I applaud Cessna and the other manufacturers who are meeting the challenge of producing modern, efficient, and attractive GA aircraft.
I’m not so sure about the glass cockpit revolution. I’ve looked at a couple of glass cockpit layouts and at first sight they are very confusing. I have been assured by the manufacturer that I will get used to it in time.
My feeling about digital readouts is the same as for digital watches; given the choice I prefer analog. Perhaps I’m a dyed in the wool traditionalist, but it seems to me that analog watches outsell digital by a vast amount, (so I’m not alone,) and you hardly ever see a digital dash in a car anymore.
I am aware of the current (trendy) preference for glass cockpits in GA, but again, my Cessna is not an F16, nor will I ever really NEED the multifunction capabilities of that kind of instrumentation
I only fly about 100-150 hours a year, and I’m pretty typical. I love gadgets as much as the next person, but the COST! I would be much more enthusiastic about improved, and more efficient airframes and engines than about glass cockpits, and much more likely to spend money to reduce fuel costs, or increase true airspeed than I would be to buy glass.
Flying is expensive enough; I don’t believe we should raise the cost pandering to trendy glass panels that are wonderful in Military/Commercial aircraft, but overkill in the GA world. We should be looking at ways to make flying more affordable, not less…
All IMHO of course,
Regards,
W.B.