AC-120-76D and Private Checkride

hamer

hamer

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hamer
Hello all,

I'm nearing my private checkride and I'm having a little debate with my CFI. He quotes AC-120-76D as evidence that the FAA approves an EFB (iPad w/ForeFlight in this case) as a suitable replacement for paper charts and hence the DPE can no longer fail the device. Now I've read the document, and a few of the other documents that it references, but it's still not totally clear to me. Pretty much every discussion on the use of an iPad during a checkride everyone says it's very likely the DPE will fail the device and maybe even fail the GPS.

Now, I do not rely solely on ForeFlight for my XC flight or planning. Typically I'll paper plan the flight, then also plan it in ForeFlight and reference it on the iPad in-flight, but I try to avoid using the moving map. My concern is that if the DPE fails my iPad on the checkride during the diversion, how am I supposed to navigate to another airport without a chart? Sure I can plan ahead and write down possible locations he'll ask me to fly to, but I live in SoCal, there's a good chance he can pick an airport I didn't pre-plan as a possible diversion.

AC-120-76D was updated October 2017 making an EFB legal. I haven't found many people's experiences with checkrides after that date. What's the thinking here? Does the AC actually make it so the DPE cannot fail your iPad if you're using it as your chart? I don't mind having paper back ups, but it is another (wasted) expense, especially because the date keeps getting moved around and I don't want to have to keep buying more to stay up to date.

Thoughts?
 
As much as you're spending to get your ticket and your worried about having to spend a few extra dollars for a new chart or two?
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:yeahthat:

IMO, having a current paper chart handy and already marked up for the DPE's assigned XC flight demonstrates good CRM and Risk Management.

Buy the sectional and fly on!
 
That is my POV on the subject. I'd rather be safe than sorry. But my CFI is pushing pretty hard that it's legal and the DPE can't fail it. I was just looking for real world experience since the new AC was put out.
 
Assume he will fail it whether he is "allowed" or not. Do not depend on anything working on a checkride or subsequent flight.

Buy the chart and prepare it. Worst that can happen is he doesn't fail the iPad. Best, he does and you're ready. Which would you prefer, be ready and pass or trust your instructor is right about this unknown and fail.
 
hamer said:
That is my POV on the subject. I'd rather be safe than sorry. But my CFI is pushing pretty hard that it's legal and the DPE can't fail it. I was just looking for real world experience since the new AC was put out.
Click to expand...

You're PIC. Make the call.
 
hamer said:
That is my POV on the subject. I'd rather be safe than sorry. But my CFI is pushing pretty hard that it's legal and the DPE can't fail it. I was just looking for real world experience since the new AC was put out.
Click to expand...

If your CFI thinks he "can't" fail it, your CFI is an idiot and doesn't understand the point of "failing" items on a checkride. Some DPEs are known to take away an applicant's paper charts as a means of testing emergency preparedness ("your sectional just blew out the window, what do you do now?").
 
Here are my two cents, take it for what its worth.

Real world scenario, would you actually have a paper chart in the plane? I know I don't.

So lets look at this, how are you navigating in the first place. Using the Ipad for a chart and looking out the window for landmarks I would presume. The Ipad overheats, goes dark, dies, whatever. Now what?

What other options do you have at your disposal in the aircraft? Is there a panel mounted GPS? A handheld GPS such as a 396 or 496? Look out the window for a familiar landmark, maybe even an airport? Even use the radio itself to call up and ask for vectors?

With the use of ACS, I know our local examiner wants to see how you would react in a real world scenario. Sure a paper chart is an easy answer for a checkride, and feel free to use it. Hard for an examiner to do much with it except throw it out the window.

I know on my initial PPL checkride, back in the dark ages, I started out with a paper chart and a stopwatch. However I did actually get lost! Due to much higher than forecast winds aloft, and the issue of having a similar landmark on the wrong course track, I quickly lost SA and my position on the map. The examiner sat silently watching me mull over the fact that I was not finding the expected landmarks anymore. Finally out of desperation I tuned in a VOR and triangulated my position on the map. The examiner just let out a laugh and said "Good enough". As we returned to the practice area we discussed what went wrong, and how I was able to use all the tools at my disposal to fix the problem, even though VOR training is not part of the PPL.
 
I'd ask for my money back if the DPE DIDNT fail it, real world he's a bad DPE if he doesn't make you prove to him that as a VFR (as in Visual with a window, and not the computer kind) that you can get from A to B.

I'd also be interested in your CFIs background
 
How do you make totally sure it wont be a problem....spend $14 or whatever it is and buy the chart. And buy your relevant A/FD as well. And if youre near a terminal area buy a TAC as well.

Youre DPE will most likely give you your route before the checkride. So plan it on paper and have it ready. During the oral he/she will most likely use YOUR chart to ask questions. During my ride i had the tablet on and running but was using the paper. The divert was easy...he said "hand me the sectional....(unfolds it...argh)....takes us here, guess the new heading first, make the initial turn and then figure out course, distance, time and fuel". It actually only took like a minute and he didnt want mega precise, just a good solid i-know-the-stuff calculation. When i was done he said "now you can use your tablet and check your work."

You are so close, why risk a fail when $40 of paper and some practice will mitigate all that risk. My DPE gave me a route that required two sectionals. One sectional and our A/FD expired 2 days before the ride so i just ordered new ones instead of trying to sneak in expired paperwork....after all that training it was time to be done :)

I have heard of a DPE failing the tablet during the oral so with paper you are covered there too.
 
midwestpa24 said:
Well, thorough VOR navigation. You learn how to turn it on.

Point being...use the resources at your disposal in the aircraft.
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You're being short changed if your CFI doesn't teach you VOR. That may be all you have (besides pilotage and DR) if the DPE fails your tablet. VORs are still useful and will be around for years to come. Retread post #9 above about that person's experience and use of VOR.
 
Even without a VOR or any electronics, you should be able to pick out at least a single navigable landmark, reference your chart if not your local knowledge/memory of flying in and figure out where you are.

zombie-texters.jpg
 
There's nothing that says the DPE can't fail ANYTHING in the airplane, including the EFB.

The object of a diversion isn't to divert to a planned airport, but to figure out how to get somewhere safely. Your "backup" needs to be something that will allow you to find a safe place to land from whatever position you happen to be in when you divert.
 
James331 said:
I'd ask for my money back if the DPE DIDNT fail it, real world he's a bad DPE if he doesn't make you prove to him that as a VFR (as in Visual with a window, and not the computer kind) that you can get from A to B.

I'd also be interested in your CFIs background
Click to expand...

My CFI is actually really good. He's a lower hour pilot, but he's a CFI because he wants to be, not because he want's to build time to go to the airlines, which is very rare these days. Before this he was a bush pilot. This is the only topic where I've wondered a little and didn't really agree with his position. I think part of it has to do with the fact that he's younger and more into using all available resources, vs me who is a little more "old school."

baboss said:
iPad Pilot News had a 7 minute podcast on this w/ 3 DPE's recently. Haven't listed to it just posting it.
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I had not seen this, thanks for posting.
 
mscard88 said:
You're being short changed if your CFI doesn't teach you VOR. That may be all you have (besides pilotage and DR) if the DPE fails your tablet. VORs are still useful and will be around for years to come. Retread post #9 above about that person's experience and use of VOR.
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That were me...:D. And while I was taught the very basics of VOR navigation under the PPL, the emphasis was on visual navigation back then. Only enough instrument was taught back then to try to get you out of a bad situation. Everything else was taught under the Instrument ticket.
 
hamer said:
My CFI is actually really good. He's a lower hour pilot, but he's a CFI because he wants to be, not because he want's to build time to go to the airlines, which is very rare these days. Before this he was a bush pilot. This is the only topic where I've wondered a little and didn't really agree with his position. I think part of it has to do with the fact that he's younger and more into using all available resources, vs me who is a little more "old school.".
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Relying on your CFI's argument is a little like those food servers who don't write down the order -- little upside and plenty of downside. Bring a chart.
 
Disclaimer: while I'm an examiner, I'm not qualified to do Private Pilot checkrides. So take this for what it's worth.

I'm not saying paper is a bad backup, but if you're not going to carry paper as a backup in real life, I'd prefer to see what your real life backup would be. If it's an iPhone, I want to see how you manage that. If it's photographic memory, I want to see how you manage that. If it's "I've got enough gas to fly east until I see a big area of salt water, turn right until I run out of land in that direction, and then backtrack to Miami International Airport," I want to see that you brought enough sandwiches and drinks for both of us, a pillow for me, and have a plan for peeing. Oh...and that you know the weather is going to be good for the two days it will take us to get there. ;)

As others have mentioned, what avionics have you got? Can you get useful frequencies, etc., from your GPS unit?

The examiner can fail anything in the airplane, but I, personally, would consider it very unprofessional for him to say, "OK...You had electrical smoke, so your entire airplane is dark. Only the engine is running. Oh, and the dog ate your iPad. And the cat ate your iPhone. And I accidentally put your portable GPS in my sandwich and ate it. What are you going to do now?" Take what you need, use what you have, and have a backup plan for at least a single-point failure of anything. ("Electrical smoke, your airplane is dark" would be a single point failure.)
 
And if you REALLY want to impress your DPE, this is a real thing...it's called "landfall navigation".:D
MauleSkinner said:
"I've got enough gas to fly east until I see a big area of salt water, turn right until I run out of land in that direction, and then backtrack to Miami International Airport,"
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MauleSkinner said:
Disclaimer: while I'm an examiner, I'm not qualified to do Private Pilot checkrides. So take this for what it's worth.

I'm not saying paper is a bad backup, but if you're not going to carry paper as a backup in real life, I'd prefer to see what your real life backup would be. If it's an iPhone, I want to see how you manage that. If it's photographic memory, I want to see how you manage that. If it's "I've got enough gas to fly east until I see a big area of salt water, turn right until I run out of land in that direction, and then backtrack to Miami International Airport," I want to see that you brought enough sandwiches and drinks for both of us, a pillow for me, and have a plan for peeing. Oh...and that you know the weather is going to be good for the two days it will take us to get there. ;)

As others have mentioned, what avionics have you got? Can you get useful frequencies, etc., from your GPS unit?

The examiner can fail anything in the airplane, but I, personally, would consider it very unprofessional for him to say, "OK...You had electrical smoke, so your entire airplane is dark. Only the engine is running. Oh, and the dog ate your iPad. And the cat ate your iPhone. And I accidentally put your portable GPS in my sandwich and ate it. What are you going to do now?" Take what you need, use what you have, and have a backup plan for at least a single-point failure of anything. ("Electrical smoke, your airplane is dark" would be a single point failure.)
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Which is exactly my point and my experience through each and every check ride I have experienced. The book answer is great, doing it that way is awesome, but how are you going to do it in the real world. In my opinion, that is the purpose of the new ACS philosophy. If you are going to be flying any well equipped /G aircraft, with a handheld GPS backup (a must in my opinion for any real traveler), dual Ipads (required in my 135 operation), but not a sheet of paper in the plane, why test with the paper?

Now I did learn old school, and I still see the value in the basic understanding learning the paper way gives you. But I haven't personally touched a paper chart in years. None of our aircraft have them, our FBO doesn't stock them. I am far from being a child of the magenta line and still love going low and slow in my Citabria, but you have to acknowledge the progress we have made in navigation in the last decade(s).
 
Now back to the OP. Think about this, you are out flying just after passing your checkride.

How are you navigating? Using your Ipad?

What will you do when it fails? It will one day.

What is your plan B? It can be to have a paper chart, and that is fine if that is what you plan for. But if I've learned anything in flying, its to always have a plan B, and be working on plan C.

Do the same thing for you checkride. The DPE takes your Ipad. What are you going to do?
 
That's everyone, lots of good philosophy here.
 
I always thought a DPE was supposed to employ realistic disractions during the test. Failing an IPAD seems realistic to me.

Use of Distractions
Numerous studies indicate that many accidents have occurred when the pilot has been distracted during critical phases of flight. The evaluator should incorporate realistic distractions during the flight portion of the practical test to evaluate the pilot’s situational awareness and ability to utilize proper control technique while dividing attention both inside and outside the cockpit.

Page 39 Naviagation - Lost Procedures.

Distractions, loss of situational awareness, and/or improper task management.
 
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My experience, flightschool made me use paper for everything, I used Garmin Pilot and skyvector for all planning and ‘translated’ it to paper to satisfy the schools requirement. I discussed my iPad usage and skyvector usage with the dpe, mentioned I’d never fly without one but how the flightschool required paper. We talked about failures (second iPad and iPhone in my flight bag), being up to date etc.. He had absolutely no issue with it and discussed how the FAA had been very clear to the DPEs that this is the way forward. I used paper charts and iPad for additional situational awareness, looking back I should have not even used the paper charts!
 
Don’t people typically talk with the DPE before the checkride to get an understanding of what they’ll expect and go through any questions like that?
 
hamer said:
My CFI is actually really good. He's a lower hour pilot, but he's a CFI because he wants to be, not because he want's to build time to go to the airlines, which is very rare these days. Before this he was a bush pilot. This is the only topic where I've wondered a little and didn't really agree with his position. I think part of it has to do with the fact that he's younger and more into using all available resources, vs me who is a little more "old school."



I had not seen this, thanks for posting.
Click to expand...

This sets my spidy sense off a little, so your CFI is a low time bush pilot who's instructing but says you're good going all in on the iPad?
 
A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. This thread is a bit frightening, as there are so many comments made with seemingly no knowledge of the current state of how the FAA manages our craft today. Stories of "back in my day, when we flew the Wright Flyer for check rides" and "spidy sense" attacks on your CFI based on nothing but conjecture have no place in guiding an applicant in 2018 in what the standards are for taking a practical exam. Respectfully, I'd suggest that instead of just responding with war stories of days past, a pilot that is truly concerned about being the best pilot they can be should actually stay current, both in terms of technology and in terms of regulations, and use THAT information as a basis for providing wisdom and advice to a novice pilot.

I'd suggest that hamer consider the following documents:

InFO 17003 DATE: 2/13/17
Subject: Use of Onboard or Installed Electronic Navigation Equipment on a Private Pilot Airplane Practical Test

FAA-S-ACS-6B Dated June 2018
Private Pilot - Airplane Certification Standards​

In the inFO document, the FAA discusses how the original version of the ACS used the word "installed" with regards to avionics to be used for navigation during the practical test. So they clarify the FAA position to clearly state that they support the use of EFBs during practical exams. And in the ACS, which came out this month, note that on page 37, under the Navigation tasks, task PA.VI.B.S1 directs that the applicant "Use an airborne electronic navigation system." and in task PA.VI.B.S2 "Determine the airplane’s position using the navigation system". Does anyone see the word "installed" there? Or a requirement for a paper chart to accomplish that or any other task in the ACS?

hamer - I took completed a checkride for an advanced rating last week, and used an EFB for charting, flight planning, and other tasks. My DPE, who is well versed and current with FAA guidance, had zero issues with that. He did, however, ask me during the ground portion, how the use of an EFB should be considered during risk management decisions. Note that Risk Management is a testable area under the ACS, and appears in practically every section of the standard. I'd suggest you consider what you would do if the hazard presented by the failure of an EFB in flight occurs, understand the risk that such a failure could have on your operation, and have a plan to mitigate that risk. My plan is that I carry two iPads and an iPhone on each flight, in addition to the aircraft's installed GPS and VORs, along with a portable battery. Note the bolded words - hazard, risk, and mitigate. Hopefully you are learning about safety management systems (SMS) as you train, and those terms are integral to understanding the concepts. Most pilots in the university classes I teach have difficulty using those terms properly. Study them and you'll be better prepared on how to respond should the DPE "fail" your iPad or any other piece of equipment in the aircraft during the checkride.

Good luck on your checkride!
 
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Bubba G said:
A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. This thread is a bit frightening, as there are so many comments made with seemingly no knowledge of the current state of how the FAA manages our craft today. Stories of "back in my day, when we flew the Wright Flyer for check rides" and "spidy sense" attacks on your CFI based on nothing but conjecture have no place in guiding an applicant in 2018 in what the standards are for taking a practical exam. Respectfully, I'd suggest that instead of just responding with war stories of days past, a pilot that is truly concerned about being the best pilot they can be should actually stay current, both in terms of technology and in terms of regulations, and use THAT information as a basis for providing wisdom and advice to a novice pilot.

I'd suggest that hamer consider the following documents:

InFO 17003 DATE: 2/13/17
Subject: Use of Onboard or Installed Electronic Navigation Equipment on a Private Pilot Airplane Practical Test

FAA-S-ACS-6B Dated June 2018
Private Pilot - Airplane Certification Standards​

In the inFO document, the FAA discusses how the original version of the ACS used the word "installed" with regards to avionics to be used for navigation during the practical test. So they clarify the FAA position to clearly state that they support the use of EFBs during practical exams. And in the ACS, which came out this month, note that on page 37, under the Navigation tasks, task PA.VI.B.S1 directs that the applicant "Use an airborne electronic navigation system." and in task PA.VI.B.S2 "Determine the airplane’s position using the navigation system". Does anyone see the word "installed" there? Or a requirement for a paper chart to accomplish that or any other task in the ACS?

hamer - I took completed a checkride for an advanced rating last week, and used an EFB for charting, flight planning, and other tasks. My DPE, who is well versed and current with FAA guidance, had zero issues with that. He did, however, ask me during the ground portion, how the use of an EFB should be considered during risk management decisions. Note that Risk Management is a testable area under the ACS, and appears in practically every section of the standard. I'd suggest you consider what you would do if the hazard presented by the failure of an EFB in flight occurs, understand the risk that such a failure could have on your operation, and have a plan to mitigate that risk. My plan is that I carry two iPads and an iPhone on each flight, in addition to the aircraft's installed GPS and VORs, along with a portable battery. Note the bolded words - hazard, risk, and mitigate. Hopefully you are learning about safety management systems (SMS) as you train, and those terms are integral to understanding the concepts. Most pilots in the university classes I teach have difficulty using those terms properly. Study them and you'll be better prepared on how to respond should the DPE "fail" your iPad or any other piece of equipment in the aircraft during the checkride.

Good luck on your checkride!
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The whole point of this operation for both the CFI and the DPE is what's going to go on post checkride for a VISUAL Flight Rules pilot, regardless of how far the FAA dumbs down the checkrides I'm not putting my ink for a student to take his ride if he can't navigate looking out the window without the use of tech, because somethings actually haven't changed since the weight flyer, seeing a big mountain and a lake off your right side and knowing about where you are, knowing about how fast you're going and your fuel burn and knowing if you could make to to XYZ without needing a "app for that", and I don't care if you have a whole Apple Store worth of iPads in the back of the plane, that's not remotely the point.

I love my iPad, I use it all the time, but it's a tool, not a crutch, and if a student can't cope without it, he shouldn't be recommended for a checkride IMO


My comment that you seemed to latched on to regarding "spidy sense" that was clearly directed at the fact that I found it odd that a "bushpilot" was pushing reliance on a iPad, and also the idea that a low time bushpilot has enough spare time to take on an ab initio student in the nice season.
 
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Good grief. . .PPL checkride, VMC; it's not rocket science folks; OP, you don't have to have a paper chart. You can have one if you want. It's that simple. If you don't want one with you, be ready to explain how you'll navigate without the iPad.

Gad, you don't need analysis, a "plan", or a "mitigation strategy" to deal with an EFB failure, VFR, in a light single. You know how to look out the window? How to tune a VOR? Unfold a paper chart? Use a comm radio? Then you're good to go on navigation alternatives. . .
 
Ben Sanford said:
Don’t people typically talk with the DPE before the checkride to get an understanding of what they’ll expect and go through any questions like that?
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Sadly a lot of CFIs know what the DPEs in thier area do for checkrides. And many of those CFIs teach just how to pass that DPEs checkride. It’s not really cheating, but it is really a disadvantage to the student. A CFI should be teaching well beyond the ACS.
 
My opinion the DPE can simulate any realistic failure.

There aren’t many of us IPad users that haven’t seen the “Tempurature” message on an IPad or ran the battery dead without an external power source. So I think failing the IPad is reasonable.
You just need to demonstrate you have a backup plan, another tablet, phone or paper chart should be fine.

The DPE I use left Salt Lake City once and noted a Notam that GPS was going to be unusable for a large portion of the US. He says it was entertaining listening to the airliners being told to fly via victor airways and how many of them were asking for vectors to do it. Don’t be surprised if on a checkride with him all of your GPS devices fail.
He also notes have you noticed how far behind they are on updating GPS satellites? How long have they been up there? How long until North Korea, or someone figures out how to Jam the entire system. It only can’t happen until it does. Who would have thought that the entire U.S. airspace could be shut down, after 9/11.

One of my instruments students was flying VFR in the southwestern US using his VFR GPS during one of these notamed outages. He arrived at his destination airport according the GPS and the only thing there was open desert. He dialed in the VOR and flew another 10 miles to the actual location of the airport.

One of the biggest responsibilities of being a pilot is to always have a plan B for when Plan A goes Bad.

Brian
CFIIG/ASEL
 
I'm sticking with my first post. Have the paper sectional ready to go and be able to navigate without the tablet. Then you'll just know you'll pass that part of the test rather than worrying about it.

My wife learned way before tablets and GPS. Even now with a tablet mounted right in the panel she keeps a sectional, opened up and tucked under her leg. I give her the: "Times have changed man" look :cool:. And I always get back her: "When that GPS signal goes down who is NOT lost m'fer" look :devil:
 
And to further beat the twitching horse, and fluff out what I wrote above (and a good discussion of risk and risk management) I don’t care if you have paper, but think through what can cause a real failure of your chosen primary navigation. If you use ForeFlight on an iPad, what do you do for each of these scenarios:
1) iPad overheats -use iPad or iPhone backup? Probably ok
2) bug in ForeFlight crashes software? Now your iPhone backup is much less likely to work, so what now? Panel GPS? Ok.
3) GPS denied? Well you can still use ForeFlight for charts and navigate visually. Or maybe use VORs.
4) iOS bug crashes? Um, maybe Android version? Or even paper?
Keep thinking through the list of things that can go wrong. Mine is NOT exhaustive.

The point is, as PIC the DPE wants to know you can deal with adverse conditions. Think through your training. How much was just flying the airplane (including landing and taking off)? How much was navigation? Now, how much was learning how to deal with various things going wrong? I’d guess around 1/2 of mine.

John
 
Here’s a fun example I encountered today. Didn’t have my iPad, it was hiding (very effectively) in my backpack. I was going to use my ancient Garmin 296, but discovered it down for the count. So I went to use the Foreflight on my phone. It got stuck on the “flights” page and could not be induced to show anything else. I have not yet resolved this issue. The flight was immediately scrubbed since I didn’t have a current chart. I’ve a perfectly good GPS in the panel, and I still scrubbed.

Given the problems I’ve encountered with the phone, I’m going to have to think carefully about my own backups. I think that is the salient issue for the OP, what’s he going to do when the IPad fails? It will. It’ll get too hot, or run out of power, or just plain break. If you have a viable plan I think everything will be fine. If the plan is “the DPE can’t fail my iPad”, I foresee some pink paper in your future.
 
jsstevens said:
And to further beat the twitching horse, and fluff out what I wrote above (and a good discussion of risk and risk management) I don’t care if you have paper, but think through what can cause a real failure of your chosen primary navigation. If you use ForeFlight on an iPad, what do you do for each of these scenarios:
1) iPad overheats -use iPad or iPhone backup? Probably ok
2) bug in ForeFlight crashes software? Now your iPhone backup is much less likely to work, so what now? Panel GPS? Ok.
3) GPS denied? Well you can still use ForeFlight for charts and navigate visually. Or maybe use VORs.
4) iOS bug crashes? Um, maybe Android version? Or even paper?
Keep thinking through the list of things that can go wrong. Mine is NOT exhaustive.

The point is, as PIC the DPE wants to know you can deal with adverse conditions. Think through your training. How much was just flying the airplane (including landing and taking off)? How much was navigation? Now, how much was learning how to deal with various things going wrong? I’d guess around 1/2 of mine.

John
Click to expand...

Here's another one for ya

Said iPad reliant student, now PPL, takes a crew car into some small town, he leaves his iToys, spare iPad and spare skinny jeans in the back seat as he goes into the local coffee shop to try to get a soy latte, when he comes out surprised that they don't know what soy is or how one would milk a almond, he is even more surprised to find that the power locks on that old crown Vic didn't work and someone stole his iPads (but not the skinny jeans).

So pop quiz hot shot, as it's probably obvious that this town doesn't have a apple store, what does the pilot do if he can't navigate with paper charts, as that's all he will be able to get?

Does he call the FBO and tell them he needs to be rescued as he cant make it back home with his app?
 
brcase said:
My opinion the DPE can simulate any realistic failure.

There aren’t many of us IPad users that haven’t seen the “Tempurature” message on an IPad or ran the battery dead without an external power source. So I think failing the IPad is reasonable.
You just need to demonstrate you have a backup plan, another tablet, phone or paper chart should be fine.

The DPE I use left Salt Lake City once and noted a Notam that GPS was going to be unusable for a large portion of the US. He says it was entertaining listening to the airliners being told to fly via victor airways and how many of them were asking for vectors to do it. Don’t be surprised if on a checkride with him all of your GPS devices fail.
He also notes have you noticed how far behind they are on updating GPS satellites? How long have they been up there? How long until North Korea, or someone figures out how to Jam the entire system. It only can’t happen until it does. Who would have thought that the entire U.S. airspace could be shut down, after 9/11.

One of my instruments students was flying VFR in the southwestern US using his VFR GPS during one of these notamed outages. He arrived at his destination airport according the GPS and the only thing there was open desert. He dialed in the VOR and flew another 10 miles to the actual location of the airport.

One of the biggest responsibilities of being a pilot is to always have a plan B for when Plan A goes Bad.

Brian
CFIIG/ASEL
Click to expand...
Interesting. We don’t really fly “Victor airways”, but do fly the J routes. They can be defined by GPS or VOR so I don’t see where the big hubbub was.
It wasn’t all that long ago when airliners didn’t have GPS.
 
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