Monday, July 12, 2010

Knowledge Base » A Brief History Of Gps In Aviation

GPS, or Global Positioning System, is a system that helps an individual determine where he is located as well as where other things are located. GPS has become incredibly popular over the years with even more mobile devices available. However, GPS in aviation has been around longer. As long ago as 1978 GPS was being experimented with and a satellite was sent into space to test the technology.

GPS, or Global Positioning System is a system that helps an individual determine where he is established, and when other things are located. GPS has become incredibly popular over the years with more mobile devices available. However, GPS in aviation has been very longer. Already in 1978 it was being experimented with GPS and a satellite was sent into space to test the technology. That is almost 30 years ago and today GPS is for many people the car! Nevertheless, aviation is one of the first companies to get involved, because with GPS location and speed are very important in the field of aviation. The U.S. Department of Defense handles GPS, but allows the public to use for free. GPS on an airplane is essentially a map of the route of the original location to the destination. Information is programmed into the GPS and it helps for autopilot and things of that nature. It tells the pilot where they are managed, how far they are the destination and the altitude of the aircraft. GPS is invaluable to pilots and it is very useful. A popular option is the Garmin aviation GPS. This GPS system is specifically designed for use in aircraft. Not all GPS systems will work in an aircraft like they would in a car, so buying a specialized aircraft GPS is important. A headset is the air still important, even using the GPS, because you must communicate with the tower not to mention that you need to protect your hearing. Of course, GPS has been around since the 70s, but it is not yet fully operational aircraft that long. It was not until the mid 1990s that GPS became fully functional with 24 satellites and aviation adopted the new technology and put it to work. Since the mid-1990s, the GPS system has become incredibly important for all pilots and aircraft are now equipped with this device. It helps pilots stay on course and if something happens the system lets them know how to get back on track. GPS is important not only for pilots but also for everyday drivers. And, although GPS is a long time was just gaining popularity and understanding with the general public.

With all of these new devices in our aircraft I sometimes wonder if new pilots don't learn to rely too much on them.

JetAviator7
All Things Aviation Blog

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