Garmin Appliance Data User Manual download pdf (Page 17)

HOME STUDY

2-11

190-00334-03 Rev. A

GNS 430W/530W Sample Training Syllabus and Flight Lessons

2.9 GNS 430W/530W HOME STUDY 9

THE ROLE OF AVIONICS IN AERONAUTICAL DECISION MAKING AND SINGLE-PILOT

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

The advent of new avionics technologies has brought signiﬁcant gains for pilots in the area of in-ﬂight aeronautical

decision-making (ADM). Trafﬁc Information Service (TIS) over the Mode S data link is one example of the relatively low cost

and highly valuable type of data available to the general aviation pilot to help maintain situational awareness in high trafﬁc

environments. Data link weather is another shining example of how technology delivers more information for ﬂight planning

and decision making loop at a much lower price of acquisition.

Although such tools offer numerous safety and operational advantages, it should be noted that increased technical

capabilities often tempt pilots to operate outside of their personal (or even legal) limits. The availability of GPS and moving

map systems, coupled with trafﬁc and near real-time weather information in the cockpit, may lead pilots to believe they

are protected from the dangers inherent to “scud running,” or otherwise operating in marginal weather conditions. While

advanced cockpit technologies may mitigate certain risks, it is by no means a substitute for sound ADM. The challenge is

this: How should a pilot use this new information in ﬂight to improve the safety of ﬂight operations? The answer to this

question lies in how well the pilot understands the information, its limitations and how best to integrate this data into the

ADM process.

Items such as TIS provide a strong aid to locating trafﬁc in a VFR environment, yet they should not be a substitute for “see

and avoid” technique. A pilot who receives a TIS Trafﬁc Alert should visually identify the other trafﬁc and react accordingly.

Waiting until the last minute to use this data then scanning for trafﬁc may very well prove too late depending on the closure

rate. Instead, the pilot should monitor the TIS data continuously in an effort to visually acquire trafﬁc at the maximum

distance.

With readily available data link weather, which provides NEXRAD weather images similar to those found on the Internet,

pilots now have greater weather awareness in the cockpit. While data link weather is a powerful new tool, it is not a direct

replacement for airborne weather radar. Data link weather is not real-time information and is not detailed enough for a pilot

to use in an attempt to penetrate a thunderstorm. Instead, we start to pick up a common thread from the above discussion

of TIS: The information is not for last minute use; it should be monitored and it is a planning tool. NEXRAD weather does

allow the pilot to develop an idea of the scope of a storm that is not available from airborne weather radar.

NEXRAD weather data, coupled with the METAR reporting capability of most systems, is best used for in-ﬂight planning

and deviation strategy development. By continuously monitoring the weather situation in the cockpit, the pilot can make

better choices about diverting to other airports and/or changing the route of ﬂight. As the pilot becomes more familiar with

the system(s) and is able to correlate the data presentation with the actual weather environment more accurately, NEXRAD

will come to enhance his or her decision making process and further the safety of ﬂight.

Last but not least, the use of GPS (particularly that of mapping units) opens up new worlds of possibility in maintaining

situational awareness and in helping to reduce the navigational workload when deviating from an established ﬂight plan.

Many pilots focus on the need to enter a waypoint ﬁrst before they deviate. In reality, pilots should refer to the map display

when possible and commence a turn-away from the dangerous situation (eg. thunderstorm) while notifying ATC of the

change of heading. When the workload decreases and safety of continued ﬂight is ensured, they should then start to focus

on resuming navigation to the destination and entering the needed waypoints. It is also important to note that pilots should

consider having a back-up or secondary means to navigate or communicate in the event of a primary equipment failure.

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Garmin Appliance Data User Manual Page 17

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