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Kneeboard GPS

MIDNJAC

is clara ship
pilot
I'm thinking of asking my folks for a kneeboard GPS as a graduation/comissioning present and I'm wondering if anyone here has any suggestions? My plan is to use it during flight school and beyond as a back-up.
 

NavAir42

I'm not dead yet....
pilot
No way in hell an instructor would ever let you carry that thing in the cockpit. Afraid you'll have to do it the hard way.
 

MasterBates

Well-Known Member
You probably will not be allowed to take a handheld/kneeboard GPS into the plane. At least not as a student.

Current IPs want to chime in on respective policies where you instruct?

In some aircraft, space is at a premium and small is key. (T-45 unless you are a midget)
 

Brett327

Well-Known Member
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
I'm thinking of asking my folks for a kneeboard GPS as a graduation/comissioning present and I'm wondering if anyone here has any suggestions? My plan is to use it during flight school and beyond as a back-up.

And as far as the whole beyond thing, no one in the RAG or fleet is going to let you get away with something like that either (you'll be rightly branded a laughing stock). Get one for GA flying if you must, but these things have no place in a tactical cockpit.

Brett
 

VetteMuscle427

is out to lunch.
None
We had a guy who had a small GPS unit for "time keeping" on his kneeboard during primary. It did not help him at all. No hand held GPS will help you with an approach and calling turns correctly on time.

Save your money, get a nice Garmin for your car or something like that.
 

Gatordev

Well-Known Member
pilot
Site Admin
Contributor
And as far as the whole beyond thing, no one in the RAG or fleet is going to let you get away with something like that either (you'll be rightly branded a laughing stock). Get one for GA flying if you must, but these things have no place in a tactical cockpit.

Brett

Concur. Unless it's a NAVAIR approved unit. A few years back I mentioned that we had a waiver for some units as a trial, and they could be helpful (they had PFPS/Falconview built in), but it wasn't the norm, as we only had two units as a test platform.

As for flight school, you're not going to need it in either primary or HTs. The jet guys can comment on the VT(j)s. If you're savvy enough to figure out the KLN 900 early on, good on you, but to have another unit to look down at isn't going to be helpful, and I'd argue will cause more problems than it's worth (assuming you could even get it in the airplane and past the IP). You will learn the onboard GPS as part of the syllabus in flight school, whatever that unit might be.
 

BigIron

Remotely piloted
pilot
Super Moderator
Contributor
The beauty of AW...... getting the info so you don't have to learn the hard way.
 

Junior

Registered User
pilot
I have heard of IP's in Kingsville using a handheld GPS when going on the road in the T-45As to back themselves up. Would not reccomend it as a student.
 

MasterBates

Well-Known Member
Or you can fly something without GPS!
(T-45A) TACAN/VOR/ILS, no GPS or ADF.

From a student perspective, I really like not having to dick around with it in flight.. I hated the "Black Box" during HTs, although in the fleet I really wished the 60B had something other than a TACAN.
 

Gatordev

Well-Known Member
pilot
Site Admin
Contributor
I have heard of IP's in Kingsville using a handheld GPS when going on the road in the T-45As to back themselves up. Would not reccomend it as a student.

It's also not a bad thing to have in your SV/CMU, but it's a different animal than a kneeboard GPS which is overkill in Primary (where MIDNJAC will start). Like you said, it's probably an IP only thing anyway.
 

Junior

Registered User
pilot
It's also not a bad thing to have in your SV/CMU, but it's a different animal than a kneeboard GPS which is overkill in Primary (where MIDNJAC will start). Like you said, it's probably an IP only thing anyway.
Agreed. Let this be a lesson to all the FNGs lurking the forums: If you have a new, great idea that you think no one else has thought of give it the stink test. Helps you avoid wasting money or becoming that guy that showed up with a kneeboard GPS. Good question MIDNJAC.
 

insanebikerboy

Internet killed the television star
pilot
None
Contributor
I think it was in Approach, but I read article a few months back about an incident where a T-45 had a flameout around 25k. The instructor was talking about how he was glad he had his handheld GPS as it helped him with his divert field.

For the OP though, get proficient with the KLN-900 and you'll have all the gps you'll ever need.
 

MasterBates

Well-Known Member
NRST-Select Airport-DIRECT will get you there in an emergency. Just make sure you don't fly into the ground or trust a black box blindly,
 

Single Seat

Average member
pilot
None
I know a guy that was booted from T-45's for flying with a GPS.

I had a $90 garmin I kept in my helmet bag while in the Persian Gulf, for the sole purpose of keeping me out of Iran and being able to divert if the jets systems took a crap. I don't think I ever turned it on (aside from just making sure it worked every now and then). T-45 and T-34 have GPS anyway.
 
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