October 5, 200322 yr I can see for miles and milesAnother advancement in the flight deck is Vertical Situation Display (VSD). This high-tech marvel builds on the Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning system and gives pilots a clear view of the airplane's current and predicted flight path.The ability to see the predicted flight path provides an earlier warning of conflicts with terrain or an overshoot of the runway. The same data exists in flight decks today, but the pilot needs to mentally integrate the data from several sources. VSD does this automatically and instantaneously.The system constantly monitors the airplane's flight path, calculating the airplane's altitude, speed and position, and portrays the information in an integrated and easily understood graphical display. Traditional flight deck displays give pilots a bird's-eye view of an airplane's position relative to the rest of the world."VSD gives the pilot a side view of the world, because people think in those terms. It adds a normal perspective for a pilot and increases situational awareness," said Ken Hiebert, Boeing Product Marketing regional director.Earlier this year, Australian carrier Virgin Blue became the first airline to use VSD."The Next-Generation 737 is one of the best, if not THE best aircraft in the world in terms of technology," said Capt. Steve Knudsen, Virgin Blue's Flight Operations technical manager. "The new Vertical Situation Display provides pilots with yet another tool to monitor the aircraft's flight path. It is a valuable safety enhancement."ref. http://www.boeing.com/commercial/737family/flash.htmlhttp://forums.avsim.net/user_files/41056.jpgGustavo B.Copa Airlines Virtual
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