At the Farnborough International Airshow in the U.K., Boom unveiled Overture’s flight deck, built around technology from partner Honeywell, and predicted it will have a full-scale engine core operational by 2025. The company also announced Tuesday it secured a Symphony assembly and testing facility through an expansion of its existing partnership with StandardAero.

Boom aims to fly Overture in 2026 ahead of a planned 2029 commercial rollout with airlines worldwide. A supersonic demonstrator aircraft, the XB-1, completed its maiden voyage in March.

Overture’s state-of-the-art flight deck runs on Honeywell’s Anthem avionics suite, which is also the system of choice for electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft manufacturers Lilium and Vertical Aerospace.

According to Boom, it will be the first airliner to feature force-feedback sidesticks, which give pilots a physical response to the aircraft’s movement as well as inputs made by the copilot or autopilot.

Like something out of a science fiction film, Overture pilots will don augmented reality goggles during takeoff and landing. The headset, built by Universal Avionics, uses multiple cameras and sensors to fill any gaps in the pilot’s vision. Boom says this is intended to eliminate the droop nose configuration seen on aircraft such as Concorde—the only successful supersonic airliner in history. The views seen through the goggles will also appear on the flight display, and an autolanding system will assist pilots on the way down.

Breakers and buttons are replaced by high-definition, 17-inch touchscreen displays, while some physical controls such as stick, throttle, and landing gear remain. However, Boom says all aircraft functions can be accessed through software, which will receive routine over-the-air upgrades.

Already, the new flight deck has been tested by real-world airline, business, and military pilots, including Mike Bannister, the former chief Concorde pilot for British Airways. In a recent evaluation, commercial airline pilots cruised over the Atlantic Ocean at supersonic speed before flying into London Heathrow Airport (EGLL).

“After experiencing Overture’s flight deck, which is incredibly well designed and delightful to fly, my excitement and enthusiasm for this aircraft has only intensified,” said Bannister, who now works as an aviation consultant.

Separately, Boom gave several updates on the progress of its Symphony engine program, most notably that it expects to have a full-scale engine core operational within 18 months despite unveiling the program less than two years ago.

The company will collect data on the core via testing, which will inform the development of other components such as the compressor and turbine section. Those parts will come from newly announced partner ATI Inc.

Fuel nozzles and other 3D-printed parts have already been produced, and Boom has begun testing certain hardware components. It plans to conduct more than 30 engine hardware rig tests with partner Florida Turbine Technologies (FTT), which helped design the technology.

“We are on schedule as we pursue critical component rigs for compressors, combustors, and bearings and are developing a ‘Sprint Core’ engine demonstrator that will provide valuable confirmation of engine component performance prior to finalizing the engine design,” said Stacey Rock, president of turbine technologies for FTT owner Kratos.

Symphony engines will be built and tested at a StandardAero facility in San Antonio, which Boom projects will one day include 100,000 feet of manufacturing space. The company plans for its partner to produce as many as 330 engines per year.

“We are excited to expand our role to include the assembly and testing of Symphony engines, further supporting the development of next-generation flight with Boom,” said Russell Ford, CEO and chairman of StandardAero.

Next up for Boom will be the second test flight of the XB-1, a smaller, less powerful version of Overture.

The company’s flagship model is intended to carry 64-80 passengers at Mach 1.7—just over 1,300 mph, twice the speed of subsonic airliners—while cruising at 60,000 feet.

Blake Scholl, founder and CEO of Boom, previously told The New York Times that the company’s goal is to fly passengers anywhere in the world within four hours for just $100. Concorde, for comparison, flew at Mach 2.0 and cost passengers thousands of dollars per trip. 

Unlike Concorde, though, Overture can run on 100 percent sustainable aviation fuel. The aircraft will only fly at supersonic speeds over water, since the FAA has banned those flights over land.

So far, Boom has racked up more than 130 orders and preorders for Overture, including from United, American, and Japan Airlines.

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The post Boom Unveils Supersonic Overture Flight Deck appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Leadership on the flight deck sets those apart from the general pilot population—and there are ways to build your capabilities in this regard with greater assumption of authority along the way. We spoke with longtime FLYING contributor Pia Bergqvist about her journey from a well-rounded general aviation pilot to the left seat of a regional airliner—and, most recently, to the right seat of a Boeing 737 for a major U.S. airline. Her experience illuminates one way to accomplish the goal of becoming an airline pilot, and in this Q&A she shares her tips for being prepared when the opportunity knocks:

FLYING Magazine (FM): How did you know you wanted to pursue a career as a professional pilot, and specifically as an airline pilot?

Pia Bergqvist (PB): I grew up in Sweden and dreamed of being a pilot since I was 8 years old. Unfortunately, the challenge in researching the path to get there in the era before the internet, along with the fact that I was a woman desiring a very male-dominated profession, made my dream job seem unattainable.

• READ MORE: Airline Pilots Must Not Dismiss Mental Well-Being

I finally began pursuing my career in my late 20s. One of the first things I did was to become a member of Women in Aviation International, and I attended the conference in 2000. I remember visiting several airline booths and being blown away by all the women who were airline pilots. At that time, the one that stood out the most was FedEx, where I met a Swedish pilot who described her job. She flew all over the world, had lots of time off, and made enough money to live by the beach.

FM: When you committed to the pursuit, how did you identify the airline(s) you wanted to aim for? How did that choice affect your plans for training and what you needed to have on your résumé before applying?

PB: At the time when I started flying, I would have needed a significant amount of time flying as captain of a twin-turbine aircraft, preferably at a regional airline, before applying for a position with a major airline. While FedEx was my top choice, other attractive choices included United, American, Continental, and UPS, as they were all flying internationally.

I based my pick of potential regionals on advice from flight instructors at the flight school where I received all of my primary training—Justice Aviation in Santa Monica, California. The regional airlines of choice on the West Coast were SkyWest, Mesa, and American Eagle. I applied for my first airline job on September 10, 2001. As a result of the tragic events that followed the next day [on 9/11], I shelved my airline dream for nearly two decades.

FM: How did you build time before applying? What were the minimums when you made the application 20 years ago versus five years ago?

PB: When I first started flying, pilots were getting hired by regional airlines with as little as 1,000 hours of total time and a hundred hours of twin time. The industry was booming. I built most of my flight time through flight instruction before sending in my application with about 900 hours [under] my belt. I also built some twin time by flying from Torrance, California, to Nantucket, Massachusetts, and back in a Beechcraft Duchess.

At that time, the interview process was much more rigorous than it is today, and applicants had to have the written ATP test completed. Regionals also conducted cognitive tests and simulator evaluations.

• READ MORE: Airline Pilots Flying to Age 67?

Today, the FAA requires airline pilots to have at least 1,500 hours (or 1,000 through a limited number of approved flight training programs) and to complete an ATP-CTP training program before they can take the controls of an airliner—a change that resulted from the Colgan Air crash in 2009. Most airlines these days, whether regional or major, only require an application

and an interview. Whereas the major airlines used to require turbine PIC [pilot in command] time, some pilots are now hired with just a few hundred hours as a first officer.

FM: What tips do you have for that first interview?

PB: The most difficult part of getting hired with a major airline is actually getting to the interview stage. Stay in touch with the captains and flight instructors that you fly with. They will be a great resource when it comes time to apply as you will need several letters of recommendation. Meeting with the hiring teams at job fairs, meet-and-greets, and aviation conferences are also a good way to get your foot in the door.

There are many things that go into a successful interview. Make it clear that you really want to be there. Go in with a positive attitude. Dress well and make sure you’re groomed to look the part. Professional interview coaching companies, such as Emerald Coast, Cage Marshall Consulting, Raven Career Development, and Career Takeoff, are almost a must for a successful airline pilot interview. They will provide practice scenarios, targeted to your airline of choice, that will develop the confidence you need as you sit down to get grilled.

FM: How did initial training at the regional go? What tips would you give for a prospective pilot to help them prep for success in training?

PB: The initial training at the regional level can be very challenging. There are many new concepts that go into flying in a professional crew environment versus flying in general aviation.

Get familiar with the flows, callouts, and other procedures that are written into the company’s standard operating procedures [SOPs] manual as early as possible. The only way to learn these procedures is by constant repetition, so having a “paper tiger”—basically a printed version of the flight deck layout—and using it for chair flying is a very good way to get ready. Understand that it can take hundreds of repetitions to learn the proper procedures to an acceptable level. Just keep going.

Practice the flows, callouts, and procedures for normal, non-normal, and emergency operations until they’re perfect. And keep practicing them during times when you’re not in simulator training or the actual airplane. Being able to immediately and accurately execute emergency procedures is critical in those rare and unexpected situations, such as an engine failure.

FM: What was upgrading to captain like?

PB: When it came time for me to move from the right seat to the left seat, it felt very much like it felt to become a flight instructor. I questioned whether I was really ready to be the one in charge of the ship.

The key to success was channeling what I had learned from the captains who I enjoyed flying with as a first officer. So, pay close attention to what the captains do to get the airplane off the gate; how they deal with challenging situations with passengers, gate agents, and rampers; what they do if there is an maintenance issue or emergency, and so on. The schoolhouse upgrade training is great, but the more experience you have seeing how the real-world operations go, the better.

The training is basically identical to the first officer training, albeit with different flows and more responsibilities. Often, captain candidates are paired with first officers through the training and check rides. Your partner can make or break you, in either seat, so do your best to find a good one.

FM: When did you know you were ready to apply for the next step, the majors?

PB: Most people in the industry consider [this to be] an unprecedented time in airline pilot hiring. Everyone I flew with, whether captains or first officers, at the regional airline was talking about moving on.

There were many first officers I flew with who moved on before I did. There were some things in my personal life that held me back, and I thoroughly enjoyed my time at the regional airline, [but] it was time to move on. The working conditions, destinations, pay, and retirement plans are more attractive at the majors, even with the huge pay bump we got at the regionals in 2022.

I was proud to be a regional airline captain. But now I feel like I have reached the pinnacle of my career.

FM: How did you approach that training differently, knowing what you know now?

PB: I found the training at the major airline much more relaxed. Perhaps it was because I was more prepared and ready for the hard work that is required of pilots in airline training departments. But it appeared to me that the level of respect at the major airline was higher.

At the regional level, there were hard limits on how many extra hours of training pilots could receive or how many events could be unsuccessful before they let a trainee go. As a result, the stress level was high.

From my very loosely gathered data, it appears that about 15 percent of the trainees at my regional airline were let go for one reason or another. That stressor didn’t exist at the major airline where I trained. We were made to feel very welcome and part of the family.

FM: What qualities do you think pilots need to cultivate to shine in a sea of candidates for the same role?

PB: Be professional, both in appearance and the way you handle yourself. Be prepared. Make sure you keep current on company SOPs, FARs, and instrument procedures, how to interpret weather data, and other details that you should be familiar with as a professional pilot. Build relevant flight time. Volunteer with aviation organizations to show your passion for the profession.

If you’re applying for a major airline job, go the extra mile and visit a job fair, conference, or meet-and-greet to get your name on the radar. Keep in touch with people you’ve met, and treat people with kindness and respect. Before an interview, seek help from one of several airline interview prep companies, but find a way to be yourself.

The stakes are way too high to just “wing it.”

This Q&A first appeared in the March 2024/Issue 946 of FLYING’s print edition.

The post Pro Track: Finding Your Way to an Airline Pilot Career appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Pilots have long held a deep connection to the airplane that Joe Sutter and his team built. I for one devoured the legendary engineer’s book, 747: Creating the World’s First Jumbo Jet and Other Adventures, and witnessed from afar the genius woven into that airplane. I would have loved to have talked with Sutter, or Jack Waddell, Boeing’s chief test pilot who took the first 747 on its initial flight on February 9, 1969.

Sutter and Waddell are no longer with us, though their legacy lives on in Boeing’s engineering corps. On the event of the final production unit’s departure from the factory at Everett, I sought out two of the pilots who know the airplane intimately from a more recent viewpoint within flight test operations. I spoke with them about one of the greatest airplanes of all time—and one that will still ply the airways for decades to come.

The Hands of Fate

Curt Gottshall, current engineering chief pilot for Boeing’s 747-8 program, and Kirk Vining, a former engineering project pilot on the 747-8 freighter and intercontinental passenger programs, both had an early connection with the airplane that would play out in in- credible ways over their careers.

For Vining, it was on his first flight lesson, just after takeoff with an instructor out of Anchorage International (PANC), seeing the 747 on climbout come under the wing as he tried his first left turn. For Gottshall, it was during his freshman year at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, when he set the lock code to his briefcase to “7-4-7.”

READ MORE: The Last 747, Queen of the Skies

Vining took the desire to become an airline pilot with him to Wichita State University in Kansas, where he studied aeronautical engineering in pursuit of the four-year degree required to fly for the airlines at the time. But that degree led him to an internship and then a full-time role with local OEM Learjet as an engineering flight test pilot. There he had his first con- tact with FLYING too: “I hold a world record with Mac McClellan. He and I and Pete Reynolds flew the Lear- jet 31A from Aspen, Colorado, to Washington, D.C., [featured] in the November 1994 FLYING magazine. I have a little cameo in there—you can see my picture in the flight deck leaning forward trying to get my face in the photo.”

The experience in Part 25 certification testing set him up well to join Boeing in 2005. “The Learjet, though it’s small, the performance isn’t all that different than a 747,” says Vining, who noted that a couple of airlines have flown Learjets in the past with flight decks set up like that of the 747 to use in training their pilots.

First Contact with the Queen

Vining recalls well his first flight in any 747 model: “[It was] actually in the Large Cargo Freighter (LCF, also known as the Dreamlifter), the one that carries around parts for the 787. The pilot mentoring me on my first takeoff said, “Don’t worry, the LCF flies just like a 747”—but at that point, I hadn’t even flown a 747, so how was I supposed to know? After gaining more experience, I found the Large Cargo Freighter did fly like a 747-400. When we built the 747-8, we dialed it in to fly like the models before it as well.” Vining conducted the first flight of the second 747-8 to roll out of the factory.

INFOGRAPHIC: By the Numbers

Gottshall came to the 747 Classic models from the operations side before coming to Boeing. As a con- tract pilot for Japan Airlines, he transitioned from the McDonnell Douglas DC-10-40 as a captain, noting the differences between the DC-10 and the -100s, -200s, and -300s that JAL was flying at the time. “With the implementation of body gear steering [in the 747], the oversteer required—even though it’s longer, bigger, and with a higher stature—wasn’t quite as much as that required on the DC-10” to line up accurately on the runway centerline.

During his tenure with JAL, he also operated the 747 into airports that required a circling approach, such as Fukuoka International (RJFF), which at the time only had an ILS to one runway end. “Most folks with trans- port category type ratings have a ‘no circling’ limita- tion,” says Gottshall. “That wasn’t good enough for the [Japanese Civil Aviation Board] because they actually used [the circling approach]. So we had to go set up a syllabus to do the training. I believe it was in Wash- ington Dulles where we could actually do an approach, keep it in sight, and do the whole FAA demonstration so that we didn’t have that limitation on our license when we went back to Japan.” Gottshall recalls that the 747 handled the approaches quite well.

Graceful Flight Characteristics

Indeed, pilots who have flown the 747 relate that she’s a gentle giant, with relatively benign handling characteristics at low speeds, as well as surprising maneuver- ability for an aircraft with such mass and such a long wingspan—225 feet for the 747-8.

“I tested high speed and low speed in the 747-8, and demonstrated full aerodynamic stalls,” recalls Vining. “It stalls at full aft stick even better than a Cessna 172. It’s an amazingly light and flexible airplane for its size, so we designed the fly-by-wire ailerons [in the 747-8] to automatically help dampen out any vibrations and smooth out the ride.”

Gottshall agrees. “The 747—even at that large of a mass—is very maneuverable, so you have quite a large operational window. People think that you have to plan hundreds of miles in advance—it is true that if you want to have a perfect, steady trajectory, you need to think ahead. But it does have the capability and the maneuverability to make corrections and make them fairly aggressively. With the exception of the last thousand feet on the approach; you don’t want to be aggressive—you want to stay in that stabilized approach criteria.”

The primary difference between the flying that test pilots do against what pilots flying the line experience lies in the exploration of the flight envelope—on purpose. Gottshall compares it directly to his operational flight time. “When we go out and do things with flight test—especially post-production—we test to make sure that everything works, all of the relief systems work, all of the indication systems work, and things like that, which are [procedures] that we try very hard to stay away from in operations. [In normal ops] you don’t want to hear the overspeed warning come on, or you don’t want to see the load relief on the flaps. You plan and operate in a manner to try and stay away from all those things.

Truly Fond Memories

Gottshall notes that while the 747 is no longer in production, his role on the program continues, with work on continuous improvements to the 747-400 and 747-8, including a checklist of updates on the horizon.

The first jumbo jet will continue to fly on with the regular work made by the engineering teams to improve it.

As to what stands out to him the most about the 747, Vining sums it up well. “There’s so many things,” he says, “but whether it’s the feeling that you’re taxiing around in a three-story apartment building, or just the stall characteristics. It’s just such amazing performance, gentle behavior—and what a capable machine.

The 747 and the Last Flight Engineers

The lack of a globally connected, extensively reaching supply chain during the height of the 747’s operation in the 1980s and ‘90s meant that the flight crew’s navigator/engineer was an engineer in the British sense—a maintenance chief critical to keeping the aircraft engines and other systems healthy during its long-haul trips to Asia, Africa, and Australia.

Capt. Stephen Yeates, who flew the Classic -100, -200, and -300, and the -400 for British Airways during that period, recalls regular instances when the engineer truly enabled the show to go on.

“We lost a windshield piece to a bird strike over Pakistan and made an emergency landing in Karachi, which was an outstation at the time with little on-site maintenance capability. If we didn’t have the engineer on board, we would have been waiting far longer to get back underway.” Advances in technology also have played a significant role. “Nowadays, you have Rolls-Royce or GE monitoring engine performance from the ground, as opposed to the engineer along with you, always fiddling with the engines to keep them running perfectly,” says Yeates with a fondness for the incredible knowledge those engineers possessed.

Indeed, respect for the engineer runs across the board of those pilots we interviewed. Something’s lost, says Gottshall, in not having the deep knowledge that the engineer provided, and the extra mind to put to the task in the event of a complex abnormal or emergency situation. As it was with British Airways, “in Japan, there were professional flight engineers,’ recalls Gottshall. “They had been in that position for 20 or 25 years and knew every single possible piece of that airplane, right down to the nuts and bolts.”

“I’m just so privileged to have been able to share those years with it,” he concludes. To a pilot, the fond feelings for the 747 remain—and the opportunity to fly the jet goes on, we hope for decades to come. 

This article originally appeared in the May 2023 Issue 937 print edition of FLYING.

The post Boeing 747 from the Flight Deck appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The single-engine turbine H125 follows on from the Eurocopter AS350 B3 model. The earlier AS350 B2 model is featured on the cover of the March 2023 edition of FLYING.

The Genesys Helicopter Suite comprises dual IDU-680 EFIS displays, a Genesys VHF NAV/COM aircraft digital radio, a Genesys IFR helicopter autopilot, dual redundant ADAHRS, dual GPS/FMS, and other equipment as required to achieve IFR certification. The DO-178C Level A, IFR certified, IDU-680 displays utilize high-resolution LCD glass and can depict 3D synthetic vision, highway-in-the-sky (HITS), enhanced HTAWS terrain awareness, an integrated FMS, and hover vector features.

Airbus and Genesys plan to complete the supplemental type certification process by the second half of 2024. The STC will be used for factory new deliveries in North America, with other approvals to follow in countries allowing for single-engine rotorcraft IFR operations.

“Genesys is excited to partner with Airbus to offer an avionics solution to the H125 that allows an affordable option for IFR operations,” said Jamie Luster, director of sales and marketing for Genesys Aerosystems. “We expect the IFR option to be a popular choice in civil and special mission applications.” 

“The H125 remains an unrivaled product thanks to its continuous improvements,” said Jérome Ronssin, head of light helicopters programs at Airbus Helicopters. “This new IFR feature will expand the helicopter’s mission capabilities in all weather conditions especially for critical missions such as public services, including Law Enforcement and EMS, and enhanced training. 

“The choice to partner with Genesys was made based on their extensive experience in designing state-of-the-art avionics and in particular their experience certifying platforms for IFR operations,” Ronssin concluded in a statement. 

The post Genesys, Airbus To Partner on IFR AStar appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The Helix uses IS&S’s 10.4-inch flat panel displays in concert with Avidyne’s Helios flight management system to modernize legacy helicopters. Other features include 3D synthetic vision, electronic charts, ADS-B weather and traffic, and SBAS/LPV capability. The new system will be on display this week at the Helicopter Association International’s Heli-Expo in Atlanta, Georgia.

Avidyne sees the platform as providing a well-priced upgrade with “significant value over anything currently available in the marketplace,” according to John Talmadge, Avidyne’s vice president of worldwide sales.

“Avidyne and IS&S have put together a solution that is designed and targeted to extend the life of the large number of legacy helicopters still in operation, including the S-76C++, the Blackhawk, the AW109 and more,” he added in a release. “We are excited to be working alongside IS&S to develop Helix, which will give new life to these airframes at a cost that won’t break the bank, and that provides operators a whole host of new capabilities while dramatically improving reliability and dispatchability.”

PHI To Be Systems Integrator

PHI of Lafayette, Louisiana, has agreed that its MRO Services department will be the initial systems integrator for the Helix flight deck in the S76++.

“We are happy to have Avidyne and IS&S as avionics OEM partners for systems integration and support of their new Helix flight deck,” Tom Neumann, president of PHI MRO Services. “We see the Helix system as a terrific upgrade solution for helicopter operators facing legacy avionics obsolescence issues, and who want to improve reliability and dispatchability of their fleet.”

Avidyne intends to expand the Helix into other rotorcraft applications, and plans to continue its partnership with PHI on those projects.

The post Avidyne, IS&S Partner on Sikorsky S76s Integrated Flight Deck appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The company has been pursuing the STC for several months, according to Jamie Luster, Genesys Aerosystems director of sales and marketing. They expect FAA approval by Q1 2023.

Genesys expects to acquire the STC for its avionics suite on the PC-7, and thus add the aircraft to its approved model list (AML) for the suite. Once that is in place, because of similarities between the Beech Model 3000 and T6 Texan II and the PC-7 and -9, Genesys projects approval on the STC for the suite in those aircraft to follow.

Pilatus PC-7 Genesys PC-7 Avionics 2 The initial installation is being accomplished in Genesys’ Pilatus PC-7, upon which the PC-9 and Beech Model 3000 are based, according to the company.

“The similarity of the PC-7, Beech 3000, and T-6A Texan II models lend themselves ideally to an AML STC,” Dean Boston, chief certification engineer, said in a statement. 

“This approach allows us to easily modify the design as needed to meet the T-6A’s unique requirements as well as a variety of similar trainer fleets around the world,” Boston said.

The Genesys avionics being certified on these tandem-seat trainers includes Genesys electronic flight instrument system (EFIS) displays with integrated flight management system (FMS), terrain awareness warning system (TAWS), military-grade head-up display (HUD) symbology, integrated digital flight recording, and a host of other features for tandem-seat training aircraft.

The STC architecture also includes the Genesys Digital Radio software-definable integrated VHF and UHF nav/com radio, ultra-compact sensors, engine/airframe indications, integrated radio management, and an integrated voice-warning master caution system.

Genesys Aerosystems is a Moog Inc. company, and it is a leading provider of integrated avionics systems for military and civil customers.

The post Genesys Aerosystems Pursues STC for Military Trainers appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The Wichita, Kansas-based company is known for specializing in the custom design and manufacture of advanced power solutions for a broad range of general and business aviation applications. Besides its charging port series, True Blue Power also creates inverters, converters, emergency power supplies, and lithium-ion batteries. Customers of the product will recognize the brand by its signature blue casing.

Universal Charger Rules on the Horizon

Matthew Harrah, senior vice president of technology and products for True Blue Power, stated that “new mandates require USB-C compatibility for personal electronics—and tablets and laptops need more and more power to operate. Our new, 100-watt chargers fill the gap.”

In June, the European Union announced a mandate that required all new portable devices utiliza a standard charger by 2024, i.e., USB-C. Though Europe will be the first to enforce the law, it could have implications worldwide as companies prefer to streamline products to minimize production costs. Since then, at least two U.S. senators have called on Congress to urge the Department of Commerce to enact the same requirements. With pilots increasingly depending on mobile devices in the flight deck for a range of services, they would undoubtedly be affected by any changes in the ruling.

Benefits for Pilots

With AC outlets set to phase out, Harrah said customers would be able to get all the power they need by plugging directly into a USB port instead of using the “bulky charging adaptor.” The 100-watt USB charger will supply 5–20 volts of power at 3 to 5 amps for smartphones, tablets, electronic flight bags (EFBs), and headphones. They also have intelligent, device-driven output that efficiently gives each device the right amount of power supply.

True Blue Power is a division of Mid-Continent Instrument and Avionics (MCIA), the iconic brand known for its leadership in the overhaul, exchange, repair, design, and manufacturing of aircraft instruments and advanced power solutions. Also based in Wichita, the company has established itself as a brand that supplies products for flight deck panel upgrades. 

The company says it manufactures more than 25,000 units per year and processes more than 15,000 units in its overhaul/exchange and repair operation, including gyros, altimeters, HSIs, and autopilot systems. Besides power supply systems and products, MCIA also ships things like weather radars, Mode S transponders, emergency locator transmitters (ELTs), and other navigational and communications systems.

The new 100-watt chargers are TSO-certified and are available in single, dual, lighted, and non-lighted configurations.

The post True Blue Power Unveils 100-Watt USB-C Ports for Inflight Chargers appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

That last scenario had been on my mind over the past couple of months. As I became familiar with my airplane, I’d gradually identified several annoyances to address, and topping the list was the lack of places to put things. Pens, iPad, water bottle, notepad, phone…it had all been sliding around on the passenger seat and getting in the way. Cockpit organization was lacking, and to prevent something from dropping into some random crevasse and creating problems, the issue had to be addressed.

It’s not an idle concern. In 2006, a Super Cub pilot performed a go-around and discovered he lacked sufficient nose-down authority to prevent a stall. Fighting it all the way down, he mushed into the trees in a semi-controlled descent. The culprit? A digital camera had fallen in front of the aft control stick and jammed the elevator control. The pilot and his passenger were fortunate to walk away. 

Another time, a Cessna 120 pilot neglected to properly stow a small hand crank. It dropped onto the floor, slid forward, and became lodged in the rudder pedals. This caused the pilot to land “almost sideways,” and resulted in a thankfully non-fatal ground loop. Had that item been secured, the airplane would have been saved.

Ominous Pile of Goodies

As I examined my pile of goodies that each make flying more enjoyable in their own way, they began to look increasingly ominous. From a small pen to a bottle of water, I began to envision how each could serve as the first link in a chain of very bad events. As is so often the case, I turned to my type club’s online forum for tips and solutions.
As it turns out, my 170 isn’t the only one that lacks pockets on the cabin walls alongside the front seats and before long, I found some great suggestions. One owner purchased a handy organizer from Sporty’s Pilot Shop called the “Pilot Pouch.” It uses two self-adhesive Velcro strips to fasten to the side walls next to the knees of each front-seat occupant, and for $20, it seemed like cheap insurance.

I ordered a couple of them that night and installed them later that week. As promised, they provide a convenient spot to stash pens, notebooks, an iPad, etc. They even have special pockets for stowing Bose headset controllers. It was one of the quickest and easiest modifications I’ve made to the airplane, and I appreciate these pockets every time I fly.

Phone and iPad Mounts

The next challenge was to find a place to mount my phone and iPad. While only one would be needed at any given time to handle navigation duties, the old-school paper chart pilot in me feels a heck of a lot better with a backup. I decided, therefore, to find a good way to mount each of them on the panel simultaneously.

I began to plan for this back before my recent annual inspection. Anticipating I’d want to power multiple devices, I ordered a Garmin dual USB-C charging port. It wasn’t cheap at $400, but I liked the quicker-charging type-C outlets for high-drain devices, and I felt confident in Garmin’s build quality. Having once experienced smoke in the cockpit after the failure of an electrical component, I have no tolerance for cheap electronics in the air.

Mounting the phone and iPad took some creativity. I initially tried a kneeboard. I picked up a really nice one at AirVenture 2021 from a company called MOA Gear. Designed like tactical gear, it was fully customizable and I loved it. Unfortunately, my yokes don’t provide much thigh clearance…or perhaps more accurately, my thighs don’t provide much yoke clearance. When turning the yoke to the right, I found that any kneeboard would interfere and create a distraction. Back to the drawing board I went.

Having had great luck with Ram mounts during my days of long-distance motorcycle adventuring, I once again turned to them for a solution. The Ram system utilizes 1-inch, rubber-coated metal balls that mount to dashboards and devices, and corresponding arms of various lengths to connect them. To adjust the position of a device, one simply loosens a large wing nut slightly, repositions things, and then re-tightens the nut.

I mounted a Ram ball down in the left corner of the panel, beneath an altimeter, and attached it to a Ram X-Grip phone holder I had previously used on my BMW R1150GS Adventure. Within a few minutes, I had my phone nestled deep into the corner where the panel meets the side wall. It worked beautifully, making the phone visible and accessible without impeding the yoke’s range of motion and without blocking a single instrument.

When it came to mounting the iPad, I had a different plan. The upper center portion of my panel is dominated by two items—a big blank spot utilized by nothing, and the second altimeter. Nobody knows why the airplane has two, but regardless, altimeter redundancy isn’t something I care much about. The extraneous altimeter could, therefore, be fully obstructed without a problem.

Harnessing the pitiful fabrication skills I had developed decades ago in high school technology class, I grabbed a hacksaw and modified another Ram ball mount so it could be attached to some existing bolts in the panel. With some experimentation, I was able to position my iPad in such a way that it was front and center without visually obstructing anything of importance. After using my phone as the primary navigation device for a few flights, the comparatively massive iPad Mini felt like immersive synthetic vision.

Dealing With Heat

Taking another lesson from my motorcycle days, I recalled that iPhones and iPads both do poorly in heat and direct sunlight. Too much of either will cause them to first dim their screens—a horrible issue in bright conditions—and ultimately, shut down entirely. This issue was an annoyance on the motorcycle, but it would be completely unacceptable in the air.

To solve the problem proactively, I turned to X-naut and ordered one of their cooling cases. The case uses a series of small fans to direct air over the rear surface of the iPad, eliminating any overheating issues. One nice feature is the option to run the fans on AA batteries or via the power outlet. This enables you to keep an outlet available for other devices and use the batteries if/when the iPad begins to overheat. 

I opted to stick with battery power for the cooling case and dedicated the second USB outlet to the Stratus ADS-B box I’m borrowing from a friend. This way, I’ll have dedicated power for ADS-B traffic as well as for my iPad. I’ll keep a very short cord zip-tied to the phone mount so that, should the iPad fail, I’ll be able to quickly and easily plug my phone into the charging port as a backup.

Overall, I’m very happy with my newly-organized cockpit. Just about everything has its place, and the things that don’t, sit in a small flight bag I keep strapped into position on the front passenger seat. I’ll no longer have to juggle random items while I fly, and there’s far less likelihood that anything will fall to the floor and cause problems.

Best of all, information is front and center, and distractions are minimized. So whether I’m contending with light crosswinds, angry zombie hordes, or anything in between, I feel safer and more prepared for a relatively small investment of time and money. I chalk that up as a win.

The post GA Flight Deck Organizing Tips and Tricks appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

• A Cessna 182 with the G1000 Nxi factory-installed—a piston single that represents the next generation of Garmin’s first OEM installations in the 2004 Skylane.

• A Cessna Citation M2 with the standard G3000 avionics suite—a light jet with a flight deck optimized for single-pilot operation.

• A Beechcraft King Air 350 with a G1000 Nxi aftermarket installation—a workhorse turboprop twin taking on a new life.

You could count a fourth airplane too—a SOCATA TB-30 Epsilon that I regularly get to fly, that hosts a Garmin G3X Touch in an experimental/exhibition application, turning a French military trainer into a solid IFR traveling machine.

The point is, you can’t swing a dead cat without hitting a Garmin flight deck these days. Not that you would want to hurt a kitty or an airplane in the process…Garmin Aviation can take a bow for creating a relatively user-friendly product backed up by solid OEM development on the front end, and support on the back end. 

This week, the company is celebrating a milestone that illustrates why we’re now finding its flight decks everywhere: It has delivered more than 25,000 total since the first G1000 left the plant in Olathe, Kansas.

A Nod to Gary Burrell

Garmin’s late co-founder Gary Burrell had the concept in his mind of what the original G1000 avionics suite would look like. The original installation consisted of a primary flight display and multifunction display (two GDU 1040s) driven by two Garmin Integrated Avionics units (GIA 63s), and a Garmin GMA 1347 audio panel. Internally, other components included the air data computer (GDC74A), attitude heading and reference system (GRS 77 AHRS), and a magnetometer (GMU 44). These parts in their subsequent evolutions still form the basis of the flight decks Garmin has debuted since March 2003—when Cessna Aircraft Company announced it had selected the G1000 for its new Citation Mustang, aimed originally at the very light jet (VLJ) market.

“Pilots around the world have spent millions of hours flying behind a Garmin flight deck and it’s a true privilege to know that our avionics help them safely reach their destinations time and time again,” said Phil Straub, Garmin executive vice president and managing director, aviation, in a release this week. “As the leading provider of integrated cockpit systems, we are very proud to celebrate this extraordinary achievement, and we wish to extend our sincerest gratitude to our aircraft manufacturers, as well as the aircraft owners, who have selected and trusted Garmin over the years. 

“The G1000 was a vision of our late co-founder Gary Burrell,” Straub continued, “and he would be deeply honored to be celebrating this milestone with the thousands of talented Garmin associates who made it possible.”

We’ve delivered 25,000 integrated flight decks! Thanks to our customers and partners for helping us reach this milestone

Which Garmin IFDs have you flown behind?
☐ G1000 NXi
☐ G2000
☐ G3000
☐ G5000 pic.twitter.com/skelhd5LG0

— Garmin Aviation (@GarminAviation) June 15, 2022

What It Means to Pilots

Turn the clock back 30 years, and life wasn’t all that different, in terms of consistency from a flight instrument perspective. You could train in a basic airplane, such as a Cessna 152, and learn attitude instrument flight and transfer that skill—and your scan—to a new airplane with just a few adjustments to make. 

That is, if you consider the standard six-pack of analog gauges—attitude indicator, airspeed indicator, heading indicator, vertical speed indicator, turn coordinator, and altimeter—to be essentially the same between single-engine airplanes. Which they are not, really. But they were straightforward, and WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) applied. The radio stack had similar nav/coms—and if you were lucky, there was a King autopilot or a loran receiver to learn. And that was it.

We went through a phase—and we’re still there, really—where the fleet’s panels were truly mixed, with airplanes equipped with glass PFDs sitting on the ramp next to those with six packs, even within a flight school’s fleet. With Garmin’s market penetration, it’s becoming more and more likely that the transition you make between airplanes moves you from one Garmin display and navigation engine to another—and you learn the airplane around them. And think, too, of the power behind those displays, and the sheer amount of information now at our fingertips. That has had an impact on safety, to which Straub justifiably refers.

If only it were that simple, though. The similarities are deceptive—and can catch you unaware if you stick to the idea that one G3000 installation mirrors exactly the one next to it. Many things will be the same, but there are still nuances to learn between, say, the G3000 in the TBM 960 and the one in the M2. As Murphy would have it, those details will catch you when you’re in the weather, bouncing around into a missed approach, and running into your reserve fuel.

More competition in the space might drive more user-friendly system architecture as well. A common lament from those transitioning from sophisticated flight management systems such as the Collins Pro Line series is that the Garmins do it almost right—but there are strange gaps in the transfer of data, where values must be entered manually into fields that would populate automatically in the Collins FMS.

But kudos to Garmin for making a product line with the iterations to fit a wide range of general aviation applications—and we can only anticipate how they’ll improve on that success.

The post Garmin Reaches a Flight Deck Milestone appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The new product will combine multiple current FMS models for Airbus into a “single standardized hardware and software platform” designed for Airbus A320, A330, and A350 airliners, the company said, with expected entry into service by the end of 2026. 

“Importantly, the new FMS hardware is 15 times more capable than current hardware and enables a path to future enhancements without hardware changes,” said a released statement by Jim Currier, president of electronic solutions for Honeywell Aerospace. 

The announcement comes in the wake of Honeywell’s improved 2022 profit forecast released in April, partly driven by increased commercial air travel. 

New Honeywell FMS Details

According to the release, Honeywell’s new FMS will include “enhanced modularity, advanced functionality, and a multi-core processing platform. At the completion of development, the new FMS will be a standalone federated system, making it easier for operators to support the fleet.”

The new FMS also will incorporate external connectivity including electronic flight bags (EFB), “to ease pilot workload and enhance fuel savings with the use of real-time data.”

Also in the pipeline at Honeywell: A retrofit solution based on the same core hardware and common software that can be used on A320s and A330s. 

The post Airbus Chooses New Honeywell Flight Management System appeared first on FLYING Magazine.