It's hard to overstate the benefits that GPS navigation has brought to general aviation. Better, more accurate navigation is just part of it; perhaps the greatest benefit has been the proliferation of affordable moving-map displays. With a moving map, there's no doubt about situational awareness — as long as the unit works accurately and you don't run out of batteries for your portable, you'll pretty much know where you are.
Particularly for pilots who have to live with complicated airspace, these navigators are a godsend. Remember the good old days? Remember navigating around or through Class B airspace (then called terminal control areas), trying to determine where the blue line on the sectional happened to correspond with the maze of freeways and buildings visible out the window? Remember your first trip into San Francisco, Los Angeles, or San Diego airspace, and how much of your attention was focused on just staying out of (or in) a particular chunk of airspace?
For the most part, moving-map displays have made life much easier for the pilot in unfamiliar airspace. But much of the benefit resides in the particular GPS's map quality and database accuracy. Moreover, some units depict only the outermost boundaries of Class B and C airspace, leaving you to determine where exactly those inner rings are located. And, it should go without saying that ancient databases can lead you astray. (San Diegans will have gutted out revisions to their Class B airspace by the time you read this.)
All of this technology essentially offers no solace to pilots flying airplanes without moving-map navigators. But not for much longer. A VFR waypoint program has been implemented in Los Angeles and San Diego that will improve the lot for pilots flying behind older electronic navigators.
It's made up of named intersections starting with the letters "VV" that will, it is hoped, begin to show up in navigational databases on a GPS or loran near you. These waypoints will be strategically placed to allow transitions through Class B and C airspace and to provide charted checkpoints to aid in conversations with ATC. (How many times have you been told to "report the refinery" only to look down and see about a half-dozen plants?) They were published on the Los Angeles and San Diego VFR terminal area charts that became effective on July 15.
Ideally, the system will work like this: You'll plan your flight around or under a particular chunk of Class B or C airspace using the VFR waypoints. Plug those into your GPS or loran and simply fly the route. Remain on that route and within the altitude boundaries depicted for the route, and you'll stay clear of an airspace violation. In addition, you'll have valuable distance information available to provide an intelligent answer when ATC asks, "Where are you?"
Some of you IFR-rated pilots may be mumbling, "What's the big deal? There are lots of intersections already in the database that you could use instead." Yes, but those intersections do not show up on VFR charts with the kind of resolution that's needed — indeed, only a handful of intersections appear on the sectionals. And there's no easy way to find the intersections' bearing/distance from a known waypoint or its latitude/longitude for you to plug into your GPS or loran.
The AOPA Air Safety Foundation first proposed the idea of VFR waypoints four years ago. "GPS was really taking off, and it seemed only logical to give VFR pilots additional help in navigating through complex airspace," said ASF Executive Director Bruce Landsberg.
However, the idea didn't get off the ground until Randy Kenagy, AOPA associate director for air traffic services, made a formal request to the FAA in May 1998. A year later, the concept is being implemented in the Los Angeles and San Diego terminal areas.
"It's important to remember that these are VFR waypoints," Kenagy commented. "You can't use them as an IFR fix, and you shouldn't use the five-letter identifier when talking to air traffic control. VFR pilots need to report their position by referencing the nearest airport, navaid, or visual checkpoint." The VFR waypoints can be used when filing VFR flight plans.
He offered a couple of additional safety suggestions for pilots using the new VFR waypoints. First, load the waypoints on the ground. (If the waypoints aren't in your navigator's database, their latitudes and longitudes can be found in current Airport/Facility Directories for areas west of the Mississippi River.) Second, keep in mind that these waypoints may concentrate traffic near the VFR waypoints. "Keep looking out the window," Kenagy said, "[Navigating with VFR waypoints] could be like flying over a VOR in downtown L.A."
One problem with the waypoints is that although they are charted, at press time they were not yet available in any aeronautical navigation databases. Database providers are concerned that adding the waypoints will make databases too large, Kenagy explained. "The best way to get these VFR waypoints in the database is for every pilot to call their GPS manufacturer." A large number of pilot requests to avionics manufacturers would force database providers to offer the waypoints, accelerating user benefits of the VFR waypoint program, he said.
VFR waypoints are scheduled to be added to all terminal area charts within the next two years.
Information on the VFR waypoint program can be found on AOPA Online ( www.aopa.org/whatsnew/newsitems/1999/vfr_waypoints.html). Pilots who have used the VFR waypoints are asked to complete an online survey and provide feedback on the experience.
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