re: “Most all modern aircraft have nav systems known as VOR, Distance masuring, Loran, and the old standby, ADF”
Gotcha there; ADFs are just about totally gone. LORAN C has been history for awhile now. There was thoughts of bringing back LORAN C in a limited form, but I don’t think that has materialized beyond some tests 7 - 8 years back.
Note that I made a specific point that I quit about 20 years ago and don’t know what has happened since other than a story here or there.
Much too old to fly now.
But thanks for the correction.
As for the ADF, when I quit there were still quite a few small airports that had no more than that for an instrument approach. Some surrounded by mountains.
And I used Loran a lot. It was primarily useful in areas with good ATC radar coverage where the controllers were friendly and would allow direct (off airways) routing.
A lazy man’s nav system but not good when really close counted.
By the way, where did the industry go with the idea of a heads up display?
I realize the fighters have it, but has it made any inroads in business aviation or on the big iron?
I don’t think I would like it, but I am curious.
I just checked your personal page.
WOW.
Too late tonight to read all of that, but I plan to later.
I did note the link on tracking thunderstorms.
When I quit there was a gadget whose name I can’t recall right now, but it tracked lightning discharges and presented their location on a 360 degree instrument.
Several of the guys that flew off my home base had it along with radar.
I stuck with radar. I have often thought it would be fun to get an old one and set it up on the farm so as to track bad storms.
But too much trouble and any thunderstorm is a bad storm. It only takes one strike. That is one game where you don’t get three.