Glide Ratio and External Video

[GalinHdz]

1 - How about a glide ratio amount you can display on the PFD, Map or EMS page. Feet descended versus GPS distance traveled. Would be a great help during an engine out situation. Garmin x96 units have had this capability.

2 - Display VGA, or similar, digital video on the Skyview screen from an external source via the USB port. Would be a great feature for those long cross country trips where the wife gets bored and wants to play a video game.

PS: I love my Skyview!

 

[mmarien]

I like the idea of the glide ratio. One way to depict it would be to have SV draw a circle on the map page around the current location that would be the limits of glide. It should dynamically change in size and shape with the current glide ratio, altitude and local terrain. It would quickly show which airports/potential landing spots are reachable without having to do mental calculations.

The dashed line on the picture below is the limits of a glide on flat ground. The irregular shape is the limits because of the terrain. The area would shrink as the altitude decreased.

 

[GalinHdz]

With this idea you don't need the circle since if you were flying over flat terrain the "irregular" shape would wind up being a circle anyways.

Also, glide distance on a particular heading, depends on winds aloft. Since the SKYVIEW system is calculating the winds aloft, the "irregular" shape can take this into account. Based on TAS, winds aloft and descent rate it would give a better indication of what airport is within your current glide limits in other than your present direction of flight.