The Summer flying season is here again. As more light aircraft are getting increasingly sophisticated panel-mounted GPS systems, pilots are freer to navigate away from airways and radio navigational aids. One of the most obvious things to try is to just fly a straight line to the destination. It's called "GPS direct". But I'll show some local examples from here in Northern California why that isn't always a good idea. A GPS is still an enormously useful navigation tool. But it requires delving deeper into how that GPS gadget works to get the best use of it.
The blog was off to a good start. And then there was no excuse for the long gap before the previous entry. But here's the explanation... I upgraded the server's operating system and blog software at the same time and then it wouldn't update. The static pages remained up. I knew I had to be barking up the wrong tree when each time, sometimes months apart, that I tried a new idea about what was getting in the way. I checked logs for various OS and server features. I finally found it was the upgrade of the blog software itself - they completely re-did their template names and just broke the updates.
Anyway, it works again. So I intend to re-establish a routine of providing regular content here. Hopefully you'll find it interesting and informative.
It has been 20 years. On June 10, 1989 I got my original Private Pilot license. I was still in grad school at California State University, Chico. I took the check ride with an FAA designated examiner in a Cessna 150 from the Chico Municipal Airport.
