Your aircraft’s GPS is packed with potential—it can boost your situational awareness, streamline your navigation, assist with traffic avoidance, and even alert you to terrain and airspace. But that power only works if you know how to use it. Without a solid understanding of how your GPS functions, what the screen is actually telling you, how to interact with it, and how it behaves in degraded modes, it can quickly become a distraction or a source of error rather than a safety enhancer.

Many pilots struggle with common GPS tasks—loading an instrument approach, activating a leg in a flight plan, suspending and resuming sequences, or even interpreting what the navigation page is showing. Forgetting to switch from OBS mode, being caught off guard when the GPS auto-sequences, or fumbling through menus in turbulence are all too common. These seemingly small issues can snowball into bigger problems when flying IFR or in busy airspace, especially when heads-down troubleshooting pulls your attention from controlling the aircraft.

Flight simulator training is one of the best ways to build proficiency with your GPS. While many GPS units come with training apps or desktop programs, they can’t replicate the workload and distractions of actual flying. By using a high-fidelity flight simulator in a focused environment, you can spend valuable "heads down" time learning how to program routes, interpret messages, and handle degraded navigation states—all without compromising safety. This kind of practice directly translates to real-world performance and is especially valuable for commercial pilot training programs, rusty pilot training, or anyone looking to sharpen their flight safety training.

At Solid Ground Aviation, our airplane flight simulator in Maryland replicates the exact equipment you use in the air—including Garmin GNS430, GNS530, GTN650, GTN750, G1000, and Avidyne IFD products. Whether you're training for your first flight lesson or enrolled in a broader pilot development program, we help you build skills that stick. Schedule a session today and gain the confidence to make your GPS your greatest ally in the cockpit. Visit www.flysolidground.com to sign up for flight simulator training in Baltimore and surrounding areas!