illusions and vestibular problems.
Hats off to some bloody good aviators!
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HHH.....Gee I remember (showing my age now) the days before GPS when you had to navigate by DR and LOP's on ferry flights across the pacific. You could only maintain a heading until you were hopefully in range of a navaid. They were the days when you put the thing on autopilot, set your alarm clock and dozed off for a spell. It took just the odd groan or slight misfire or big pot hole to snap you back to reality though.
I remember the London- Sydney Air Race.....the need for 4 or 5 GPS!!! and they never ALL came back operational!! Those were the days mate.
AS for WW11, I asked the late and great Bobby Gibbs how he became orientated in IMC....to which he replied "Oh that was easy.....when your pens fell out of your pockets you were upside down!! God Love him...a legend.
I remember the London- Sydney Air Race.....the need for 4 or 5 GPS!!! and they never ALL came back operational!! Those were the days mate.
AS for WW11, I asked the late and great Bobby Gibbs how he became orientated in IMC....to which he replied "Oh that was easy.....when your pens fell out of your pockets you were upside down!! God Love him...a legend.
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PA39 - i take my hat off to you navigating across the pacific in those days, i shouldnt imagine there were too many navaids out there then?
I heard a tale of a WWI aviator that was doing night circuits with the aid of a torch to illuminate the instruments. He went into cloud and didn't realise anything was wrong until he popped out and looked over the side to get his bearings and saw nothing but black. Confused he looked ahead and saw lights above him. He'd managed to roll over without realising. He recovered and landed. I was amazed though at how non chalant he was about this though!
I heard a tale of a WWI aviator that was doing night circuits with the aid of a torch to illuminate the instruments. He went into cloud and didn't realise anything was wrong until he popped out and looked over the side to get his bearings and saw nothing but black. Confused he looked ahead and saw lights above him. He'd managed to roll over without realising. He recovered and landed. I was amazed though at how non chalant he was about this though!
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Hand Held
This topic very neatly brings up the benefits of having a hand held transceiver in yer flite bag. How else are you goin to turn the lights on at a remote airstrip (and, if yer lucky - maybe talk to someone!!)
Always be aware of a subtle failure, many moons ago doing a DME arrival and was tracking on the VOR perfectly until I got that funny feeling that it wasn't right. Giving the CDI a turn on the HSI, showed we were on track whether it sat, going back to GPS mode on the HSI likewise spot on track, wasn't until I looked at GPS receiver and we were about 15 degrees of track. The VOR was working okay, ATC confirmed that no one else had any issues.
The reason for the failure in the HSI CDI was a relay that swapped the VOR input for GPS input had failed in GPS mode, therefore no VOR or GPS information was getting to CDI.
The reason for the failure in the HSI CDI was a relay that swapped the VOR input for GPS input had failed in GPS mode, therefore no VOR or GPS information was getting to CDI.
