Gear

(January 2012) Sitting in the darkened area control center in Zurich, Switzerland, the air traffic controller on duty could scarcely believe what he was seeing on his radar screen: Somehow, two airliners in his sector cruising at precisely the same flight level were just miles apart on a collision course over southern Germany. Keying his […]

(January 2012) Back in September my column Going Direct entitled “The Chart Is Dead,” I referred to work that Jeppesen is doing to unhinge the chart from our old ideas of what paper is and what it represents. In the brave new world of data-driven depictions, the “chart” is not an object but instead a […]

(January 2012) You’re most likely carrying fewer and fewer or perhaps even no charts around after the introduction of aviation chart applications for electronic flight bags such as the iPad, and there’s no longer a need to carry a separate flight computer since there are apps for that too. With less and less stuff required […]

All you wanted for Christmas may have been the new Garmin 750 for your airplane. If you were lucky enough to get the new touchscreen avionics or if you’d simply like to play around with the new system, you can at the very least try out Garmin’s new GTN 750 iPad 2 training app, which […]

European aviators can now install Garmin’s GTN 650 and 750 GPS/navcom systems after EASA signed off the validation paperwork for the STC Garmin received from the FAA in March for the touchscreen navigators. To achieve EASA’s validation, the Garmin 650 and 750 had to meet European regulatory requirements, such as 8.33-kHz VHF communication, immunity from […]

Pilots can be tough to shop for, but if you’re looking for an aviation gift for that special aviator, you’ve come to the right place. Our gift guide will take you from practical to decadent, from classic to unusual. So whether you’re looking for an easy-to-grab stocking stuffer or a knock-your-socks-off once-in-lifetime surprise, we’ve got […]

(December 2011) Airguide Publications recently upgraded its Flight Guide app, aiming toward making it a real competitor against better-known charting and airport information systems for the iPad. Larry Garcia, who owns Airguide Publications with his wife, Cindy, claims the app became the first to display real-time traffic using Zaon’s PCAS XRX portable collision avoidance system, […]

After flying an instrument approach under IFR conditions earlier this year using Rockwell Collins’ new HGS-3500 head-up display, I wasn’t surprised to learn the company has received a Wall Street Journal Technology Innovation Award. Rockwell Collins was named first runner up in the Transport category for introducing synthetic vision to its head-up guidance system — […]

It apparently isn’t enough for Boeing to be building the airplanes that the next generation of airline pilots will be flying. The airliner maker now plans to train the pilots who fly those airplanes as well. At least it seems that way. In truth, Boeing has been offering training for years, through its Boeing Flight […]

German manufacturer Beyerdynamic recently introduced the HS 800 Digital aviation headset. A modern-looking headset with a carbon-fiberlike design, the HS 800 definitely has the look. I recently took it for a test flight to see how it performs in the cockpit. The HS 800 Digital is nice and light, only 0.72 pounds (without the cable […]