Do you need GPS to fly IFR?
IFR relies on a pilot’s ability to fly the aircraft using instruments and navigation aids like radio beacons and GPS. It requires pilots to have specialized training and certification beyond what is necessary for flying under Visual Flight Rules (VFR). The short answer is no. VFR and handheld GPS systems are not authorized for IFR navigation, instrument approaches, or as a primary instrument flight reference. During IFR operations they may be considered only an aid to situational awareness.To be legal as a primary source of navigation under IFR, the GPS must certified as a TSO C129 (non-WAAS) or TSO C145/146 (WAAS) receiver. Additionally the database must be current. There are some manufacturer-specific exceptions (Check your flight-manual supplement.It is interesting to note that there is no requirement for navigational equipment such as VOR and GPS, but you must have them equipped if you intend to use their associated facilities. Since IFR procedures rely heavily on these types of navigational equipment, you won’t go far without them.Your GPS display shows the lat/long distance measured between two points, and in most cases, you can use it for IFR flying. But in order to use GPS for instrument flight, you’ll need a TSO-C129, TSO-C196, TSO-C145, or TSO-C146 compliant GPS (AC 20-138). The FAA refers to these as suitable RNAV systems.
How do you know if a GPS is approved for IFR operations?
How to determine if an installation is IFR approved: The easiest way for a pilot to determine if the GPS system is approved for IFR flight operations is to review the airplane flight manual supplement (AFMS) or rotorcraft flight manual supplement (RFMS). One of the major differences between IFR-certified GPS avionics and other GPS systems is that IFR GPS avionics provide alerting by using Receiver Autonomous Integrity Monitoring (RAIM) algorithms to detect any system faults. Non-IFR certified GPS units do not have this alerting capability.How to determine if an installation is IFR approved: The easiest way for a pilot to determine if the GPS system is approved for IFR flight operations is to review the airplane flight manual supplement (AFMS) or rotorcraft flight manual supplement (RFMS).