Anyone ever try their GPS in a commercial plane?

**Frenchy** · 09-01-06, 03:19 PM

I did try in on my way back home last night. First it took over 20 minutes to connect and after the connection kept cutting. I guidance was able to draw a map and show my position (Off Road) but did follow as the map was not redraw fast enought until we started to descend in NY area. We were flying at 601 MPH. BTW I realized later that you need all the US States maps to get good results for the plane path to be drawn(make sense). It was an interesting experience to do.

revjmckee · 09-01-06, 03:27 PM

Originally Posted by Frenchy

I did try in on my way back home last night. First it took over 20 minutes to connect and after the connection kept cutting. I guidance was able to draw a map and show my position (Off Road) but did follow as the map was not redraw fast enought until we started to descend in NY area. We were flying at 601 MPH. BTW I realized later that you need all the US States maps to get good results for the plane path to be drawn(make sense). It was an interesting experience to do.

Yes as a matter of fact I did!
Back in June I went to D.C. for a week ( I take a group up there every year on a tour). I thought it might be cool to try my Holux GPSlim 236 on the plane to check the speed, etc. Was I successful? ABSOLUTELY NOT!
I couldn't get a sat reading!!!
One guy on the plane said he had tried his a few days earlier on the plane but was unsuccessful as well until he held his receiver right @ the window.
Well that didn't work either!

09-01-06, 03:30 PM

Originally Posted by Frenchy

I did try in on my way back home last night. First it took over 20 minutes to connect and after the connection kept cutting. I guidance was able to draw a map and show my position (Off Road) but did follow as the map was not redraw fast enought until we started to descend in NY area. We were flying at 601 MPH. BTW I realized later that you need all the US States maps to get good results for the plane path to be drawn(make sense). It was an interesting experience to do.

I've used my Garmin Legend GPS several times. I could only get it to work when I was sitting next to a window. The Legend has an older chip set. But, it also has a built in US map, so that was not a problem. It was nice to be able to see where I was.

**Frenchy** · 09-01-06, 03:36 PM

I was using a Rikaline GPS 6033 which is usually very stable but not in a plane. When I finally connected, I had positionned the GPS on the arm rest by the window.

JakeRich · 09-01-06, 04:16 PM

The aluminum skin of the aircraft body blocks the signals pretty effectively. You have to be near a window and even then you'll only see the signals from about half of the satellites you normally would. Results have been very spotty, even with high sensitivity receivers.

09-01-06, 04:24 PM

I just got back from Florida and wanted to try that sooooo bad but it was just after the terrorism scare (one day after) and I didn't want to get yelled at by the flight attendents!!!

dontbugme · 09-01-06, 05:51 PM

Being the boring voice and sense and reason, I should probably point out that not only is this good old fashioned illegal in at least the US (no devices capable of wireless data/signal transmission can be used during flight) but that given the current state of terrorism paranoia, using something capable of determining location (eg. could be construed as being able to be used to direct a missle, or set off an explosion once a certain altitude/distance is reached) is just asking to be reamed by every bureau who goes by an acronym of some sort.

I mean, why would you take that sort of risk given the current air travel climate?

09-01-06, 06:56 PM

Originally Posted by dontbugme

Being the boring voice and sense and reason, I should probably point out that not only is this good old fashioned illegal in at least the US (no devices capable of wireless data/signal transmission can be used during flight) but that given the current state of terrorism paranoia, using something capable of determining location (eg. could be construed as being able to be used to direct a missle, or set off an explosion once a certain altitude/distance is reached) is just asking to be reamed by every bureau who goes by an acronym of some sort.

I mean, why would you take that sort of risk given the current air travel climate?

I used mine before we got quite so paranoid. And, my dedicated GPS is not a Transmitter. It's a reciever. Contrary hollywood's delutions most GPS units do not transmit.

The bluetooth ones that are popular with Axim users do transmit, but so does the Axim. I haven't heard of any planes going down because of a PDA.

Best advice, if the stew tells you to put it away, just smile, and put it away.

PS: Please don't tell the airline people that the Axim transmitts.

ChillyCat · 09-01-06, 09:15 PM

On our way to Cancun

speed: bottom left = 490 MPH

Inertial · 09-01-06, 09:38 PM

Hey ChillyCat, what software is that?

bigbop · 09-01-06, 09:59 PM

I was sitting in the second seat from the window when I tried my SiRF-III BT gps sitting on my knee. After I explained to the guy in the window seat what it was, he was OK with it.
In any case, it picked up 3 sats with medium signal but didn't get a lock. This is due to the speed of the aircraft. In order to get a lock at 600MPH, you need about 4 sats with good signal and a GPS with a high number of correlators (SiRF-III has 20,000 correlators - most other GPSes have around 2000). At the window, it took less than a minute to lock.
You can test this yourself by turning on your GPS while driving and checking to see how long it takes to get a lock vs standing still. You need to test this from a cold start both times.

nayrhyno · 09-01-06, 10:31 PM

Originally Posted by Inertial

Hey ChillyCat, what software is that?

Looks like Delorme X-Map.. or something similar.

aximbigfan · 09-01-06, 10:35 PM

i could have swarn that it was a federal law that you gouldnt bring anyhting that recives/transmitts radio signals...(yes iknow gps recivers only recive)

chris

09-01-06, 10:47 PM

While I don't beleive you are supposed to use the devices I am sure there is no law against having them with you. If there was then no one would be allowed to carry a cell phone.

pettit · 09-01-06, 11:33 PM

Back in February I tried and old Garmin e-Map on a trip from Orlando to Alabama. I was in a window seat. It worked fine. It took about 2 min to acquire satellites. Your speed was 495 MPH. I used it for about 15 min. All I had wes the base map of the area we were flying over, but it worked great at 100 mile resolution.