Yeah, but this is really only applicable to VFR-only airplanes (mostly trainers). I doubt there are many people really traveling in airplanes without any sort

Yeah, but this is really only applicable to VFR-only airplanes (mostly trainers). I doubt there are many people really traveling in airplanes without any sort of precision nav equipment. Practically, it doesn't matter which direction the gyro points as long as you are receiving a VOR signal or GPS signal on a VFR flight. And yeah, a lot in flight. By definition those gyros are gonna be old, and they cost more to overhaul than they're worth so people who are too cheap to go buy an electronic replacement replace used for used off of eBay or the local radio shop's junk shelf. They're not gonna be reliable, at all. But, for VFR purposes it doesn't matter and for IFR purposes you shouldn't be flying such an airplane with such equipment IFR anyway, so...