When most people mention a glass cockpit they are generally referring to the sleek look jetliners with their modern avionics making it look more like a computer game than an aircraft. Today, it isn't just jetliners that can have this sleek modern look.

Aircraft owners are slowly adopting this new technology and having it installed into their light aircraft. For the pilot it means more information and more training. Before you can fly your aircraft again you'll need to have a qualified instructor sign off on a type rating for your Technically Enhanced Aircraft or TEA.

"Operation under IFR requires a flight examiner check in addition to the type rating on TEA. In other words, IFR currency in round dial conventional equipment does not cover TEA and vice versa." says Carlton Campbell the Training Standards Development Officer at the CAA. "To use the privileges and endorsements on an instrument rating requires currency on the type of aid and currency in the appropriate layout of conventional and TEA."

For some of us sitting in the cockpit looking at digital screens and an excessive amount of knobs dials and buttons is a little intimidating. For others it means a more enjoyable and safe flight, from engine start up to shut down.

In today's world, information is everything and these electronic devices can do everything from fly your plane for you, to telling you about the air traffic and weather at your intended direction.

Live weather information is not yet available while you are flying in New Zealand however countries like the USA give pilots the opportunity to freely collect weather and flight information as they are flying and have it displayed in front of them live.

Mr Campbell said he was not aware of any intention to provide downlink weather for the likes of the Garmin 1000 in New Zealand how ever the CAA does provide private operations with the free Metflight service.

While on a flight from Taupo to Rotorua in early 2007 it became clear that this new technology isn't always reliable. The mapping software was missing a few key visual reporting points (the lakes south west of Rotorua) and we quickly found our self's disorientated before we went back to basics of air navigation. The map didn't help much at all until the local controller advised us we were flying towards the wrong lake and gave us our location via radar.

The development of Terrain Awareness Warning Systems or TAWS in New Zealand has been slow considering a large number of accidents involving weather and terrain higher than the aircraft is flying. Your GPS map indicates any terrain that is higher than the altitude you are flying. A deadly mix, but pilots equipped with the latest TAWS would have been alerted before they were put in pending danger.

So if TAWS can save lives why isn't it fitted to every aircraft?

Most pilots make their own decisions about TEA but for most these computerised flight systems are definitely the way of the future.

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