414 in the water off of San Diego

I’ve almost got 20K hours and enough types that, if added another, I’m going to need another “green card”.

But if you put me in a piston twin and sent me to go fly into SAN, without an instructor or a super-experience pilot in the 414, it’s not going to be pretty.

I mean, if it’s got an HSI, basic radios, is one thing. But a modern avionics package without substantial training is a recipe for disaster for me. I was speaking to a person about their checkride failure and the things explained to me about selecting and attempting to execute an approach in a G-1000 just went over my head.
 
I have some time in old school light twins (AC500's). It's high workload for six pack IFR and a Garmin 530. A 414 is faster and more complex. If the pilot came from a PFD/MFD background it would eat his lunch is short order.
 
I’ve almost got 20K hours and enough types that, if added another, I’m going to need another “green card”.

But if you put me in a piston twin and sent me to go fly into SAN, without an instructor or a super-experience pilot in the 414, it’s not going to be pretty.

I mean, if it’s got an HSI, basic radios, is one thing. But a modern avionics package without substantial training is a recipe for disaster for me. I was speaking to a person about their checkride failure and the things explained to me about selecting and attempting to execute an approach in a G-1000 just went over my head.

Someone should study it if they haven't already, but I'm a big believer that Garmin's effort to do everything in its modern packages is probably having a reverse effect on overall safety. Trying to learn every nuance of the G3X while flying the aircraft proved to be overwhelming, so I just limited myself to what I needed 98% of the time. I then moved over to the Avidyne product in the older model Cirrus and fell in love with its simplicity. It makes those 98% of things incredibly simple to find and operate, and if you want the other 2%, you can dig into the 430s.
 
Someone should study it if they haven't already, but I'm a big believer that Garmin's effort to do everything in its modern packages is probably having a reverse effect on overall safety. Trying to learn every nuance of the G3X while flying the aircraft proved to be overwhelming, so I just limited myself to what I needed 98% of the time. I then moved over to the Avidyne product in the older model Cirrus and fell in love with its simplicity. It makes those 98% of things incredibly simple to find and operate, and if you want the other 2%, you can dig into the 430s.

We're in the process of updating our fleet from six pack to Garmin gi275 Pfd, 750, and Garmin autopilot. I would say exactly the opposite - the new stuff is so light years ahead of the 430w and a six pack in terms of usability, situational awareness, and ergonomics.

Yes, if one hasn't had the very basic familiarization with the equipment and decided to blast off into IMC, there might be some issues, but this stuff is iPad-level intuitive for setting up and executing flight plans and approaches.

And if it's all too much, there's always the Big Red Button. It will still fly like an airplane.
 
We're in the process of updating our fleet from six pack to Garmin gi275 Pfd, 750, and Garmin autopilot. I would say exactly the opposite - the new stuff is so light years ahead of the 430w and a six pack in terms of usability, situational awareness, and ergonomics.

Yes, if one hasn't had the very basic familiarization with the equipment and decided to blast off into IMC, there might be some issues, but this stuff is iPad-level intuitive for setting up and executing flight plans and approaches.

And if it's all too much, there's always the Big Red Button. It will still fly like an airplane.

That's fair - I think the issue is more for us weekend warriors that might end up in the soup once a year.
 
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