This is a mental experiment. It is an attempt to visualize what would happen if major aircraft manufacturers built a clean-sheet aircraft, instead of merely updating 50-year old designs. It also considers how today’s new aircraft could be improved through the addition of available technology.Pie-in-the-sky advancements like superconductivity and artificial intelligence are off-limits. It is all the more impressive to take “off-the-shelf” technology and make it work in new ways. It also means the new use is readily available to us.
Some consideration also needs to be made regarding costs. But this treatise assumes that the aircraft of the near-future will be easier to operate and accordingly, will attract a larger audience. This larger audience, in turn, generates more unit sales, This reduces the per-unit costs of components that currently are pricey. For instance, if Cadillac can install forward-looking infrared viewers today, our aircraft manufacturers of tomorrow should be able to do the same as unit sales climb.
This larger audience will be attracted to a GA aircraft that are both significantly easier and safer to operate. It will not be like operating a car, but it will be significantly simpler than what most of us fly today. Making the flight experience simpler also makes it safer. This is what will attract a larger audience and increased unit sales.
A final but very important part of this vision is the enhancement of the FAA system itself. Air traffic volumes continue to climb. This means that our current system, which has served us admirably, also needs to advance to continue providing a safe system.
So, what awaits us on the ramp of 2015 besides composite airframes, flat-panel PFD’s and MFD’s? Let’s put on our thinking caps and dream a little.
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I park my car at the airport. I pull my flight bag out of the trunk. It’s not large, holding my FAA-mandated back-up paper maps, my Bluetooth wireless headset and my Aircraft Interface Device (AID). It looks a lot like a Blackberry with a color LCD screen and a small keyboard.
My AID provides a wide range of capabilities. It is a fully-configured flight-planner and E6 calculator, as well as a handheld computer. It is a radio and cell phone communicator and has a built-in ELT. It also has my logbook and the POH of all the aircraft I fly, including their individual weight and balance data. My AID is also Bluetooth wireless.
I walk up to my 2015 Cessna Skyhawk. It looks more like an extra curvy Cardinal than the stubby, strut-braced model that sprang off the drawing boards in the 1950’s. It is a carbon-fiber fuselage reinforced with an internal cast-formed aluminum frame. This frame protects the occupants and strengthens the aircraft, which is rated to +6/-3 g’s, even though it is not certified as an aerobatic model.
Carbon fiber is the main construction material. The twin wing spars are made of it, as are the control surfaces. The weight-savings of the use of the carbon fiber is offset somewhat by the addition of some equipment, so the final gross weight is very similar to the Skyhawk of old.
As I approach the aircraft, I unlock the doors and baggage compartment remotely with my AID. The aircraft has three internal batteries and is always “hot”, electrically-speaking. My AID waits while the aircraft’s onboard computer comes out of sleep mode and then automatically interrogates the aircraft’s systems. The results are then transmitted to my AID within seconds.
I look at the screen on the AID. It tells me all of the aircraft systems check out. The AID screen indicates the fuel tanks are full and the engine oil quantity and coolant levels are within specifications. Since this is a rental aircraft, the aircraft intrusion and movement functions are disabled. (It’s nice to know if your aircraft has been moved or entered while you were away.) But the aircraft’s Hobbs time was collected and stored in my AID from the FBO’s server when I walked onto the ramp. The AID checks the aircraft to make sure it has the time the FBO says it has.
There is one final check. The aircraft automatically cycles through full control movements on ailerons, elevator and rudder while I watch. The flaps deploy to full down. How is this accomplished? Well, the aircraft is a triple redundant, fly-by-wire design. There are three servos at each surface, each connected to its own circuit and wiring harness. One server can provide full control. The aircraft confirms that all control systems are in spec and ready for flight.
The initial checks show the aircraft is ready. The screen is asking me for information on the occupants, both weight and seat. It assumes I am the pilot, so my weight shows up for the left front seat. I am alone for this flight, so I simply press the return key on my AID. The weight & balance results immediate display and show me to be in the envelope both at full and empty fuel.
So, where am I going today? That’s a good question that my AID and aircraft want to know. I have about 40 individual flight plans already stored into my AID. But today’s flight is just a local area jaunt. So, I select the local area option on my screen. The aircraft pulls down the local area weather via its satellite datalink and the results show up on my AID. I see there will be a slight crosswind for take-off and that winds above 7,000 are rather strong. But since I am buzzing around the local area at a lower altitude and everything is CAVU, there are no worries.
I put my flight bag and headset in the aircraft. I make a visual inspection to confirm things look as my AID told me they would. I grab the fuel strainer prior to my exterior inspection (some things don’t change). What is different is that my AID has the exterior inspection checklist. I need to check each item off before it goes to the next. And there is no skipping this function, either. If the exterior and interior checklists are not accomplished, the AID will not let the aircraft start.
So, I’m releasing tiedowns, running my hands over the leading edges, inspecting control surface hinge attachments, draining fuel, peering into fuel tanks and checking engine fluid levels, just like Grandpa did. I visually inspect the tires, but my AID has already picked up the tire pressure from the aircraft’s automatic systems. (How many times did Grandpa actually check tire pressure?)
The aircraft is really stunning. Compound curves abound and fit and finish is almost perfectly seamless. All of this conspires to provide me with an aircraft that is much faster for its rated power than the old aluminum skin designs. Don’t forget that this is the base level four passenger aircraft. Yet, it is capable of cruising 150 knots+ for a bladder busting ten hours. Of course, this endurance capacity also means I am not fueling at every stop.
Why tanker extra fuel, you ask? Well, let’s talk about the engine. My 2015 Skyhawk is a turbo-diesel four cylinder, rated to 150 horsepower. It consumes JP4 at a miserly four to five gallons per hour at cruise. So I am not really carrying a whole lot of extra fuel around to get that extra range. We will talk more about the engine later.
The exterior checks are complete, so let’s get in and buckle up. My Cessna retains the control yokes we all remember and the emergency airbag seatbelts. The instrument panel has slimmed down to fit the dual LCD panels and the backup artificial horizon, airspeed and altimeter. These backup instruments are digital, however, not mechanical. No, those unreliable systems are not to be found on this aircraft.
My AID plugs into a preset mount in my forward view on the lower instrument panel. It will now pull power from the aircraft and recharge its internal batteries. I put on my headset. Everyone thought that these things would have gone away, but the reality is noise is generated when pushing through the air at high speeds. An optional noise-canceling system in the aircraft can help. But you just can’t beat the sound deadening of a good headset.
There is another benefit, too. It is easier to talk to my aircraft with a headset. That’s right, talk. You see, my aircraft uses voice recognition software along with an extensive library of words to communicate to me. It’s not artificial intelligence, not by a long shot. But it is a lot like those automotive GPS navigators that blurt out driving instructions. Except that my aircraft walks me through checklists and provides navigation and operating alerts.
So, my aircraft walks me through the brief pre-start checklist. After each item, I verbally provide the response noted in my POH. In a way, it is a lot like my early flying with an instructor, who would also walk me through a checklist.
Time to select “On” for the master electrical switch. The outside navigation and taxi lights automatically turn on. I visually clear the area as requested by the aircraft, respond by saying “clear” and press the ignition button.
The starting sequence is automatic, adjusting for either cold or hot starting, at whatever altitude I am at. The engine is a full FADEC, naturally. Three blades rotate in my forward view and the aircraft starts and immediately goes to idle RPM. The entire sequence took just seconds. And it always does.
Time to contact ground control? Well, the aircraft did that earlier when it learned of our flight plan. It transmitted a text message on the appropriate frequency. Now all I have to do is call ground and identify myself to get clearance. As we taxi, the aircraft is checking systems and performance, like engine oil pressure, electrical output and a lot more.
There is still a run-up check, but now the aircraft is doing most of the work. I answer the aircraft’s verbal checklist callouts with the appropriate physical action and a verbal response. When I confirm the aircraft’s cyber voice “ready for take-off” by repeating the phrase, the radio frequency automatically switches to the tower frequency for me.
As I advance power during the take-off roll, the aircraft is providing verbal call-outs of key engine parameters. It is also calling out my airspeed and makes the call for rotation at the appropriate moment. All of this help is intended for me to keep my head out of the cockpit and looking where we are going. I also have another system helping me do this and that’s my heads-up display. Glowing numbers and symbols appear in my line of sight. At no time during the take-off process is there a reason for me to look down in the cockpit.
The aircraft gets light on its wheels as the wing starts to fly. The moment of takeoff is delightfully the same as it was in the very first aircraft. This difference here is that I am given the opportunity to completely concentrate on flying the aircraft while the aircraft monitors systems and flight parameters. Verbal alerts come when parameters are trending to end up outside of the flight-operating envelope.
Something else becomes apparent when I climb out. The controls are crisp and perfectly balanced between pitch, roll and yaw. In fact, no matter what airspeed I fly at, these controls always feel exactly the same and require the same amount of input to get the desired action. The days of mushy control forces are over.
So are the days of trimming out heavy control forces. That is done automatically for me. As I level off, I pull the throttle back to the “cruise” indent and state “fifty percent power.” The aircraft complies and we have the requested power setting in seconds. (I also could have stated an airspeed or power setting and the aircraft would have adjusted accordingly.)
Since this is purely a pleasure flight, I steer the aircraft towards things I want to look at. I am also alert, looking for other aircraft, naturally. But I also have the aircraft looking for me as well, using the traffic alert system required of all aircraft. Terrain alerting is also a mandated feature in all aircraft.
Since I haven’t done any airwork in awhile, I decide to practice some maneuvers. But the goal of this activity is not stall or spin avoidance. No, my aircraft, in true fly-by-wire technology, will not allow me to stall the wing aircraft anywhere except inches from the runway. It will also keep me from overstressing the airframe by not allowing me to fly beyond Vno or use full control surface movements beyond the specified maneuvering speed.
The real goal of my airwork is to fly the aircraft during the maneuvers and to not force the aircraft to intervene, which you can easily feel when it happens. There is still a lot of satisfaction that comes from skillfully operating the aircraft. The difference here is that I cannot inadvertently do something that could break the airplane or put me into jeopardy.
I’m starting to feel hungry and remember that Franklin airport 50 miles away has a great lunch. I state “destination Franklin” and the navigation computer comes alive. It provides me with a course towards Franklin and begins counting down our progress. The Franklin ATIS information automatically appears on my MFD at the same time the aircraft reads it to me.
As an interesting side note, radio communications are not limited by line of sight. Today, satellite radio has revolutionized communications. I can talk to virtually any ground station anywhere on the globe from anywhere. Of course, there are a lot more frequencies now, but that’s another story.
There is also constant ground monitoring of aircraft in the air, as all are considered to be “in-the-system.” Constant transponder monitoring keeps track of all aircraft, regardless of altitude. Actual verbal communications with ground controllers does not happen as frequently as it once did. That has been replaced by automatic aircraft to ground communications and by ground to air text messaging.
So, the system knows I am now heading towards Franklin as a stated destination. The tower there also knows I am inbound and from where and when I should arrive. My job is to call no later than 10 miles out for sequencing. In high traffic times, it is possible to get an immediate text message right after I announce a destination, informing me of arrival delays and holding areas.
But today is not a high traffic day for Franklin. As I steer towards the airport, the aircraft begins calling out altitude changes that give me a 500 fpm descent to pattern altitude. This is aided by the HITS flight director display on my PFD, which gives me unambiguous symbology to guide me in a three dimensional world.
As I make my initial call, the tower is ready for me and gives me my landing instructions. The dialogue back and forth is almost indistinguishable from that spoken 40 years ago. Again, some things don’t change. It worked well then and it still does in 2015.
I visually acquire the airport just at the 10-mile mark. My MFD clearly shows the other aircraft approaching and already in the pattern. I call the tower again, as previously requested, at the 5-mile mark. Final landing instructions are received and my arrival looks assured.
The words “landing checklist” brings up the aircraft cyber voice call-outs that I also confirm verbally. It’s not much of a list, actually, so it does not take very long. I start calling out airspeed commands and the aircraft complies. Pretty soon I am on short final and the landing is seconds away. This is one of those times that consistent control feel comes in very handy. The aircraft is providing AGL callouts as we descend towards the runway. At about 30 feet AGL I pull the power to idle position. After the flare and touchdown, I apply the brakes. During the whole sequence, my head never looked down into the cockpit. Everything I need to know what either in my field of view thanks to the HUD or given to me verbally by the aircraft itself.
As I pull off the active, I tell the aircraft “taxi checklist.” The aircraft reads through the brief list of items and I follow along. It is not a very busy day at Franklin, so ground control is all text messaging. I taxi to transient parking, looking forward to my lunch. I take my AID with me, of course.
Before the end of my meal, I have picked up the weather along my route of flight home. I live close to the ocean and it seems the marine layer has moved in, putting things at IFR conditions. This is of no concern to me. Only the Sport Pilots are VFR. All Private Pilot certificates today include instrument flight rules capability.
But instrument flight today is nothing like it was even just 10 years ago. The advanced systems in use in my aircraft and in the flight system itself makes flying in the clouds no big deal. As I approach my aircraft, it picks up my flight plan from the AID and files it automatically for me. In seconds, I have a direct routing approval from the FAA.
I take-off into VFR conditions. About halfway into the flight, I enter the clouds. I tell the aircraft “infrared” and now my HUD displays the scene through the muck. This means I have reference to the ground. That and the multiple inputs that are showing me attitude and flightpath have virtually eliminated the chance of disorientation, even in bumpy air.
My home field of Oceano is a little busy this afternoon. The controller’s text message tells me I need to hold about 15 miles out. I tell the aircraft the hold procedure name and let it fly while I monitor the MFD, watching the traffic ahead of me enter the airport area. Before too long it is my turn. I am given approval to make the approach.
Of course, this too has changed from years past. The synthetic vision and HITS input lets me fly a traditional pattern. No more back course approaches and reverse sensing for this or any other pilot.
The ceiling is particularly low today. But I hardly take notice as I break out at about 300 feet. My FLIR meant I never really had to transition from the instruments to the actual field of view. Again, with my verbal connection to the aircraft, the instrument approach was really no harder than my VFR arrival.
As I tie down the aircraft, I wonder how past generations of pilots did it. I marvel at their tenacity to conquer limited flight systems and aircraft capability in a world of very unforgiving weather conditions. Of course, all this difficulty meant there was a natural selection to becoming a pilot. Most of the population didn’t find the challenges particularly appealing. That’s why only a small minority decided they were up for it and accepted the difficulties. Yes, those were the days.
I’m glad they are over, though. The flight world of 2015 is intuitive and much safer. That’s a good thing too, since the commercial airline volume is busting at the seams. Anything I can do to avoid that mess is a good thing. Thankfully, the FAA agreed and made sure General Aviation would have a viable place in the transportation system.
Now that I think of it, now are the days for general aviation. Flying my own aircraft has never been better. What a time to be a pilot.
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The Future for GA
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