ABSTRACT
A large majority of the avionics systems introduced since the early days of flight (attitude indicators, radio navigation, instrument landing systems, etc.) have sought to overcome the issues resulting from limited visibility. Limited visibility is the single most critical factor affecting both the safety and capacity of worldwide aviation operations. In commercial aviation, over 30% of all fatal accidents worldwide are categorized as Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT)—accidents in which a functioning aircraft impacts terrain or obstacles that the flight crew could not see. In general aviation, the largest accident category is Continued Flight into Instrument Meteorological Conditions, in which pilots with little experience continue to fly into deteriorating weather and visibility conditions and either collide with unexpected terrain or lose control of the vehicle because of the lack of familiar external cues. Finally, the single largest factor causing airport flight delays is the limited runway capacity and increased air traffic separation distances resulting when visibility conditions fall below visual flight rule operations. Now, synthetic vision technology will allow this visibility problem to be solved with a visibility solution, making every flight the equivalent of a clear daylight operation.
