Aviation has come a long way since its invention at the start of the 20th century. In the early days of flying, pilots used a map, a compass, and little else. While this was often reliable, it was not always safe. Nowadays, we use something called NAVAIDS that can guide us to our destination easily. …
READ MORE What Are NAVAIDS And Why Are They Important for Flying?
On the ground, we are able to make our way from Point A to Point B by knowing where to turn on roads, guided by maps, GPS, or memory. Even while traversing areas in which roads aren’t available, backpackers find their way by using a compass to point them in the right direction. But how …
Maintaining the correct course in the air is as easy as following the line on the GPS, isn’t it? Unfortunately, it’s not so simple. What happens when your cockpit GPS isn’t operational, or is loaded with outdated maps? What if strong crosswinds (opens in a new window) blow you off track? It’s important to know …
Giant airplanes like airliners and military transport aircraft use sophisticated, onboard methods to fly from Point A to Point B. Today, they usually use GPS (Global Positioning System) and/or a combination of other methods using lasers, gyroscopes, and other sophisticated stuff. Interestingly, a few years ago, the military deliberately downgraded the GPS signals the USA’s …