Am I the only one who finds IFR harder with synthetic vision?

[FORANE]

I recently installed a GRT Horizon HX. I find that the little white level attitude indicator line is easy to overlook. During climbout with little more than a big blue screen the white line just isn't as obvious as the old blue over brown AI.
I am guessing it will get better with time. Is it just me?

[Jesse]

That single aspect is probably the only part at I can think of that makes it harder. In fact, with the Mini-X, the higher your AGL altitude, the higher the white line is above the synthetic ground. I don't like this. I don't know if the other GRT screens do this. It is not nearly as pronounced on the other screens I have flown with synthetic vision. I greatly prefer the synthetic vision in most phases of flight, especially when it comes to flying an approach, where you can see towers and the runway on your screen.

[erikpmort]

I am getting my instrument with a mini ap as my pfd. It's small but even small it's pretty great to see the runway on the approach as you get closer. I would agree with you that the pitch can be a little hard to derive. I wonder if there are settings in the menu to overlay more pitch info. There is a lot of functionality and customization. Overall I'm happy I'm not flying a six pack and the backup battery adds confidence

[N395V]

Originally Posted by FORANE

Is it just me?

No"............................................... ..........

[rleffler]

It will get better with time and practice. There are also many other features that makes IFR easier.

For example, just put the flight director on the end of the runway and it makes adjusting for a cross wind a piece a cake. When I did my IPC this past year, I learned all kinds of features of my EFIS.

Unfortunately I don't fly IFR often enough to keep proficient as I would like on all the buttonology. With that said, I feel much more comfortable due to the reduced workload than I did with the steam gauges in my Cherokee.

[BobTurner]

First of all, don't kid yourself. It will take hours, not minutes, to get used to all of the extra info available on the PFD, and figuring out how to use it efficiently.
Second, I think there's a tendency to think that because you have all this extra info, you don't have to go back to basics. The PFD tempts you to think that you can use the AI as a "performance" instrument, instead of the "control" instrument that it is. e.g.,when you flew a basic 6 pack, on, say, an ILS, you'd look at the glide slope needle and look at the VSI, and then look at the AI (and/or throttle) to input any needed correction. With the PFD and all the synthetic vision, there's a tendency to not look at the VSI. But as you've discovered that makes it hard.

I personally have found the transition from familiar gauges to the PFD display to be a bit subtle in unanticipated ways. e.g., I do a much better job of maintaining heading when I split the screen and show an HSI on one side. My brain is used to a conventional DG and can hold a heading without thinking, when it's displayed on a round dial. But put it on a linear tape, and I have to think about it, especially the size of correction(s) needed.

Note added: Bob, I think you meant the "projected velocity vector", not the "flight director". The FD display is the inverted V command and attitude bars, where you nest them together to get the desired horizontal and vertical tracks.

[jclark]

Originally Posted by Jesse

That single aspect is probably the only part at I can think of that makes it harder. In fact, with the Mini-X, the higher your AGL altitude, the higher the white line is above the synthetic ground. I don't like this. I don't know if the other GRT screens do this. It is not nearly as pronounced on the other screens I have flown with synthetic vision. I greatly prefer the synthetic vision in most phases of flight, especially when it comes to flying an approach, where you can see towers and the runway on your screen.

I too have found the "horizon line" takes a bit of getting used to as well. Even been tempted to switch the more traditional view.

I have considered asking them to make the horizon line on the Synthetic Vision a few dots thicker.

The "perspective" on the MINI is a little different. Discussed this with Greg when the MINI first came out. It is something that I **think** they can change but probably won't unless there are a lot of people who feel that it should be.

As implied, if you get high enough, your screen will basically be full of "sky" if all before you is flatland.

James

[RV8iator]

I think the more you use it and understand what you are seeing the easier it will get.

The white attitude line is really an attitude/altitude line. It depicts where you are in relation to the ground, hence the higher you are the more blue between the line and the ground displayed, if that makes sense. It will make you look at the big picture instead of just seeing it as an attitude indicator. If you have the opportunity to fly near mountainous terrain this can be easily demonstrated. Fly at an altitude below the highest elevation in the distance and you can see the white line cuttng through the terran displayed.

I'm so used to it now that I just see it as the attitude indicator in the sky.

[F1R]

That is the biggest reason I keep a D6 in my panel right below the MiniX. Just a plain AI and pitch ladder to easily see attitude on climb out on black nights and IMC.

[RV8iator]

You can run the Mini just like an old attitude indicator if you so desire. Simple punch of a button out of SV.