That’s the question asked by a new book, “Glass Cockpit Flying,” by Robert Littlefield.
The author notes that glass cockpit airplanes are certainly less safe than they should be. A recent National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) study showed fewer total accidents for glass cockpit aircraft but a higher fatal accident rate and a higher total of fatal accidents.
Glass cockpit technology offers general aviation pilots the promise of increased levels safety and performance. Why has the promise of greater levels of safety for glass cockpit airplanes not been realized? Because general aviation pilots and training providers have not yet evolved the way they train and fly to catch up with the advances in glass cockpit technology, according to Littlefield.
He wrote “Glass Cockpit Flying” to help remedy this problem by explaining what makes glass cockpit airplanes different, and giving general aviation pilots and training providers the tools and knowledge they need to fly these airplanes safely and efficiently. This book is important to everyone who flies, wants to fly, or instructs in general aviation glass cockpit airplanes.
Littlefield is a Gold Seal Flight and Instrument Instructor who holds Advanced and Instrument Ground Instructor certificates and Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic licenses. He is also an FAA FAASTeam Representative, a Master WINGS holder and a former Designated Pilot Examiner.
He specializes in instructing pilots of glass cockpit airplanes and is a Cirrus Standardized Instructor (Avidyne and Perspective), a Columbia Factory Flight Instructor (Avidyne and Garmin 1000), and a Cessna FITS Accepted Instructor Plus (CFAI+). He has given over 4,800 hours of flight instruction, including over 3,500 hours of flight instruction in Technically Advanced Airplanes.
For more information: FlightSkills.com
Garbage! It is not the glass cockpit that is unsafe. It is the pilot who fails to receive proper training in the aircraft he is flying that is unsafe. Anyone with half a brain should realize the stupidity of the article from its title.
The statistics indicate that, as they are currently being flown, glass cockpit airplanes have a higher fatal accident rate and a higher total of fatal accidents. You can see the entire NTSB study at http://www.ntsb.gov/publictn/2010/SS1001.pdf. However, the premise of my book is that glass cockpit airplanes CAN be flown safely, but we have to adjust how we train for and fly them in order to do so. My book contains specific things pilots and training providers can do to accomplish these changes.
I do not believe it is the glass that is most of the problem. If you consider the type of aircraft the glass started in you will see aircraft like Cirrus etc. I believe if you take a C172 pilot that may reach 120 knots and then put him in a Cirrus that gets closer to the 200 mark in speed that becomes the issue. I have flown C172’s with and without glass and it is about the same aircraft. Glas is very easy once you learn its functions. I do agree there is a transition time if you wish to be safe and efficent. Have fun flying will we still can…
The glass cockpit should not be the problem people seem to think it is. They are easier to read, the information needed is easier to locate (basically in one place) and I find the flight instruments much more simple with the AI, Air speed, and altimeter all in one place.
I do think the industry and flight schools (that I’ve seen) take the wrong approach to glass cockpits. Using them VFR should come first. Just use the flight instruments and moving map display until used to them. Then start with “nearest” followed by simple flight plans. Then work on adding and modifying flight plans which can be done on the ground but for VFR do not have to. Finally, move to IFR flight plan entering and modifying either on the ground or if really proficient with flight plans, in the air. For IFR entering and modifying should be all of the same part as I’ve rarely flown IFR without having to change the flight plan in the air.
The most difficult part about the glass cockpit is the simple entry and modification of flight planes. The flight instruments and moving map display are quite intuitive and I find little if any difference in reading them. OTOH I find the scan of the flight instruments much easier.
I do think many people are intimidated by the amount of information available…(whether they need it or not) and that pilots spend too much time with the display instead of flying the airplane.
I have to add two things. Even at my age, my profession and degree are in computers so I’m used to dealing with them many hours a day. The second? I still fly a 51 year old Debonair with conventional gauges.
Respectfully,
Roger Halstead (N833R)
Having flown since 1963 many General Aviation aircrafts’, A7DII Corsair, which at the time was the most advance aircraft with HUD and NWDC (computers). The combination of HUD and analog presented some interesting scanning problems, but we always confirm (analog versus HUD symbolgy). Having flown B-727’s, 737’s and now the Airbus family aircraft, I will say this. Scanning “Control & Performan Instruments” on EIS panels is something that has NEVER been addressed (at least during my training and transitions).
When you have both (Control & Performance) bundled up in one screen your eyes start wondering searching for more inputs, while they all are put togetherin the same space. Your prioritization tends to lose focus as other instruments move. In a more sparce panel, you know where to direct the attention, you look, you acknowledge, you then monitor the performance instruments and then repeat as necessary. All bundle up, you are eyes are easily distracted by the clutter of both C & P Instruments. Maybe I have ADDS..:-)
Train to PPL through instrument rating THEN transition to glass. The basics will be well learned and glass will be a tool to be used proficiently.
My master’s thesis will attempt to address a small part of why the NTSB statistics show a higher fatal accident rate with glass cockpit aircraft. I don’t agree with the title of this article however, glass cockpit aircraft ARE statistically safer. It is the pilot that uses them that seems to get into trouble. The author Robert Littlefield is right though that glass cockpit training needs to be reviewed by the FAA, but you need to be careful when viewing statistics. Never assume that all the facts were investigated completely by the study. Statistics can only show what was collected. Look at what data that was collected and what data was not, then form your own opinion.