Jay Honeck
Touchdown! Greaser!
It was a fairly dull year for avionics, IMHO, unless you're stuck flying certified aircraft. Then, you were likely doing cartwheels to have access to stuff that we, in the experimental world, have enjoyed for years. It seemed like everyone came out with tiny AHRS-driven EFIS's this year, with Dynon and GRT Avionics pushing them, hard.
For me, however, the coolest thing, hand's down, was down in EAA's new "Innovators Building". There, we were offered a glimpse of the future of avionics, with augmented reality glasses up and running in a flight simulator.
To be able to fly along, "seeing" airspace, airports, and flight information simply by looking at them, was amazing! Your eyes never left the sky, yet ALL of the information that is currently displayed on my panel was right THERE.
It made me realize that the vendors at OSH 2030 will probably be all software developers offering upgrades to our VR glasses. Where we currently put avionics will be a big, flat, empty space, full of handy cup holders and storage.
The OTHER cool thing at OSH 16 was the company that is bringing their ADS-B drone technology to G.A. I held an entire ADS-B system, offering in-and-out, that weighed GRAMS, and was only slightly bigger than a postage stamp!
Instantly, everything Garmin, Bendix-King, GRT, Trig, and Dynon had on display looked ridiculously obsolete and horribly overpriced. I regret that I can't remember the company's name -- anyone here know it?
Those were the two breakthroughs I saw at the show. Did I miss any?
For me, however, the coolest thing, hand's down, was down in EAA's new "Innovators Building". There, we were offered a glimpse of the future of avionics, with augmented reality glasses up and running in a flight simulator.
To be able to fly along, "seeing" airspace, airports, and flight information simply by looking at them, was amazing! Your eyes never left the sky, yet ALL of the information that is currently displayed on my panel was right THERE.
It made me realize that the vendors at OSH 2030 will probably be all software developers offering upgrades to our VR glasses. Where we currently put avionics will be a big, flat, empty space, full of handy cup holders and storage.
The OTHER cool thing at OSH 16 was the company that is bringing their ADS-B drone technology to G.A. I held an entire ADS-B system, offering in-and-out, that weighed GRAMS, and was only slightly bigger than a postage stamp!
Instantly, everything Garmin, Bendix-King, GRT, Trig, and Dynon had on display looked ridiculously obsolete and horribly overpriced. I regret that I can't remember the company's name -- anyone here know it?
Those were the two breakthroughs I saw at the show. Did I miss any?
