Narrative:

Acting as a safety pilot during simulated instrument flight training in VFR conditions. On a VFR training flight while practicing electronic navigation, simulated instrument holding and approachs with a pilot, established an inbound course by simulated vector to troy (toy) VOR from approximately 10 mi to the east at 2300 ft MSL. (Toy VOR is located northeast of st louis, mo.) while inbound to the VOR, attempted to establish and track the course to the NAVAID with a portable GPS. Due to a nonstandard system of data inputs on the GPS unit, pilot and safety pilot became distraction while attempting data input and did not immediately realize the heading drift of the aircraft of approximately 30 degrees towards the north. Upon realizing drift and heading error found that the aircraft was approximately 4 mi north of the VOR and 5-6 mi from the regional airport. Executed an immediate turn to avoid penetration into the class D airspace. Probable cause: distraction by crew. Contributing factor: non standardization of GPS navigation receiver controls. Due to the number of manufacturer's marketing these portable units, there are a number of different techniques required for data input. This can easily produce distrs in the cockpit and generate potential for other errors. Suggest that the FAA and FCC consider standardization in the design and data inputs in these units. Distrs could cause a potential for a possible midair collision.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA44 WITH SAFETY PLT ON BOARD PRACTICING SIMULATED INST PROCS WITH PORTABLE GPS HAS COURSE DEV DUE TO PLACEMENT OF DATA INPUT POS ON GPS.

Narrative: ACTING AS A SAFETY PLT DURING SIMULATED INST FLT TRAINING IN VFR CONDITIONS. ON A VFR TRAINING FLT WHILE PRACTICING ELECTRONIC NAV, SIMULATED INST HOLDING AND APCHS WITH A PLT, ESTABLISHED AN INBOUND COURSE BY SIMULATED VECTOR TO TROY (TOY) VOR FROM APPROX 10 MI TO THE E AT 2300 FT MSL. (TOY VOR IS LOCATED NE OF ST LOUIS, MO.) WHILE INBOUND TO THE VOR, ATTEMPTED TO ESTABLISH AND TRACK THE COURSE TO THE NAVAID WITH A PORTABLE GPS. DUE TO A NONSTANDARD SYS OF DATA INPUTS ON THE GPS UNIT, PLT AND SAFETY PLT BECAME DISTR WHILE ATTEMPTING DATA INPUT AND DID NOT IMMEDIATELY REALIZE THE HDG DRIFT OF THE ACFT OF APPROX 30 DEGS TOWARDS THE N. UPON REALIZING DRIFT AND HDG ERROR FOUND THAT THE ACFT WAS APPROX 4 MI N OF THE VOR AND 5-6 MI FROM THE REGIONAL ARPT. EXECUTED AN IMMEDIATE TURN TO AVOID PENETRATION INTO THE CLASS D AIRSPACE. PROBABLE CAUSE: DISTR BY CREW. CONTRIBUTING FACTOR: NON STANDARDIZATION OF GPS NAV RECEIVER CTLS. DUE TO THE NUMBER OF MANUFACTURER'S MARKETING THESE PORTABLE UNITS, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT TECHNIQUES REQUIRED FOR DATA INPUT. THIS CAN EASILY PRODUCE DISTRS IN THE COCKPIT AND GENERATE POTENTIAL FOR OTHER ERRORS. SUGGEST THAT THE FAA AND FCC CONSIDER STANDARDIZATION IN THE DESIGN AND DATA INPUTS IN THESE UNITS. DISTRS COULD CAUSE A POTENTIAL FOR A POSSIBLE MIDAIR COLLISION.

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.