Frank Bowlin offered me the soapbox this month while he lets the meds from a recent medical procedure wear off. He might regret that.
I Want My GPS
We need completely realistic virtual avionics. Ive been ringing this bell for a decade now and have achieved exactly nothing. Simulator training for real-world pilots is crippled without them. Pilots cant practice the buttonology, which atrophies even faster than a six-pack scan. Pilots also want their own panels to fly virtually. I say thats one of the biggest barriers to expanding the use of simulation.
Key Takeaways:
- The author expresses frustration over the critical lack of realistic virtual avionics, particularly for Garmin systems, which severely cripples effective simulator training for real-world pilots.
- Current solutions for virtual avionics, including emulations and "hacks" using Garmin's free software, are inadequate due to accuracy issues, outdated databases, and an inability to perfectly replicate real-unit behavior.
- Garmin is criticized for its intractable position, refusing to help emulators, acknowledge or improve existing "hacks," or work with partners to integrate their actual avionics software into simulators, despite a perceived financial opportunity and ethical obligation.
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