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Gulfstream’s Swanky New Jets Are Packed With Touchscreens for Pilots
Touchscreens have established themselves as the best interface for smartphones and tablets. Thanks to Tesla and other car companies, they appear to be the future of automotive controls. And now, Gulfstream, maker of the world’s priciest business jets, thinks they’re the best choice in the cockpit as well. (www.wired.com) المزيد...
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I have flown Gulfstream Aircraft for many years and have always Loved their product. Having said that i believe touch screen is an awful idea! I have always remembered my training at Flight Safety that required me to memorize all devises in the cockpit from memory. We would have to perform a blind fold test prior to soloing any of their Aircraft. This reduces distraction and lets the pilot spend more time dealing with the task at hand . I can feel a button or a switch. i get a positive response when moving a button or switch (Always checking the desired result has happened) requiring less focus on the task. Touch screens do not give feedback. They require all of your attention. In heavy turbulence it could be very easy to accidentally activate something other than your desired task. I am a musician I have calluses on my finger tips often inhibiting my touch effect on the screen. I have touch screen in my automobile and often activate undesired systems when accidentally touching them requiring more time in distraction figuring and fixing the undesired activation of a system. Sidesticks ugh! It has been mentioned by many including Sully Sullenberg that the Air France accident over the atlantic a few years ago probably would not have happened if the Aircraft had conventional yokes. This would enable both Pilots to visualize the control inputs being made by the other. This reduces the non flying pilots workload in monitoring the flying pilots performance. We are dumbing down Aircraft for undertrained aviators and in my mind increasing the likelihood of failure. Training is the answer not automation but that is expensive so we will put cheap touch screens save money and remove the Pilot from the picture a little more. Technology can be wonderful but I still want a highly skilled and trained Pilot in a well designed Aircraft not a Cell Phone with wings.
Fly by wire or not, I am not a fan of the sidesticks. Boeing has elected to keep the yoke on the 787 and I agree.
As Craig notes above, there is a lot to be said for feel. The Touch Screen REQUIRES you to look at the screen and in an EMERGENCY or WX, this could be a distraction. It is nice and glitzy but doesn't help the flying.
All that said though, I flew a 757 for about 36 years. While a glass cockpit took some getting used to from a 707, it was nice and not near as intense. You just have to deal with it. The new 767 we got, plus or modified CRJ200 and King Air 90 all had them, so even for all the drawbacks, I guess it's what you get used to.
I have flown a lot of glass. I agree it is a great improvement from the old steam gauges. I flew G2's and G3's that had nightmarish cockpits.I am worried though that more and more keeps being taken away. I miss being able to see trends and movement that might stop a problem before it begins. I miss if the situation demands being able to exceed the limits. I miss flying the airplane. Glass is fine but touch screen and sidestick bother me. This has already shown its ugly head in more than one crash.
Well, the Airbus is the only one I know of that has anything to restrict your ability to exceed the limits, but I detest that sidestick. Old School I guess.
Haha I am not a fan of Airbus
Never did have to fly one and now that I am retired I sure don't intend to start. LOL
Never did have to fly one and now that I am done withe 121 flying. Sure do wish i could hit the retired button.
I was blessed on the retired part but now that the medical part has come along, it is not all it's chalked up to be. I'll get by OK but my ticket is punched. It was going away in November anyway on age so I'll just let it go.
good you are doing good. i got your email too been going non stop.
