This just in as another update from Mark Brightman who is enjoying his new DA40 XLS with SVT.  The interesting thing about Mark’s reports is a retired Air Force Officer he didn’t think the SVT would be that big of help when he acquired his airplane. This second report pretty much confirms that he made a good choice getting the SVT on his new plane.

“I had the occasion to use the SVT to back up an approach to minimums and subsequent missed approach with a weather divert recently. I was going into Lake Placid. They have a GPS approach which takes you through some hills. Even though the approach minimums are around 1400 AGL, the approach course is interesting with the course taking you between hills/high terrain. I had the GFC700 coupled up for the approach and I was able to monitor the approach both with the MFD, the PFD course indicators for approach course compliance. But what made my approach “comfortable” was knowing I could “see” the terrain throughout the approach. The missed requires I climbing right turn out of the valley with terrain all around and the SVT provided a very high sense of confidence regarding terrain clearance. I ended up diverting into Glen Falls NY for the night. All of the avionics as well as the Nexrad were instrumental in the flight. And the 50 gallons gave me a very nice margin for divert decisions.”

Mark Brightman N970DS DA40 XLS

I just wanted to let you know how my SVT came in handy during my last trip to Mass two weeks ago.  I was scheduled for an Angel Flight from Norwood (OWD) to Philly (PNE).  But I had been parking the airplane at an airfield 10 miles away Mansfield (1B9) visiting family for a couple of days.   The plan was to hop over to OWD and pick up patient and then head to PNE. The weather was just at approach minimums to OWD when I launched.  So even though it was only 10 miles away, I had to file IFR.  As soon as I got airborne I was getting vectors left and right from Boston to line me up for the LOC 35 approach into OWD.  That all kept me busy enough but throughout it all, I was able to cage my brain just by looking at the Synthetic Vision with the superimposed runway.  It provided great Situational Awareness.  Given that it was right in front of me and I was flying single pilot IFR……, having the SVT in the same display as my flight instruments made it even more valuable than the moving map at times.  Anyway, not an exciting story but when flying single pilot IFR to mins in a congested airspace AND in a rushed flight sequence, I felt the SVT made a significant difference.

Mark R. Brightman
Owner of a 2008 Diamond DA40 XLS

Here at Glass Pilot we enjoy bringing you fun destinations for you to enjoy flying to in your modern aircraft. This one tops them all. BahamasHabitat.org is a Christian mission organization that organizes pilots to fly their aircraft to the Bahamas for what they call their Fly-In & Help Out Events. The next event is scheduled for November 2009.

I participate in these and they are truly a fantastic experience. I encourage all of you to put your aircraft to good use and join in. Check out all the details at www.bahamashabitat.org.

GP

Why Fly a Garmin 1000 with SVT?…I’ve now learned the answer to this question.
It’s like asking why write with a pen and paper when we have perfectly good stones and chisels!  All kidding aside, as a new glass cockpit operator, I can now begin to more accurately explain what the difference is all about and share my experience with other pilots interested in these “Glass Planes”.

I had the same questions in my mind when I began looking at the modern cockpit of a Diamond DA-40 XLS compared with my Cessna 172RG cockpit. I had just upgraded the Cessna with a G430 WAAS unit but that didn’t seem to keep my eyes from wandering to the new modern birds with their sleek lines and full glass cockpits. Once I learned about and understood the impact of the 2008 tax incentives  I purchased a new Diamond DA40 XLS with a partner and we have been in modern flying heaven every since.

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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 »

If you can get past the headline news about John Edwards we can get to the real news…Airventure 2008 was a huge success and exceeded expectations.

Candidly, the entire industry was holding its breath this year to see what the turn out at Airventure would be and boy were they all surprised. Let’s face it, most industry folks expected the price of gas to cause alot of people in aircraft or in recreational vehicles to choose not to attend. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Read the rest of this entry »

Flying Destination: The Pik-N-Pig Restaurant, Carthage, NC
Airport: Gilliam-McConnell Airfield – 5NC3 coordinates: N35-20-366 W079-26-204
SDZ (VOR) 111.8 10.6 miles 049 Radial
Activities: Enjoy a BBQ lunch or dinner while you watch airplanes
Comments: This unique place is simply something you must experience

If Pigs could fly they’d likely head out for that fabled $100 hamburger. But pilots in the south revere southern style pork BBQ so what could be better than flying in for a classic BBQ meal? Not much!

You are in luck. You are invited to fly to and land at a private strip for a great barbeque meal in central North Carolina. If you don’t believe me, and want to make sure you have permission to land, simply call the number you find on Airnav.com for Gilliam-McConnell Airfield and you’ll hear Roland Gilliam on the answering machine say, “If you are calling for permission to land, you got it. Come on!”

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

This announcement just out on ANN…Diamond will bring the D-JET to Oshkosh this year along with their new diesel engines. The D-JET represents the first of a new breed of Personal Jets. It has a three panel Garmin G1000 configuration and represents the perfect example of the type of advancements we regularly point out here at GlassPilot.com. The mock up has traveled the country but this will be the first major event where the plane maker will be showing the flying prototype as well. The company says it plans to begin deliveries of the new jet in 2009

. Read the rest of this entry »

My wife drives a small four wheel drive wagon and she has short legs. Every time I jump in the vehicle I impale myself on the steering wheel and I can hardly get my long legs in because the seat is closer than I thought possible.

At that moment I always wish I had one of those buttons that makes the car automatically reconfigure itself for me.

Well, I may not have that in my car but I do have that in the G1000 and its a feature many G1000 pilots over look. Read the rest of this entry »