Glass vs. Steam Gauges

I've been flying my new (new for me) airplane with “steam” gauges for the last few months and would like to relay my thoughts on the differences between traditional panels and glass panels. Now I admit my experience is atypical – most people do not start on glass and “revert” to steam, but rather most pilots “upgrade” to glass after years of flying on traditional gauges. The two immediate impressions are, the Attitide Indicator (AI) is much smaller and harder to read and I don't have a “scan.”

One of the first things a pilot of traditional gauges learns is how to scan the gauges in an effective pattern to maximize the information they are providing. On a glass panel display, all the information is presented in a single, concentrated area of the video screen which does not require the pilot to scan – it's all just right there. As an inexperienced “six pack” pilot, my tendency is to fixate on one gauge at a time and to not keep my eyes scanning across all 6 instruments to collect all the information available. That results in my drifting off my intended flightpath in one of the three axis'. Spend too much time staring at the HSI and AI and my altitude will fluctuate. Watch the altimeter and VSI too long and I will drift off course 5 to 10 degrees. Fixate on the Turn Coordinator while maintaining a standard rate turn and I fly right past my intended heading. I need to learn to keep my eyes moving.

Glass panels offer a higher level of redundancy than I have in N242GT. Since a glass panel plane is all-electric, they fit the planes with a second alternator and electric bus. My plane has both vacuum gauges (the AI & HSI), electric gauges (TC, backup AI) as well as static gauges (ASI, altimeter & VSI). Two of these systems have no backup – only the static system offers an alternative source. Both the vacuum pump and alternator are single installations, which means if they fail, the gauges no longer work. Backup systems take up space and add weight, but since a glass panel requires no vacuum system, the second alternator and electric bus can be added without penalty.

So what's the downside to glass? Pure and simple – cost. Glass paneled aircraft are all new, which makes them more expensive than older models, but on otherwise identical aircraft models a glass panel will command a premium of $25,000 to $50,000. That's a lot of dough for improved situational awareness. While I would prefer to only fly a glass paneled airplane, in my price range, glass is not really an option. So for now, I will learn to fly a traditional panel and hope that someday I will get to own a glass paneled airplane.

I bought 1/2 a plane

So for the last few months, I have been renting C172's from Panorama to satisfy my flying addiction. Since I began this adventure, I've been spreadsheeting the costs of creating a partnership to purchase an airplane (in my wildest moments, I've calculated the cost of purchasing 4 planes of various types for a super partnership). What would it cost for 2, 3 or 4 man partnerships? What is the best ownership structure? Who could I find to be the other partners? Could we agree on an aircraft? Since I've only had my license for 3 months, I didn't think I needed to rush to make any of these decisions. My plan was to join the Westchester Flying Club for a year to build up my hours which would make me more attractive to an insurance company and give me time to discover my typical mission profile.

As they say, the best laid plans of mice and men. I found a plane at Panorama owned in a 2-man partnership where one of the partners is moving to Utah and wants to sell his half ownership. The plane is a 2001 Socata Trinidad TB-20 – a 4 place, low-wing retractable with a 250 BHP 6-cylinder Lycoming engine and a complex 3-blade propeller. N242GT will cruise at 150kts and go for over 5 hours on full fuel tanks. It's a great traveling machine, yet it's not too big a step up from the C172s that I'm currently flying. The two biggest differences are the retractable gear and the complex propeller, both of which require an endorsement from a CFI. So the plane clearly attractive for my current mission profile.

The opportunity to buyout an existing partner has many advantages:

1. No need to find a partner nor an airplane.
2. The sales tax has already been paid.
3. The cost of incorporation has already been paid
4. The corporation will retain 4 years worth of reserves
5. Remaining partner handles all accounting and maintenance issues with a track record

So after careful consideration, I took the plunge and purchased half the shares of the corporation, entitling me to use of a fantastic airplane. The insurance company will transfer the the existing coverage to me, although at a reduced liability limit for the first year. I must complete 25 hours of dual instruction with a CFI due to my lack of time in this type of aircraft, so I plan to use most of that time towards getting my instrument rating. The other issue I must content with is this airplane has a traditional “6 pack” of gauges, while I've been trained on glass panels (more to follow on this topic in a future post.) I can't wait to get started flying in my own airplane!

FAA Checkride (Part 2)

Re-test today. Passed. Very anti-climactic, but I'm glad it's over.

Oh yeah, I'M A LISENCED PILOT!!! Man, it feels good.

FAA Checkride (Part 1)

I'm devastated! I did not pass my FAA checkride today. But I didn't fail it either. The examiner gave me a deferral.

The oral exam went fine. About and hour of questions without any surprises or gaffs. The examiner gave me a few clarifications and amplifications to my answers, but the CFI said that's typical.

During the actual checkride, the winds became more intense than is desirable and prevented us from completing the examination. Since I made the decision to launch into the weather, technically I failed. However, the examiner decided to “defer” the remainder of the test to another day. I've successfully completed about ¾ of the exam – we still need to do some soft-field and short-field takeoffs and landings and some time under the hood.

I will try to complete the test next week.

First Solo Cross Country

WOW! My first solo cross country flight! 2.4 hours of Pilot-in-Command (PIC) time -- that's right -- me, alone in the airplane, going places. Terrifying and thrilling all at the same time.

My plan was to fly from HPN to Pittsfield, Massachusetts (KPSF), land, then fly to Waterbury, Connecticut (KOXC), land, then return to White Plains -- all by pilotage. It was a cold, gray day without too much wind and a clear forecast. My CFI gave me clearance to go and asked that I call his cell phone from each stop.

I took off and climbed to 3,500ft MSL. My first few checkpoints were coming right on schedule which gave me confidence and helped me calm down. About 25 miles from PSF, I began to experience some mild turbulence. Amazing how much worse this feels when you're alone in the airplane. As I ponder the isolation of my situation, BAM, there is this huge jolt of turbulence and I hit my head on the canopy. I had recently read an aviation story about a single pilot who had just set his autopilot for level flight to his next waypoint and the next thing he remembers is waking up 60 miles past the waypoint! He'd hit his head so hard on the airplane's canopy he'd be knocked unconscious -- it was just dumb luck the jolt had come just after the engagement of the autopilot -- a few seconds earlier and the outcome would have most likely been lethal. With this story in mind, I cinch my seatbeat down hard across my lap and quietly ask myself what am doing here?!?

The turbulence continues but remains mild, no more huge jolts, and I make a one-small-bounce landing into PSF with a 8kt 40 degree crosswind. OK, time for a phone call to my CFI and few minutes to collect my thoughts and prepare for my next leg. The trip to OXC goes a little slower than my flight log predicted as the headwinds are getting stronger. I am able to adjust the flight plan as I go and OXC comes into view about the time it should based on the adjusted figures. The landing goes well, another phone call and a little more time to prepare for the leg home. The last leg is the easiest as I recognize most of the landscape between OXC and HPN. I am relieved when HPN comes into sight. A left downwind for runway 34, a turn to base, then final and a smooth landing. As I taxi back to Panorama, I am overwhelmed by an enormous sense of accomplishment. I have just flown an airplane -- by myself -- to 3 separate airports, without using Navaids (strictly by pilotage) and returned home safely!

I am elated and exhausted. WOW.