Bob Turner
Well-known member
- Joined
- Apr 4, 2018
- Messages
- 3,979
I went back and forth between 737-100s equipped with less than the average 1970s 172, through the glass cockpit 300, 757, and Airbus A-320. The avionics were straightforward in all of them. Later airplanes had ring laser gyros aided with DME signals, and a little typewriter on the pedestal for data entry (affectionately called a "McDoo"). Comm frequencies were always dialed in with a knob or two, and in later aircraft, with a flip-flop switch. I got quite good at it.
What I am now seeing is pilots so absorbed in the magic that they really don't have the big picture. One such pilot has a 750 in the panel, but unbeknownst to me at one point, was using his iPad as primary navigation. I had the 650 set up for raw data on one of those nice round gauges with LOC/GS, and watched him fly right through both the actual localizer and the RNAV needle on his 750-fed HSI. Twice! In his defense, his airplane is well equipped, but no flight director, and no real annunciator panel. Next time the iPad goes in the back seat.
So while these things are wildly popular with folks who really know how to use them (pilots who fly more than once every two weeks) I suspect they are not great for single pilot operations in IFR conditions by folks who fly pretty much a minimum number of hours for proficiency. And as far as I can tell, that is the majority of private pilots - I will go to the airport in about 20 minutes, and open three hangars. Of the 108 hangars in my area, I bet I will find maybe four other hangars open, and two of them will be open with something other than flying in mind.
What I am now seeing is pilots so absorbed in the magic that they really don't have the big picture. One such pilot has a 750 in the panel, but unbeknownst to me at one point, was using his iPad as primary navigation. I had the 650 set up for raw data on one of those nice round gauges with LOC/GS, and watched him fly right through both the actual localizer and the RNAV needle on his 750-fed HSI. Twice! In his defense, his airplane is well equipped, but no flight director, and no real annunciator panel. Next time the iPad goes in the back seat.
So while these things are wildly popular with folks who really know how to use them (pilots who fly more than once every two weeks) I suspect they are not great for single pilot operations in IFR conditions by folks who fly pretty much a minimum number of hours for proficiency. And as far as I can tell, that is the majority of private pilots - I will go to the airport in about 20 minutes, and open three hangars. Of the 108 hangars in my area, I bet I will find maybe four other hangars open, and two of them will be open with something other than flying in mind.