Composite materials are the “secret ingredients” that make it possible for manufacturers to make modern aircraft stronger, safer and uniquely efficient and ergonomic in their design.

The way these planes are produced with this “magic material” is fascinating. This video shows how the process works at the Diamond Aircraft factory. Any one considering the purchase of an aircraft will usually come to the logical conclusion that glass is the only way to go once they understand all its unique advantages of safety, durability, economy and usability.

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… Read the rest of this entry »

Here is an interview that includes flying the Garmin SVT prepared by Aero News that is worth watching.

The objective of glasspilot.com is to educate and enable pilots into modern technology that makes flying safer, more efficient and more fun. With some of the more advanced smart phones available today, access to weather and flying-related information on the go has never been better. To help pilots see the potential and to make using these new devices we have implemented an iPhone version of our website!

While viewing the site on your desktop or laptop computer, you will notice no difference. However, if you view the website on an Apple iPhone or iPod Touch, you will see that the content has been optimized for your device and is much faster while on the go.

Coming Next: GlassPilot.Mobi… a free mobile phone portal for access to pilot weather services! Stay tuned.

Happy Landings,

GlassPilot.com