by Michael J. “Mick” Kaufman
© Copyright 2024. All rights reserved!
Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine June/July 2024 Digital Issue
I have used the phrase, “What Is It Doing Now,” in reference to autopilots in several of my previous articles in Midwest Flyer Magazine. But what do we do when we can’t find the answer? We put it on probation.
A recent pilot participant at our Bonanza Baron Pilot Training Program (BPT) had 120K+ worth of avionics, including the Garmin GFC-500 with envelope protection, installed in his aircraft and a suite of avionics consisting of G500-TXi, G3X touch, GTN-750Xi, and a GNX-375. During a hand-flown GPS approach, the pilot noticed he was having to desperately fight with the controls, so he called for help!!!! With two pilots (participant and instructor) struggling to keep the aircraft from crashing, the avionics master switch was turned off and they successfully recovered.
What went wrong? The answer is unclear at this time, so the autopilot is on probation. Was the envelope protection activated in error… was it the Airworthiness Directive (AD) on the Garmin autopilot servos not complied with, or possibly the wires shorted out… or was there an installation error? As I pointed out in several of my previous columns, when an aircraft just comes out of maintenance of any kind, pilots are advised not to fly in Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC)! Should this have happened with a pilot flying new avionics in IMC and no one to help him, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) would have another investigation on their hands.
Pilots, please learn what to do if any anomalies should occur in your aircraft, the location of the circuit breaker, whether or not there is a disconnect button on the yoke, or whether or not you need to turn off the avionics master, or if available, turn off a separate autopilot master. I hope to have a conclusion to this incident to share with you in my next column.
We have seen way too much confusion by pilots with state-of-the-art avionics, so with one of my friends and coworkers, Bill Hale, we have developed a PowerPoint presentation to help pilots learn how to use their avionics.
It should be noted that identical avionics in two different types of aircraft will not follow the same protocol, or different firmware can completely change the way an automatic system will behave. We have learned a lot in the development of this presentation as new situations arise and we need to find the answers.
ForeFlight Voyager
As a second topic for this column, I would like to inform readers of some of the new software available from ForeFlight called “ForeFlight Voyager.” Google it for more information.
Before I continue, I want to emphasize safety in the cockpit. Do not attempt any operations with this equipment or software on your own without an instructor or qualified safety pilot in the right seat. As I have stated many times in this column, I am an old-fashioned pilot, who is also a geek for new technology. So, if you do any training with me, you will learn the methods of several decades ago before you learn any new modern methods.
I was an early adapter of Apple’s new VR/IR/Spatial Computer (Apple Vision Pro) and was surprised to see that ForeFlight had already entered a new software product for the device on launch day designed specifically for this device. First, I must say that the Apple Vision Pro is the single most remarkable electronic device I have ever seen in my lifetime, despite what critics have said about it. The ForeFlight’s entry is designed specifically for the “Pro,” and will not run on any other platform. The Voyager entry allows pilots and others to view an airport for traffic in real time 3D. It has relevance to its viewers and some value while flight planning, but is more like a super-enhanced version of Flight Aware. ForeFlight Mobile, which almost everyone is familiar with on iPads and desktop computers, has been enhanced and works flawlessly with the Pro. It is a true gamechanger for flight planning and could be used in the cockpit as well. I have not yet flown with it in my aircraft, as my aircraft is in for its annual inspection, but when I do, I will have a qualified safety pilot in the right seat!
Picture having full vision out of the windscreen and enroute and approach charts where you can actually see them and are able to position them precisely with eye movement. Visual traffic can be seen through the windscreen real time, and ADS-B traffic is super imposed on the display as well without needing to look down at your iPad. Connect the Pro to your aircraft’s AHARS and have a heads-up display (HUD) super imposed. I have not tried any of these concepts with the Pro yet, but have verified that these features work on ForeFlight Mobile, and also work on the Pro.
Please do not do something stupid with the Pro and post a video on YouTube like a drone pilot did after flying his drone to 14,000 feet MSL in controlled airspace. I find that all of the features of ForeFlight Mobile work better on the Pro. You can do it better and faster with less errors and you will not be as frustrated as you are when trying to use touch screen in heavy turbulence (the jury is out).
The Pro can do Flight Aware and many more functions that would require a powerful computer or normal tasks, like writing my column for Midwest Flyer Magazine. Apple Vision Pro will take us to the next generation in flying our aircraft and other computer-related challenges beyond our wildest imagination.
Keep your eyes looking out the windscreen and fly safe!
Till the next issue, “73s” – an amateur radio “CUL” slogan, or “See You Later!”
EDITOR’S NOTE: Michael J. “Mick” Kaufman is a Certified Instrument Flight Instructor (CFII) and the program manager of flight operations with the “Bonanza/Baron Pilot Training” organization. He conducts pilot clinics and specialized instruction throughout the U.S. in many makes and models of aircraft, which are equipped with a variety of avionics. Mick is based in Richland Center (93C) and Eagle River, Wisconsin (KEGV). He was named “FAA’s Safety Team Representative of the Year” for Wisconsin in 2008. Readers are encouraged to email questions to captmick@me.com, or call
817-988-0174.
DISCLAIMER: The information contained in this column is the expressed opinion of the author only, and readers are advised to seek the advice of their personal flight instructor and others, and refer to the Federal Aviation Regulations, FAA Aeronautical Information Manual, and instructional materials before attempting any procedures discussed herein.
