Avionics News October 2014 - 77

RADIO

DIGITAL AUDIO

AUDIO

AUDIO

KNOWLEDGE, FAMILIARITY:
KEYS UNLOCK THE REALM OF
THE TOUCH-SENSITIVE
For	newer,	younger	pilots	who	
face	touching	a	screen	icon	to	control	
functions	poses	a	relatively	small	
challenge.	Many	of	these	folks	already	
grasp	menu	logic,	for	example,	and	the	
layering	of	controls	and	screen	displays	
available	with	various	touch	inputs.
As	one	veteran	pilot	told	me,	older	
pilots	grasp	the	difference	thanks	to	
learning	the	interface	of	his	smartphone	
-	and	a	grandson's	tablet.	Of	course,	
some	pilots	-	and	they	seem	to	span	an	
age	range	-	remain	unconvinced.
Those	most	baffled	experience	
their	confusion	when	an	icon	
vanishes	-	or	appears	-	or	when	they	
can't	restore	a	screen	conveniently	
reduced	to	a	small	icon	in	full	view,	
waiting	for	the	user	to	notice	and	tap	
it	back	into	view.
The	mantra	echoes	up	and	down	
the	line,	from	avionics	makers	to	
instructor	pilots	to	those	safety	
officials	and	researchers	who	
accumulate	the	statistical	snapshots	
that	reveal	our	safety	progress	as	a	
community.	
Lately,	cockpit	distractions	seem	
more	prevalent	in	safety	discussions,	
reports	and	statistics.	Some	see	this	
as	a	simple	parallel	to	a	similar	issue	
among	drivers	and	their	smartphones.	
Others	see	the	issue	as	a	reflection	of	
the	lack	of	preparedness	some	pilots	
bring	to	their	new	touch-the-glass	
avionics	systems.
The	feedback	is	about	as	universal	
as	the	24-hour	day:	Don't	do	it.	Just	
don't.
Learn;	train;	practice.	That's	the	
advice	of	many	avionics	makers	and	
flight	instructors.

© 2014 Cobham. All rights reserved.

management	and	flight-plan	loading	
into	the	KSN	770	from	iPad	and	
Android	tablets	running	the	needed	
applications	-	wired	or	wirelessly	-	
further	adding	remote	touch-control	
capabilities	to	the	KSN	770.

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6400 Wilkinson Drive
Prescott, AZ 86301 USA
1-928-708-1550
sales.prescott@cobham.com

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NBAA | Oct 22-24
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Continued on following page
avionics news

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october

2014

77
9/8/14 12:10 PM
http://www.cobham.com/prescott
Avionics News October 2014

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Avionics News October 2014
