Applications
in General Aviation: a Comparison – The Cessna 182
The Cessna 182 – standard cockpit “steam gauge” style
Cessna 182 with a Garmin G1000 Glass Cockpit configuration
Limitations:
The primary limitations of glass cockpit technology are cost and available “real estate” inside the cockpit. Not all aircraft can be retrofitted with a “full glass cockpit” as the current manufacturers are targeting certain aircraft types. There are several manufacturers that produce generic components that can fit in mostly all general aviation cockpits. Depending on the individual budget, limitations can exist from a cost standpoint. In certain cases, the cost can be a high percentage of an aircrafts’ overall market value.
An additional limitation is the integration of heterogeneous architectures. Only certain components are able to communicate via the integrated bus-type architecture. Each manufacturer specifies the interface and equipment types that can interface with their systems. This is a critical knowledge area for the aircraft owner when purchasing such components as the units are certified to operate within these interface limits. Avionics technicians knowledgeable in this area are able to assist consumers during the acquisition process and are typically employed by the manufacturers of glass cockpits.
Definition: What is a “glass”
cockpit?
A modern commercial example – The
Boeing 747 – “Then and Now”
History and Background –
Technology Profile
How does it work? – A brief
explanation of the glass cockpit components
The Transformation from commercial use to General Aviation – Recent Applications