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Synthetic Vision (Useful?)

Wesael

Well Known Member
I have had a Dynon Skyview EFIS in my airplane now with 230+ hrs of flight time and while it does look nice while flying I sometimes wonder if it really is useful or worth the extra money.


I have flew a lot of IMC approaches with it and while it does provide a really nice platform for situational awareness, I never really thought of it as a "have to have" item and still don't. However, last weekend I was presented with a problem that made this feature useful.


I was flying from Russelville, Ky to Mountain View, Mo and due to getting out of a meeting late the flight would end after night fall at the destination. I had called ahead and talked to a local pilot there and he informed me that the last he knew only a few of the runway lights worked. With this information I told him I would try for Mountain View but if it was to dark and I could not comfortably see the runway I would just go to West Plains because without having a precision instrument approach I may have trouble lining up with the runway.


When we arrived at the airport I was mostly looking out the window trying to locate what may look like a runway but all I could find was the reflection of a few hangars and a row of 4 vasi lights but I could not tell which side of the vasi's the runway was on. By this time we had flown over the airport and I was back looking at the GPS moving map and planning the turn down wind based on the runway depiction on the GPS. What I did not think about was the runway was on the EFIS (synthetic vision) before we flew over and would have provided a great way to line up with it but I had been too busy looking out the window trying to see it.


I made the turn downwind and base still fully expecting to just go back around and fly to the alternate.


I turned final and then noticed on the EFIS...right there was the runway. Man, why didn't I think of that! It was no problem then to get lined up with the runway and then fly down low enough for the landing lights to illuminate the markings.


Had a great time doing it.

Sorry about the over size pictures :confused::confused:


This is a file image of the Skyview and is basically what I was seeing when I finally looked at the EFIS.

http://www.dynonavionics.com/downloads/Press/SV-D1000_straight_on.jpg

Here is some pics from out the window.

IMG_20130201_063825.jpg

IMG_20130203_174022.jpg

IMG_20130203_173319.jpg

IMG_20130203_180242.jpg

IMG_20130203_175639.jpg

IMG_20130203_183541.jpg
 
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I like it and use it. Note the smaller runways are often not shown, well thats what I have found downunder :rolleyes:
 
There was a video floating around of a Lancair pilot that used SV to shoot basically an ad hoc flameout approach to a runway in the mountains, successfully and that pretty much solidified it's place at the top of my "must haves."
 
Even a lowly GRT Sport without the synthetic vision option includes a runway depiction. Very useful in the early morn and late evening flying into a low sun with haze.
 
At night, VFR, in the mountains.....Synthetic Vision significantly reduces the pucker factor!
 
Synthetic Vision

...reduces the pucker factor!

A. Wagner, a GRT Avionics customer with a Defiant, agrees emphatically. He had to shut down the rear engine after a cylinder blew. Here is his account. The story is better in person with more details but you may imagine; "it was a piece of cake".

Quote from A. Wagner:

"To help set the record straight, the synthetic vision, HITS, and
visualized approach (magenta boxes) is worth every penny.

Two weekends ago I lost a jug, shut down one engine, flew 60+ miles in
order to find a place to land that was the best place around – 100 foot
variable ceiling, 600 ft RVR. It was a piece of cake with the HX HS
combo. The soup was so thick that the tower had to ask me if I had
landed, and ground control wanted to know where I was while taxiing…

Practice, practice, practice, and the greatest aviation tool around –
GRT rocks!"
 
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