| Aircraft navigation has been revolutionized by modern GPS receivers, driving color moving map displays. These displays can import weather, fuel, traffic, and radar information to assist in the flight. Information from the systems is used to drive autopilots that can fly a complete flight in horizontal and vertical modes. But this complexity comes at a price -- they must be understood thoroughly so that their operation doesn't become a hazard to the flight, rather than the formidable assistance they can provide. You can learn to use your system with my GPS training classes, and /or my GPS manuals on Garmin and Chelton flight systems. |
Written from my perspective as a pilot, instructor, and educator, my current manuals for the Chelton EFIS system, G1000W, GNS 480, and GNS 430W/530W are all in full color, with several hundred simulator screen shots. They are printed on glossy paper with a 14 font for easy reading, have heavy glossy covers, and are plastic spiral bound so they lay flat or easily fold over.
Full day or hourly classes are offered on the Chelton EFIS or Garmin 400/500 series or 480 GPS units, using docking stations to run them in their respective Demo modes on the desk. PowerPoint presentations for the specific unit, on all operations of the device, are used while the students (up to 3 at a time) follow along on the GPS. The courses all begin with a "getting started" section, and then proceed to cover all of the major uses of the device: using maps, getting information from it's database, making and editing flight plans, using the autopilot, importing datalink, fuel, and traffic information, adding procedures, and any other subject specific to each device.
To take a class, send me an e-mail to work out a schedule. Classes are held in Grass Valley, CA. Fly commercially to Sacramento (KSMF) and rent a car (1.2 hours), or fly to the Grass Valley airport (KGOO) where I will arrange transportation. All classes are conducted by Keith Thomassen.
Licensed to fly in 1958, Keith Thomassen pursued a professional career of scientific research and teaching while expanding his aviation interests. With a PhD in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University he carried out Fusion Energy research at Stanford, MIT, the Los Alamos National Laboratory, and the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. During his career he held professorships at MIT and UC Berkeley, and also taught courses at Stanford, UCLA, and Harvard. He is a Flight Instructor, with Airplane, Instrument, and Glider ratings. On retirement he developed a strong interest in all things GPS, has been giving GPS classes since 2003, and has written for several aviation magazines in addition to publishing the manuals described here.
This website formerly belonged to my training partner Tom Rogers, at one time the owner of Avionics West in Santa Maria, CA. After selling that business he moved to Tennessee where he maintained this site for his business, Avionics West of Tennessee. Tom was a great friend, and his passing in October, 2009 left us all saddened. With his business now closed, this site will be used to promote GPS use and understanding, with articles and items of interest as time goes on. We miss you Tom.
As this site develops articles will be posted on GPS topics relevant to all GPS navigators. Common problems on specific units, and their solutions, will be discussed. My manuals treat these issues in some detail, which distinguishes them from manuals that simply describe the button and knob sequence for all of their operations.