The evolution of synthetic vision from pretty picture to tactical, practical tool for keeping schedules and boosting capacity is in a holding pattern, as regulators and the business aviation sector come to grips with the benefits versus the costs of having the capability. Decisions by the likes of Bombardier, Dassault, Embraer and Gulfstream to proceed or mothball Synthetic Vision Guidance System (SVGS) technology could come later this year when the FAA completes and publishes guidance and policy on the equipment, and on performance, operations and certification of the system, information likely to be echoed by European regulators. That guidance will largely follow specifications crafted by the government and industry RTCA Special Committee 213 (SC213), although the PAA could make key changes that could alter the cost-benefit equation and give OEMs reason to scrap plans to deploy SVGS in the near term. SC213 develops minimum system performance and operational performance specifications for enhanced flight vision systems and synthetic vision systems, products that typically are adopted by the FAA and other regulators. An earlier version of SVGS guidance that SC213 sent to the FAA in 2011 was rejected, in part because industry had not yet tried out the technology in demonstration projects.
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