so with Peter's comment in mind I entered the identifiers for some local US VRPs and confirmed that they're in the Foreflight GPS database, in this case running on my mobile phone. An interesting exercise and potentially useful for cross country because (strangely enough!) I've always used VRPs visually.
When I was preparing my VFR Europe presentation (here) I popped into a local pilot shop and all the current model Garmins had the European VRPs.
But only the official ones, which are found on the VFR charts. Locally used ones, e.g. the "power station chimney" or "the tunnels" used near Shoreham, would not be on there.
VRPs are great so long as you have a lat/long.
I had a moment today, so with Peter's comment in mind I entered the identifiers for some local US VRPs and confirmed that they're in the Foreflight GPS database, in this case running on my mobile phone. An interesting exercise and potentially useful for cross country because (strangely enough!) I've always used VRPs visually.
I used to joke with one of the local towers when they asked me to report inbound at a VOR just north of their field, responding "VOR in sight"... because the aircraft wasn't VOR equipped, and it actually was in sight :-)
VRPs are great so long as you have a lat/long.
Radar in the US environment makes VRPs relatively unimportant, and not mandatory - if you don't know where they are, don't use them. He asks you to ident if needed.
Somehow the local tower seems to cope just fine with 4 or 5 simultaneous VFR arrivals, no PPR, coming from whatever direction is convenient. Plus IFR mixing in. I think practice (plus radar) makes perfect and they do it every day, all day.
Except that you can get the European VRPs in the database of any modern GPS, but not "golf course" 
VRPs can be notoriously hard to find. Easy for the locals but generally hard for everybody else.
Thanks, everyone!
Remember not to report El Cap or San Vicente when inbound and all will be well :-) ;-)
Ahhh, yes! Brings back good memories. :)
In fact, I find the usage of landmarks in VFR radio talk in the US much more charming than the (admittedly more neutral and well-defined) one-letter coded compulsory reporting points in Germany. It just sounds nicer to "report over the golf course" than to report "position Whiskey". ;-)
Germany is a nice place to fly. Don't expect it to be like California (or anywhere in the US) though.
Remember not to report El Cap or San Vicente when inbound and all will be well :-) ;-)
Well done getting the licence. Germany is a nice place to fly. Don't expect it to be like California (or anywhere in the US) though.
Flying is a great activity.
Welcome Patrick,
This is the place to be for polite and informative aviation discussion.
And, you can meet many nice people while you're standing by your mailbox waiting for the post to arrive from Gatwick!
Welcome Patrick
