Synthetic vision - BUY IT NOW!!!

[CpnCrunch]

Ok, I'm getting really pissed off with all these completely preventable accidents. People crashing in whiteout conditions, crashing into hills on IFR approach, crashing into hills in floatplanes in fog, etc, etc. WTF people! You can buy a garmin 796 with synthetic vision for $2.5k, which will completely prevent the possibility of ever becoming a CFIT statistic.

http://www.aircraftspruce.ca/catalog/av ... min796.php

Heck, you can even get synthetic vision on your friggin ipad for $99/year (but not in Canada yet).

[lost]

While GPWS, EPGWS, synthetic vision etc are all great tools that will and can reduce CFIT accidents they have to be properly incorporated into the pilots scan and thought process. Back when I was flying light twins I use to say IFR flying is usually a
1 1/4 man job. One guy to fly, the quarter guy to monitor. Again roles have to be set and SOP's established. There have been many accidents over the years where the A/C has been trying to tell the pilots of impending doom or even how to avoid it only to be ignored or over powered (such as overriding stick shakers). As with all accidents the probable cause will eventually come out and I will try not to speculate until then (as I'm wrong to often), however without survivors or recorders sometimes it's a best guess.

Good airmanship, A/C knowledge, scan, area knowledge, a good plan, the sense to respect minimums and the strength to say NO are all required. Add to that already strong mix some fantastic tech. such as synthetic vision and you have a safer cockpit.

[old_man]

Great tools for sure. I just hope that operators don't start to rely on them as a way to 'get in'. I.e. blowing mins or using them to fly 'vfr' in imc conditions in anything other than an emergency. Basically, I hope they don't plan to use synthetic vision.

[CpnCrunch]

Great tools for sure. I just hope that operators don't start to rely on them as a way to 'get in'. I.e. blowing mins or using them to fly 'vfr' in imc conditions in anything other than an emergency. Basically, I hope they don't plan to use synthetic vision.

Agreed. It should be an addition to proper planning and decision making, not a crutch to help you break the rules.

However, given that there are a lot of bush pilots flying in marginal VFR weather on a regular basis, it would seem that having technology like this can only be a good thing.

[Nark]

I can garuntee that I wouldn't be here today with the aid of synthetic vision. However I could also say the same thing had I laid down the law and said no.

I found that the use of it was more of a crutch to get there rather than a tool to get you out of trouble.

[co-joe]

Synthetic Aperture Radar is the ticket...as soon as it becomes affordable

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synthetic_aperture_radar