hotrod180
FRIEND
Port Townsend, WA
If you honestly think that synthetic vision on one of these small instruments is going to save your bacon.....you're fooling yourself. That falls into the category of "gadget". Of course, all of this stuff does at some level. That said, I've done needle, ball and airspeed to get out of where I shouldn't have been. Would have LOVED to have one of these that day.
Actually, thinking that ANY artificial horizon is gonna save your bacon is fooling yourself,
if you aren't current in flying on the gauges.
I found that out after my second flight review, 4 years after I'd gotten my private ticket--
which was the last time I'd flown under the hood.
I didn't remember it being so hard to keep the wings level, in level flight, and fly a heading--
all at the same time!!
I keep meaning to round up a safety pilot & a hood & knock the rust off of flying on my G5,
but I never seem to actually get around to it.
As far as gadgets goes...
I think most of these gizmos have way too many functions,
IMHO an attitude indicator, directional indicator, & turn ball is plenty--
I don't particularly need or want an AOA, g-meter, density altitude calculator, etc etc etc.
But I think because all they need to do is program more stuff onto the chip inside of them,
and maybe add another sensor, they just go ahead & put everything but the kitchen sink into them.