Squawk Ident
Which electronic aid or current navigation system would you like to use more on your flights? Why?
Anything built by Collins or Garmin would be ideal. Garmin is leading the way in ease of use and has increased the situational awareness of any pilot using its products.
Tom Greene
ATP/CFII. Citation XLS+
Contract Pilot
Spencer NC
iPad is an excellent tool to use during flights. It has all my charts and approach plates.
Kirk Grimes
Pvt-Inst. Pilatus PC-12NG
Chief Pilot
GWS Well Servicing
Edmonton AB, Canada
An inertial reference system (IRS) with GPS should be used more often. This solution provides flight path control in 3 dimensions and stability to auto flight.
John Huffman
ATP. Global Express
President & CEO
Flight Assurance
Oracle AZ
GPS would be my choice. The GPS has a degree of accuracy unmatched by any previous system. It has revolutionized the entire navigation spectrum – routing and approach procedures, a true area navigation system, and a worldwide date and time standard.
Omar Villarrubia
ATP. King Air 200
Contract Pilot
San Juan PR
For many years, I’ve been an advocate of synthetic or enhanced vision systems (SVS/EVS) and head-up displays (HUDs). When you’re on short final, this is where the majority of accidents happen. SVS/EVS is invaluable at the end of the flight when you are fatigued and when you need all the help you can get.
Norman Kellman
ATP/A&P. Boeing 727 & Embraer 140
Consultant & Pilot
Al-Fatooh, Gen Trading & Cont Est
Bothell WA
ForeFlight is my favorite app. It’s reliable, it has great features, and it’s always updating. In my opinion, it’s a well-thought-out software app designed for pilots.
Michael Koonce
Comm-Multi-Inst. TBM 930
President
H2 Strategics
Oakland CA
ADS-B In is a new option for the airframe I fly currently, and we hope to have it installed during the next inspection. The increased situational awareness and data from proximate traffic will be exceptional.
David Bjellos
ATP. Gulfstream G650
Senior Captain
EJM
West Palm Beach FL
My preference would be the GPS. It’s more reliable and dependable. At least if the GPS goes down, the inertial NAVs are good for 6 hours. Thank goodness, we have both.
Mark Jones
ATP/A&P. Falcon 2000EX EASy
Dir of Aviation
Neurosurgery and Endovascular Associates
Milwaukee WI
I’d continue to expand the use of RNAV (GPS) approaches with vertical guidance to smaller airports not previously or otherwise served by an instrument landing system (ILS).
Greg Keshishan
Comm-Multi-Inst/CFII. King Air C90 & Baron 58P
Managing Partner
GK Partners
Brooklyn NY
Astronautics’ Cockpit Display of Traffic Information (CDTI), with ADS-B In, 3D weather, RDR, and SVS, is what I’d like to use. And the main reason is to have a better image of the WX and traffic around when needed.
Thomas Irbinger
ATP. Global Express/XRS
Captain
Jet Aviation
Tung Chung, Hong Kong
I prefer Collins over Honeywell systems. I find Collins to be much more pilot friendly and more intuitive.
Bill Wille
ATP. Global Express
Captain
Cirrus Aviation
Nashville TN
Additional RNP approaches that allow better access to airports like WVI (Watsonville CA) and TVL (Lake Tahoe CA), are something I’d like to use more often. I believe a RWY 20 approach to WVI and a RWY 36 approach to TVL would make these airports more accessible in poor weather conditions.
David Guerrieri
Comm-Multi-Inst/CFII. TBM 700
Chief Pilot
GaryAir
Watsonville CA
Would like to use more RNP-AR approaches for GA airports, and an easier path to FAA approval for appropriately equipped aircraft. Let’s use this tool to end the continuing tragic results of night or reduced-visibility fog/smoke non-precision circling maneuvers. My second wish list item is to see the expanded adaptation of domestic enroute CPDLC. Again, it’s up to FAA to redefine reasonable performance standards so this technology can be utilized by a greater number of aircraft, reducing both pilot and controller workload.
Chuck Ratliff
ATP. Falcon 900LX
Chief Pilot
BACI
Spring TX
I’d like to see CPDLC for offshore helicopters in the Gulf of Mexico. At present, offshore comms are primarily dependent upon VHF comms either with ARTCC or via a relay using either another aircraft or a comm center. This congests the airwaves badly during hard IFR days. A more direct means of receiving and acknowledging IFR clearances offshore would be much more efficient and also enhance safety offshore by relieving the overburdened VHF frequencies.
Michael O’Brien
ATP. Leonardo AW139
AW139 Captain
PHI Aviation
Pensacola FL
Garmin Pilot App is what I’d like to use more often. It’s an option with a familiar layout if you have a Garmin panel.
Ernie Senatore
Comm-Multi-Inst. Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftain
Chief Pilot
DCP Services
Loxahatchee FL
Automatic Direction Finder (ADF) is what I’d like to use more. In certain situations, or for specific purposes, ADF can be advantageous for several reasons. 1 Redundancy. ADF serves as a backup navigation system. In cases where primary navigation systems like GPS or VOR may fail or experience interruption, having ADF can be crucial for maintaining navigational capabilities. 2 Coverage. ADF operates in the low-frequency AM band, which allows it to work effectively in areas where other systems like GPS may have limited coverage or accuracy issues, such as polar regions or mountainous terrain. 3 Cost-efficiency. ADF equipment is generally more affordable than modern navigation systems, making it an attractive option for budget-conscious operators, especially in smaller aircraft or older models. 4 Simplicity. ADF systems are relatively straightforward to operate and require less training and expertise compared to more complex modern avionics systems. This can be an advantage for pilots who prefer simplicity or for use in aircraft with minimal avionics. 5 Non-interference. ADF is less susceptible to interference from electronic devices or radio signals, which can be a concern with more advanced systems like GPS. 6 Low power consumption. ADF typically has lower power requirements that can contribute to energy efficiency in aircraft. However, it’s important to note that ADF has limitations, such as its inability to provide precise position information and limited functionality compared to modern systems. Therefore, the decision to stick to ADF should be made based on the specific needs, budget, and operational context of the aircraft and its mission. In many cases, a combination of navigation systems, including ADF as a backup, may provide the best overall solution for aviation safety and efficiency.
Mohamed Jamsidh
Operator. Cessna 152
Key Account Mgr – Product Development
Fits Cargo
Colombo, Sri Lanka
Our company’s iPad is pretty nice to use. It’s the only device I can think of that I’d like to use more. The only reason I say this is because we only have domestic Internet. When we fly international, the Internet goes away, and with it our weather updates and traffic displays on the iPad. At least the charts don’t go away with the Internet.
Ryan Johnson
ATP. Challenger 604
Captain
KMR Aviation
Modesto CA
CPDLC is what I’d like to use more during flights. Using CPDLC eliminates any problem with accents or mumbling, especially out of the country. Also, a written record of frequencies and other clearance items is available, and as a result there are no misunderstandings, and hence fewer or no mistakes. And finally, there are no missed calls.
Len Rand
ATP. Citation CJ3
Owner & Pilot
Rand Consulting
Santa Fe NM
Own-ship position from the aircraft GPS via ARINC 429 link to the onboard Internet system router, displayed on an iPad for Oceanic gross navigation error (GNE) plots, would be my preference. Taking advantage of current technology to streamline the Oceanic GNE plot process would be beneficial.
Randy Dohs
ATP. Gulfstream G500
Chief Pilot
Vojet Aviation
Milwaukee WI
ForeFlight is the app I’d like to use more during my flights. It offers a whole range of features, including numerous map overlay options, flight planning capability, and North Atlantic Track (NAT) planning for ocean crossings.
Martyn Doll
ATP. Challenger 300
Captain
Chartright
Ajax ON, Canada