Survey on recreational pilots' perceptions of glass cockpits

[Admin]

Survey on recreational pilots' perceptions of glass cockpits

 

Researchers from the University of Western Sydney and the Central Queensland University are conducting research into how modern, glass cockpit technology, is seen by recreational pilots of small aircraft. They would very much appreciate your input.

 

First, read through the introductory letter which explains the aim of the research in greater detail.

 

If interested and willing, click on this link to take part in the survey.

 

Advanced Cockpit Aircraft Survey_RAA

 

 

[Guest Brett Campany]

Done, even though it's more aimed at the GA world there's still a lot of consideration for RAAus pilots so look at it within that view, including the various questions on approaches.

 

Cheers for the link Ian

 

 

[facthunter]

Glass COCKPITS in GA/ RAAus

 

We are much more fortunate than GA. To fit this sort of stuff is a giant hassle and BIG cost, with GA. You have trouble altering anything from original. Whether you like them or not, we can get lovely stuff at good value for money. IF you are going for mechanical (GYRO's )they cost lots to buy, and sometimes do not go for long. A lot of the small aircraft that I have flown did not have the "bugs" ironed out of the system and while an erroneous indication does not particularly worry me, (I ignore it, as long as I know about it), I wouldn't be surprised if some would not like that at all. IF you are going autopilot at some stage glass is the way to go. I'm a minimum instrument person myself but I have a couple of gyro's. I've looked at some of the Dynon stuff and like it and it will get cheaper with time. An angle of attack reading is worth having. I've used them, and as a stall is not a speed, but an angle, it takes the guesswork out of being close. Nev..

 

 

[nomadpete]

My only experience with a glass cockpit was not at all reassuring. As a result of this experience, combined with a lifetime of working with electronics, I would only consider a glass cockpit when it was fully duplicated, along with a fully redundant power supply. I know that I could land my aircraft without an ASI, altimeter, tachometer, and all the less important indicators, but it qould be intimidating to be halfway to somewhere and have to complete a cross country trip into a strang place without these instruments.

 

My experience was in a new aircraft with a glass cockpit. Just as we rotated to take off, the screen had a glitch and the operating system had to be rebooted. Sure, we could get along without the rolling map, but what worried me was that the PIC had to start entering commands on the touch screen to get it all going again. A couple of minutes later he proudly showed me the system working again. But we had gone quite a long way with no instruments and the PIC's head down, staring at a blue screen during those couple of minutes. Not a good feeling, I must say. One glitch and you've lost the lot.

 

PeterT

 

 

[mlpinaus]

My aircraft has a complete glass cockpit, but with a set of mechanical gauges as a back up.

 

Having said that, the only one that has ever failed me is the mechanical (Chinese

 

manufacture) altimeter (fitted by the factory) that did not want to come down from 3500

 

feet:ah_oh:. Still hasnt.thumb_down It was backed up by the gps and the altimeter in the Dynon. The

 

moving map gps has to be backed up with a paper map and a pencil track, and in my case

 

there is also a dry battery powered Garmin handheld gps in the safety grab bag. Next thingo

 

is an autopilot....

 

Marcus

 

 

[eastmeg2]

An interesting quirk of Airborne's XT range of trikes is that they have two ASI's. One in the Glass dash display and a separate "steam guage" style backup.

 

If I recall correctly when I asked about it the answer was that it was a legal requirement. Maybe that only applied to some countries where they are sold - can't really remember that well.

 

Cheers,

 

Glen