Visual & Audible Airspace Warnings

[carlp101]

Hi,

I'm flying with the latest v15 software. I see the new airspace information widget in the map view. Although it's a welcome addition it requires you to actively check it. Yes, it doesn't require much effort, but as you should be looking out of the windows as much as possible or you may be checking a map, etc. an audible "Airspace" warning would alert you to a potential infringement based on you current altitude, track and speed. The time the audible warning is generated before the potential infringement should be configurable by the pilot. The pilot then checks the airspace information displayed on the new widget.

A much easier way of displaying the potential infringement would be to flash the border of the airspace - say three times quickly, then pause, perhaps 5 seconds, then three times quickly again, and so on. At the same time the red WARNING message button flashes on the bottom of the display. Pressing it displays the airspace details - the top and bottom boundary altitudes, your altitude and a count-down in minutes and seconds before you'll infringe it. Pressing the button again acknowledges the warning and hides the detail. The airspace boundary on the map also stops flashing. Again, it would be possible turn off this functionality in settings.

What does everyone think? Without a SkyDemon like virtual radar feature this may be the next best thing.

Regards
Carl

 

[mitch757]

I agree that an "Approaching Airspace" aural warning when the flight path is projected to enter certain airspace is much better than a gray rectangle stuck on the map screen.

 

[carlp101]

Hi Dynon.

Any comment on my suggestions or have they fallen down a crack?

Regards
Carl

 

[vlittle]

I have airspace warnings on my Garmin GPS and they are useless. In complex airspace (southwestern B.C.) you get constant warnings and a change in heading will give more warnings. It takes at least 16 frequency changes on a 20 minute flight from Victoria to Vancouver through terminal airspace.

The airspace warnings provided do not provide any frequency information so they are just distracting.

In simpler airspace enroute on along trip, I would have time to look up the required frequency on my paper chart. Using the SV (with the Pocket FMS database) to look up airspace frequencies is very difficult so I need the paper charts or the raster charts provided by FLTPLan Go or similar apps on an iPad.

I tried collaberating with PFMS to have airspace frequency information properly displayed. They made some improvements and worked with Dynon on this, but there is only so much that can done without a lot more intelligence built into the system.

For example, altitude aware frequency selection would also require knowledge of whether the aircraft is climbing or descending or turning.

So until this kind of functionality provides a reduction in workload, I'm not a fan.

Vern

 

[Dynon]

While we always read comments and ideas on the forum (and log all of them for discussion / possible inclusion here), we don't always comment here. We definitely think there is room for interesting additional ways to help keep pilots out of airspaces that they don't mean to be in.