Flying Blind No Longer
It’s 1.30 a.m. as the large-cabin business jet begins its circling approach to an unfamiliar airport located in mountainous terrain. The latest weather observation tells the crew there’s light rain/snow and, yes, fog in the area. Not long ago the flight would have been forced to divert to an alternate airport hundreds of miles away. Not tonight.
Even though the Captain can’t see outside his windscreen, his aircraft’s synthetic vision system (SVS) is giving him a “daylight view” of the airport and surrounding terrain.
Synthetic Vision Is Real
Synthetic vision systems were created by NASA and the U.S. Air Force back in the late 1970s to improve cockpit situational awareness, especially when operating in reduced visibility at low altitudes. Today it’s found in practically every new commercial, business and private aircraft. If your airplane doesn’t have it, there are plenty of companies, including Aspen Avionics, Garmin, Honeywell, Rockwell Collins and Universal Avionics, that offer retrofit SVS solutions. continue »