Cockpits are going glass these days. Okay, so it’s been the cool thing to do since the 767 in the early 80s, and airliner makers like Airbus and Boeing have also been computerizing other systems along the way. If you were ever (or wanted to be) a flight engineer, you can thank glass for keeping you in the older jets.

Glass cockpits are great – better situational awareness results in increased safety and confidence. Of course, there are downsides as well: pilots switching from steam gauges to glass require a significant amount of training to make the transition smooth. Also, with glass comes automation and technology (GPS, approach-mode autopilots, FMS), and studies have shown that pilots who rely on technology do worse when systems fail.

Recently my college, UND Aerospace, has purchased several glass Cirrus SR20s and Piper PA-28-161 Warriors, all equipped with Avidyne displays. There has been talk about shifting primary training to these glass aircraft in an attempt to ‘keep with the times’. This, in my mind, could be a mistake – introducing students to this technology from the start could leave them totally clueless without it.

Then again, the technology has been used without major problems in airliners since the 767. It’s mature, and maybe now is the right time for it to go mainstream in the rest of the aviation world. After all, a majority of the newly-built Beechcraft and Cessna aircraft are now offered with Garmin glass, and most buyers choose it. Glass will become even more common in general aviation over the next five or so years, and I’m looking forward to seeing where it goes.