I love GPS, too. It's a wonderful technology that had to be invented by men. Everyone knows how we just HATE asking for directions!

Last night, I spent two hours in the simulator working on NDB holds and approaches. The only reason why I was doing that is because most of the local examiners want to see it. In other words, they want me to demonstrate proficiency on this obsolete technology for no good reason other than, "because I said so." It just confirmed my opinion never to put and ADF in my plane. Why stop there, why not keep on requiring pilots to fly the old 4-beam "radio range" (pre-VOR technology)? One of my high school teachers flew F-80s and told of shooting instrument approaches using the radio range. No, thank you. Hell, I had to learn how to use a slide rule in high school (still have it and can still use it) but there's no way I'd waste the time teaching this skill to kids today. It'd be a waste of time.

As for GPS/WAAS, there will continue to be novel uses for the technology that no one anticipated. Who would've thought of using GPS to monitor seismic activity or atmospheric fluctuations?

Thanks for the encouragement on getting my instrument ticket. It's tough but I'm close. Now, if I can just save up the money to put a basic wing-leveler autopilot in the C-172, single pilot IFR would be so much easier!