Narrative:

I was using a GPS and pilotage to navigation an open cockpit bi- plane from mariposa, ca to visalia, ca, with an intermediary waypoint of harris river airport in order to avoid the fresno arsa. I was level at 3500 ft MSL and, while comparing my chart location with the GPS position, I became aware that I was within the eastern sector of the fresno arsa. I departed the arsa southeast of fresno and continued to visalia for a fuel stop. I spoke with fresno TRACON concerning the event. I believe that my unfamiliarity with the new GPS caused me not to observe that I was going direct from waypoint 1 to waypoint 3 without going to waypoint 2. My forward vision in the stearman bi-plane is somewhat restr since it is flown from the rear seat. This requires making heading changes to observe landmarks ahead for pilotage purposes. This could have been avoided by programming fresno into the GPS for distance reference or by climbing to 5500 ft MSL and flying over the fresno arsa.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNAUTH PENETRATION OF 'C' AIRSPACE.

Narrative: I WAS USING A GPS AND PILOTAGE TO NAV AN OPEN COCKPIT BI- PLANE FROM MARIPOSA, CA TO VISALIA, CA, WITH AN INTERMEDIARY WAYPOINT OF HARRIS RIVER ARPT IN ORDER TO AVOID THE FRESNO ARSA. I WAS LEVEL AT 3500 FT MSL AND, WHILE COMPARING MY CHART LOCATION WITH THE GPS POS, I BECAME AWARE THAT I WAS WITHIN THE EASTERN SECTOR OF THE FRESNO ARSA. I DEPARTED THE ARSA SE OF FRESNO AND CONTINUED TO VISALIA FOR A FUEL STOP. I SPOKE WITH FRESNO TRACON CONCERNING THE EVENT. I BELIEVE THAT MY UNFAMILIARITY WITH THE NEW GPS CAUSED ME NOT TO OBSERVE THAT I WAS GOING DIRECT FROM WAYPOINT 1 TO WAYPOINT 3 WITHOUT GOING TO WAYPOINT 2. MY FORWARD VISION IN THE STEARMAN BI-PLANE IS SOMEWHAT RESTR SINCE IT IS FLOWN FROM THE REAR SEAT. THIS REQUIRES MAKING HDG CHANGES TO OBSERVE LANDMARKS AHEAD FOR PILOTAGE PURPOSES. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED BY PROGRAMMING FRESNO INTO THE GPS FOR DISTANCE REF OR BY CLBING TO 5500 FT MSL AND FLYING OVER THE FRESNO ARSA.

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.