GPS 10 Years Later

Richard L. Collins

Saturday, February 01, 2003 at 10:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

GPS has transformed aviation navigation and approaches, providing superior situational awareness, simplified flight planning, and integration with advanced cockpit systems like weather and terrain awareness.
The FAA's aggressive promises for GPS vertical guidance and the phase-out of traditional navaids (VORs, NDBs) have largely gone unfulfilled, indicating continued reliance on existing ground-based systems.
Growing concerns exist regarding GPS signal reliability, satellite constellation maintenance, and vulnerability to jamming, with observed degradation and increased RAIM alerts.
Despite its benefits, the article concludes that ground-based systems like ILS, VORs, and radar remain crucial as ultimate backup systems for GPS, contrary to earlier predictions of an entirely GPS-centric navigation future.

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It is a cliché, but time does fly when you are having fun. Interesting is fun, and almost nine really interesting years have passed since I got one of the first (if not the first other than a manufacturer) approvals for GPS approaches. The FAA approval is dated 7/25/94. That first unit, a Garmin GPS 155, offered some installation and operational challenges, but after I mastered them it became my primary bit of navigational gear, both for en route and for approaches.

Since getting that unit approved I’ve changed, evaluated and upgraded units and now have a Garmin GNS 530 and a Bendix/King KLN 94. Several other navigators have been in the panel along the way, but there has always been an approach-approved GPS in my airplane.