Having now flown the G1000 with SVT system over a hundred hours with the chance to put pilots of all different levels at the controls, I can provide some initial impressions from my experience.

The best example to illustrate the power of SVT is my brother-in-law who has never flown an airplane before. As an experiment I had him fly two precision approaches perfectly his first try with 5 minutes of direction… at NIGHT! Don’t let anyone try to tell you SVT is not a “game changing technology.” It is simply a better mousetrap by many magnitudes. The question is how exactly will it change the game, how will it impact training and will it statistically improve safety?

The name Synthetic Vision is somehow naturally connected with terrain viewing. Though this is true terrain is beautifully depicted in the system, the real value for most of us on most flights is the way the system directs the flight with the Pathways (Garmin’s name for the Highway In The Sky – HITS) boxes along the course. In the case of a new pilot it makes following the course and approach as simple job that can be learned in minutes. The flight marker (the green circle with wings) is the invention that makes flying SVT so amazing. It is completely intuitive and is what allows a non-pilot to figure out how to direct the aircraft to end of the runway down the approach with the needles nailed. you simply put the green marker where the plane is supposed to go that that is where it ends up. No wind correction, needle chasing or glide slope slipping…no fuss, no mess…

The display of the runways is uncanny. The first time you turn on the runway and see it on the screen rolling out in front of you it takes your breath away. When you do your first approach and you realize all you have to do is stay in the boxes and put the flight marker on the numbers and you get a perfect approach you are smiling. The obstacle representation provides another level of comfort on those hazy days or during IFR approaches. Imagine seeing the terrain and towers along your approach while you are still in the clouds.

Here at GlassPilot.com we will continue to bring you more details and reports along with training resources for you to fully understand these systems. For now just realize this development fundamentally obsoletes or at least supersedes all other means up to this point. Its a real game changer. If you have a chance to fly the SVT and the instructor turns it off, you are likely to impulsively slap his hand and tell him to turn it back on right now.

For prospective buyers of aircraft, with the recent advent of WAAS for the G1000 and now SVT it is truly a difficult choice to consider not biting the bullet to get this latest combination. Based on our experience flying the systems in the field and the feedback coming from more pilots everyday, this combination looks to be the Game Changer and the tipping point for the rapid adoption of digital flight over traditional avionics and systems.

GlassPilot.com