Gaia GPS / iPhone Verizon users: Vote for my suggestion!

Have you considered something like this: http://bad-elf.com/products/gps/

Then you can put your phone into airplane mode and still use Gaia.

I have gone through all these trials and tribulations. Ill don't hhave much time now but ill try to elaborate later. All I will say now is JAILBREAK YOUR IPHONE. its LEGAL and EASY. You can learn a lot about it and how to do on Youtube.

SB settings will allow you to quickly turn airplane on and off. there is also a toggle for edge data and 3g data.
Im not sure if its the same on verizon but on att you can go to
settings>phone>sim pin
and you can set a sim pin code. then then you turn your phone off and back on it will require a password. you just skip that step and the sim will be locked and essentially off so the phone is no longer searching for phone or data signal

Douglas, what a fantastic link. I enjoyed the list of apps compatible with it.

http://bad-elf.com/compatible-apps/

Any idea how much that plug-in weighs? Do you use it yourself? What is your favorite app to make the Iphone (in Airplane mode, otherwise, right), a real GPS-only operating device with it?

Wish i had known about this device a while ago. Gives not only the iphones, but also the ipod Touch and wireless only Ipads the ability to use GPS without cellular service. It can use the OP's app while still in airplane mode. From the website….

Can I put my iOS device into “airplane mode” and still use the Bad Elf GPS Receiver?
Yes! Airplane mode will not affect the operation of the Bad Elf GPS Receiver. We recommend airplane mode whenever you don’t need to make phone calls, send and receive text messages, or access the Internet. It saves power and minimizes distractions. The default Maps app will not work with the Bad Elf GPS in “airplane mode” as of iOS 4.3. But most offline apps work just fine in “airplane mode” with the Bad Elf GPS.

Opens up alot of possibilities for alot of devices.

Bad Elf, I emailed them and heard back:

"Just Skyped our engineers and the weight of the elf is .4oz.

Best Regards,
John?

The Dual XGPS150 is a good external GPS too – connects via bluetooth: http://xgps150.dualav.com/

It's a bit larger than the bad elf, but it's also very light. I have one of these – good enough to track yourself in an airplane, which the iPhone/iPad GPS won't do.

It would be impossible for us to implement an "airplane" mode in the app, but we could implement an "offline" mode, or a switch to prevent map downloads over 3G. We have been talking about that, and it's one of the more up-voted ideas on our UserVoice at this point: http://gaiagps.uservoice.com/forums/118985-general/suggestions/2165207-offline-mode-setting-to-prevent-network-data-acces