Right Hand Seat – Technical advances

In the cockpit most aircraft had an ADF and maybe a VOR receiver. Soon there were panel mounted and portable GPS receivers giving CDI readouts. These were followed by moving map display GPS receivers. Than came new aircraft with digital (glass) instrument panels for both flight and engine data and navigation information. This new technology is good for the regular flyer but not so good for the irregular flyer brought up on round instruments.

The portable GPS receivers became more sophisticated and more user friendly. Next up we saw the introduction of touch screen aviation GPS units. No doubt the technology had been proven in car mounted units. The next advance come in the form of laptops, notepads, iphones and ipads that have applications (Apps) that can allow a pilot to pick up the weather, check the weather radar and lodge a flight plane at home, in the car or on the move. All require cell tower coverage and the right carrier. These devices can also become moving map displays with their GPS coverage. Move over DEC talk and faxed weather and plans.

Given the availability of GPS receivers, approved and non-approved, the future de-commissioning of NDB and VOR transmitters can be expected.

The last year has seen the rapid introduction of ipads. With GPS availability and a large screen these devices are even being hardwired into some analogue VFR helicopters and fixed wing aircraft giving them a navigation advantage without the cost of being re-wired for a glass panel.

All this technology is not without its problems. It is not unusual for a lowly paid flight instructor to have a student turn up with the very latest in electronic navigation devices and want to use same in the aircraft. Sometimes the instructor will not be aware of the e-device much less how to use it.

From the side of the regulator CASA has signalled that it looking to develop new guidance material for pilots, as well as standards for air transport operators, on the use of portable electronic flight bags (EFB) during flights. The current Airworthiness Bulletin AWB 00-017 issue 2 of May 18, 2010 states the current policy.

An EFB has the ability to carry all the charts, instrument approach plates, company ops manual, a copy of the aircraft flight manual, as well as the CARs, CAOs, AIP and the ERSA.
It is unfortunate to record that some of the Y generation is reluctant to accept that electronic devices can and do fail and to not have a back up plan to work around the problem. Maybe just a simple case of the device running out of charge.

Sometimes the chart, watch and compass backup comes to mind.

It is said that CASA has no stated policy on the use of ipads in a VFR situation simply because the regs have not caught up with the use of electronic devices.

While the big flight schools are flying glass aircraft when a new CPL goes to get a job with a firm flying analogue aircraft he might run into a problem. A recent case heard by this writer was of a newly minted CPL chasing a job in the Northern Territory. When the firm heard the candidate had only flown a glass panel aircraft it told him to go and get five hours on an analogue aircraft as its aircraft were all analogue.

New technology is not only evident in the cockpit but also forward of the firewall. Most new aircraft are fuel injected. This means that greater attention needs to be taken to ensure clean fuel get into the tanks as fuel injectors do not like foreign matter. There is also a possibility that pilots, private, commercial and instructors alike, who have been brought up on only fuel injected aircraft, will not properly identify the symptoms of carburettor icing and how to deal with it should they be required to fly a carburettor equipped aircraft.

The new technology makes flying easier but it has to continue to deliver under all conditions. Remember, anything man made, including e-devices, is subject to failure so go prepared and have a back up plan ready to activate. In a VFR situation that could mean two e-devices or paper charts within arms reach.

Contact Dave by email at [email protected]