Garmin continues to make progress with its Head-up Display (GHD 2100) for super-midsize business aircraft, flight testing and heading for certification on the Cessna Citation Longitude in conjunction with the G5000 integrated flight deck.
The GHD system incorporates modern optical design within a single display unit, projecting a crisp, clear view of pertinent flight information while also offering superior integration with Garmin integrated flight decks.
Garmin is featuring a state-of-the-art, fully functional HUD at the Garmin exhibit (C12412) at NBAA.
“The operational benefits of flying with a HUD are significant, resulting in fewer missed approaches and vastly improved situational awareness – particularly in challenging environments,” said Carl Wolf, Garmin vice president of aviation sales and marketing.
Throughout flight testing in the Citation Longitude, the GHD continues to progress in its own development and evaluation. Numerous instrument approaches in a variety of flight environments have been conducted during recent flight evaluations. Additionally, Garmin has completed a comprehensive evaluation in its own human factors flight simulation lab.
The GHD is a compact, self-contained projection system with a large 30-degree by 24-degree field-of-view. Driven by the Garmin integrated flight deck, the GHD projects a familiar presentation of critical flight information, symbology and more.
The Flight Path Marker within the GHD precisely displays where the aircraft is flying, taking into account crosswind, angle of attack and other factors that impact the dynamic position and heading of the aircraft.
Coupled with a flight path-based flight director, the pilot can more easily establish desired aircraft flight path relative to the outside world. The Flight Path Marker includes additional features such as speed offset and velocity cue, allowing for precise energy management. The combination of the Flight Path Marker and flight path-based flight director allows pilots to more easily establish and maintain a stabilized approach to land.
Pilots are provided with an enhanced level of situational awareness with Synthetic Vision Technology (SVTTM), which presents a 3D depiction of terrain, traffic, obstacles, the runway environment and more within the GHD, supplementing the outside view with pertinent flight information.
Also featured within the GHD, SurfaceWatch provides visual and aural cues to help prevent pilots from taking off and landing on a taxiway, on a runway that is too short or on the wrong runway based on performance data entered during preflight. For example, while on approach to land on a runway that is snow-covered or in an airport environment with reduced visibilities, SurfaceWatch highlights and outlines the pilot-selected runway on the GHD and on the PFD so it’s easier to identify.
The GHD is positioned to further expand its present capabilities. Future options such as integrating with external cameras, including Enhanced Vision Systems (EVS), provide significant improvements in situational awareness in fog and other low visibility situations. Future capabilities also include integration with a Combined Vision System (CVS), which blends EVS and SVT images to present pertinent levels of detail to the pilot, particularly during approach and landing.
The GHD also allows the operator to pursue Special Authorization Category I (CAT I), as well as Special Authorization Category II (CAT II) Instrument Landing System (ILS) approach minima.