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When I went through my G1000 training, I did not really became a fan of the inset feature. To describe it briefly, let’s say that the inset is like a mini Multi Function Display (MFD) which is displayed in the bottom left corner of the Primary Flight Display (PFD). It contains a moving map, and possibly terrain, stormscope, traffic, almost everything that is normally displayed on the large MFD. I could not see why using it, except may be in case of failure of the MFD, if the reversionary mode is not satisfactory. Apart from that, it looked to me like disturbing clutter on my clean PFD.

When flying IFR, most of my time is spent looking at the PDF, and particularly to the super large attitude indicator. The standard “T” scanning is replaced by a “cross” scanning: the horizontal line marked by the two yellow bars contains (from left to right) all the pitch related parameters: speed - pitch - glide-slope if active - altitude - vertical rate. The vertical line passing through the sky pointer contains all roll related parameters: roll-angle, slip-skid, heading, HSI and RMI.

Looking at the MFD brings additional information: general orientation via the moving map, what the next segment of the flight plan looks like, wind, and additional information like terrain or stormscope. Even if I’m able to fly using “raw data” only, I frequently check the MFD, to make sure that there is not something wrong in my situation awareness. Getting winds reading also makes flying a lot easier, particularly in holdings, or IFR approaches.

Why condensating that valuable information from the MFD in the super-tiny inset on the PFD ? I got the answer when flying back from Bern to Geneva, in IMC, with no auto-pilot (I knew it before the flight, but I had an instructor on the right seat, reducing my workload). There was light turbulence, but it was sufficient to make flying the aircraft a full-time job. Because of its long wings, the DA40 is very turbulence sensitive, and permanent corrections were required to maintain it straight and level. I had to focus on the PFD more intensively than usual, I found looking at the MFD slightly disturbing.

Our passenger, who also took the photos, suggested to use the inset. Doing so, I got wind reading and route display on the PFD. Looking at it on the PFD is much more easy than looking at the MFD, because the later is farther away. Looking at the MFD requires to turn my head slightly, and re-focus my eyes on it. As the inset is part of the PFD, reading it is much easier.

As a result of having the inset on the PFD, my scanning was more efficient, and my flying got a bit smoother… as much as the updrafts and downdrafts in this IMC layer allowed for.

Read more:
See all pictures of this flight in this photo gallery.
G1000: Get rid of the six-pack
G1000 transition tips
Gauges, Glass, and Ergonomy
Is the G1000 really a step forward ?
G1000, ADF, DME and dual ILS display

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Category: Flying Tips, Modern Aviation
Tags: G1000 inset MFD PFD tip

Large airports are mazes of modern times. Flying a good approach and land smoothly are good things, but the pilot’s job is not over before reaching the parking position (paperwork excluded). Understanding and executing a taxi clearance like “Vacate via H3, clear to taxi to GAC sector 1 via taxiways H, B, J and Y, hold short of ruwnay 28 at J” requires a good preparation, even before landing.

Even the example above - typical in Zurich - may sound complex, it’s rather simple compared to what pilots fliyng in larger airports have to deal with. The picture below shows a small section of Paris Charles de Gaulle airport, around the south terminal.

The red arrows indicate path for arriving aircraft, and the blue ones are for departing aircraft… and this is only valid when flights are operated eastwards. There is another diagram for westwards operations…

Many studies identified runway incursions as one of the bigger safety challenges the aviation industry will have to face-up with in the next years. Airports get more and more traffic, and the reaction time in case an aircraft taxies inadvertently on a runway get shorter.

On ATC side, Advanced Surface Movement Guidance and Control Systems (A-SMGCS) are developped to detect possible incursions, and contribute to a better control of the lighting systems used to guide the aircrafts. These systems are based on ground radar, and multilateration of ADS-B signals.

There are also cockpit-side products to help pilots to maintain their orientation and situational awareness while taxiiing. Many multi function displays (MFD) can show an airport map, and even show the airplane position on it. The picture below shows the Garmin GMX200 displaying an airport diagram.

The most advanced versions of these equipments can issue aural warning when the plane gets close to a runway. Some also issue warnings when the speed exceeds a certain value… if the plane is not on a runway. This should help to prevent take-offs from parallel taxiways… yes, this sometimes happens…

A touch of fun (really ?) before closing this post. JKF is certainly one of the busiest and complex airports in the world, and sometime ground control gets… well… cahotic. This YouTube sequence is an audio recording of the ground control frequency, on a less than optimal day.

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Category: Flying Tips, Modern Aviation, On Airports and Airlines
Tags: Airport GPS MFD runway incursions taxiway