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 highlights a critical deficiency in flight simulation: the severe lack of realistic virtual avionics, which hinders pilot training by preventing effective practice of "buttonology" and system interactions.
- Existing virtual avionics solutions are inadequate; emulations struggle with accuracy and staying current, while unofficial integrations of real Garmin software are unsupported and use outdated databases.
- Garmin is criticized for its "intractable position," as it neither aids emulators, supports unofficial software integrations, nor collaborates with the industry, despite a clear ethical obligation and financial opportunity to provide a supported solution for realistic virtual avionics.
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