Differences traing - I am totally confused?
Differences training - so I thought I understood the concept.
Start with a SEP - a class of aircraft on which most pilots first qualify to fly. One engine and piston powered! I remember when broadly speaking if the aircraft had just the one engine any PPL could fly it!
Then of course the concept of differences training was introduced. If it had a wobbly prop. or bits that went up and down underneath, or a tail wheel, turbo charger or was pressurised these were considered differences. If you had flown one of this type before, you had grandfather rights, if not, it was a check out with an instructor.
Clear and reasonably sensible, although whether there is any evidence pilots were getting themselves into trouble through the absence of difference training I don’t know.
More recently more advanced avionics have appeared and some new systems.
That is were I am no longer sure I understand the position.
Consider a Cirrus. It comes with FADEC on all Cirrus. FADEC is considered a difference requiring a log book sign off, so to fly any Cirrus regardless of your class rating a log book sign off is required even though the aircraft may be little different from other high performance singles that don’t require a sign off.
Then there is the version of the Cirrus with “non glass” avionics. Fine. No further sign off required for that.
Then there is the Cirrus with a Garmin 430 fit. Another sign off?
Then there is the Cirrus with Integra glass - yet another sign off?
Then there is the Cirrus with the twin Integra glass screens - another sign off?
Even more subtle - there is the Garmin 1000 fit on a DA42, subtly different from the G1000 on a DA40. Apparently the G1000 sign off on the 42 is not considered satisfactory difference training on the 40, so whilst some FIs can train on the 40 without a G1000 fit, they cannot train on a 40 with the 1000 fit, even if the training is for difference training on a FADEC aircraft, with differences training on the G1000 to follow with a different but qualified instructor to deal with that aspect!!!
Then there are MEPs in which there is really no longer any such thing as a MEP class rating because in theory difference training is appropriate to every type within the class if LASORS is believed.
So in short what difference training is really required? What part of my summary is wrong and which parts are correct. Are we moving to the point where every new SEP will be considered to be different because although they have glass cockpits one is by perhaps by Garmin and one by Integra and the Garmin setup in the Cessna is different form the Diamond?