Glass cockpit displays in primary trainers

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Flying Saluki

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Is there a benefit to this? Seems to me as a former teacher, the old-style round gauges would be more beneficial to learning fundamental skills, and perhaps lowering the cost of instruction. Glass cockpit skills are something you can acquire later once the fundamentals are established. Thoughts?

Of course, this discussion ignores the question of availability o round gauge airplanes, but I tend to think that fleet is still quite large and available.
 
Flying Saluki said:
Is there a benefit to this? Seems to me as a former teacher, the old-style round gauges would be more beneficial to learning fundamental skills, and perhaps lowering the cost of instruction. Glass cockpit skills are something you can acquire later once the fundamentals are established. Thoughts?

Of course, this discussion ignores the question of availability o round gauge airplanes, but I tend to think that fleet is still quite large and available.
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I think it depends on your goals.

If you're a student who is going to purchase (or has purchased) a glass-cockpit airplane, then it makes sense to learn to fly that first.
 
As a datapoint, here, new hires going to the MD88, who's prior experience is a G1000 trainer to CRJ/ERJ are having a harder time in training than someone coming from a plane with round dials. Not insurmountable, but it's definitely noticeable. Takes them a few more sims to get the scan going.
 
Cptnchia said:
As a datapoint, here, new hires going to the MD88, who's prior experience is a G1000 trainer to CRJ/ERJ are having a harder time in training than someone coming from a plane with round dials. Not insurmountable, but it's definitely noticeable. Takes them a few more sims to get the scan going.
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As another datapoint, I've seen people with tons of round dial experience get massively behind trying to learn RNP approaches and FMS stuff.

It's 2017, glass cockpits aren't some new futuristic thing anymore. It is highly likely that your students will end up flying one eventually anyway. I think round dials are probably better for PPL because adding all the fancy screens is just overcomplicating things. After that it's a wash.
 
Private - Cessna 150 - Round
Instrument - Cirrus - Glass
Commercial - Seminole - Round
Commercial - Cirrus - Glass
CFII - 172 - Round
CFI - 172RG -Round
CRJ - Glass
727 FE - Very very round
727 FO - Round
EMB 175 - Glass

None of it matters, do whatever is cheapest and most fun.
 
Count me in the primary should be round dial camp. Your instruments at that level should be the horizon and your hands and feet.
 
I think there's benefits to both. When dad was a check airman on the DC9 he said a lot of RJ guys and others who came from glass planes had to do extra sims. When he was on the Whale and all he'd flown before that was the DC9 and turbo props he had to do some extra sims because he was new to glass.
 
Cptnchia said:
As a datapoint, here, new hires going to the MD88, who's prior experience is a G1000 trainer to CRJ/ERJ are having a harder time in training than someone coming from a plane with round dials. Not insurmountable, but it's definitely noticeable. Takes them a few more sims to get the scan going.
Click to expand...

Is this actually a datapoint, or is this anecdotal? You guys track that in the training pipeline? If so that's freaking awesome.
 
Imo, private and instrument should be done with steam guages. After that, just go with whatever is cheapest. Transitioning to glass from steam is much easier than the other way around.
 
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