PA28-180 pilot using GPS may have entered a corner of the class B airspace.

Attributes
ACN	369832
Time
Date	199705
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : den
State Reference	CO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6500 msl bound upper : 6500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : den
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 15 flight time total : 1630 flight time type : 40
ASRS Report	369832
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 2 flight time total : 250
ASRS Report	369829
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

En route to bjc, while navigating visually and with a new, unfamiliar GPS we may have slightly accidentally penetrated the denver class B airspace near wattenberg, co. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states he does not believe they actually entered the class B but just might have barely clipped the edge. His wife was with him and they were just using the GPS in the air on a round robin flight. They had tested it in their car prior to use in-flight. Reporter feels one cannot learn by the book alone and that a video would help. Most importantly one needs to experience GPS use in a dynamic environment and thus their test in the car. It was quite accurate. Especially helpful is the DME capability when using NDB for navigation. Reporter does not understand the FAA reluctance to allow hand-held units for en route IFR use since they are much more accurate than NDB or VOR navigation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA28-180 PLT USING GPS MAY HAVE ENTERED A CORNER OF THE CLASS B AIRSPACE.

Narrative: ENRTE TO BJC, WHILE NAVING VISUALLY AND WITH A NEW, UNFAMILIAR GPS WE MAY HAVE SLIGHTLY ACCIDENTALLY PENETRATED THE DENVER CLASS B AIRSPACE NEAR WATTENBERG, CO. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES HE DOES NOT BELIEVE THEY ACTUALLY ENTERED THE CLASS B BUT JUST MIGHT HAVE BARELY CLIPPED THE EDGE. HIS WIFE WAS WITH HIM AND THEY WERE JUST USING THE GPS IN THE AIR ON A ROUND ROBIN FLT. THEY HAD TESTED IT IN THEIR CAR PRIOR TO USE INFLT. RPTR FEELS ONE CANNOT LEARN BY THE BOOK ALONE AND THAT A VIDEO WOULD HELP. MOST IMPORTANTLY ONE NEEDS TO EXPERIENCE GPS USE IN A DYNAMIC ENVIRONMENT AND THUS THEIR TEST IN THE CAR. IT WAS QUITE ACCURATE. ESPECIALLY HELPFUL IS THE DME CAPABILITY WHEN USING NDB FOR NAV. RPTR DOES NOT UNDERSTAND THE FAA RELUCTANCE TO ALLOW HAND-HELD UNITS FOR ENRTE IFR USE SINCE THEY ARE MUCH MORE ACCURATE THAN NDB OR VOR NAV.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.