Mazda removing touch screens

Which I why I want everything eye level in the panel and nothing on the yoke.
 
Well that's not a touch-screen unique problem. I've got both touch-screen and regular analog (ie buttons and knobs) in my panel and the issue has nothing to do the interface rather the ability to multitask--heck the same thing can happen looking for a dropped pencil or looking at a paper chart. Early in my IFR training, just trying to change a freq could lead to significant control issues as I'd fixate on one task at a time. The solution early on was to break tasks to smaller sub-tasks so as not to fixate on any one thing too long. For example, copy a freq change down, check attitude indicator, dial in the first numbers, check the attitude indicator, dial in the rest of the numbers, check the attitude indicator, flip-flop the freqs, check the attitude indicator, so on and so forth. As I gained experience my speed f performing a given task increased as did my overall situational awareness.
 
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No touchscreens in my flying museum of ancient avionics, other than the iPhone on the yokemount. That's close enough that it's not a reach, so it's not too bad.

But our two cars demonstrate the issue. The navigation/entertainment system in my wife's Corolla is all touch-screen, while in my Audi it's real buttons and knobs near the armrest, controlling the screen which is high up on the dashboard near the windshield. I much prefer the tactile response of the latter.
 
I hate touch screens on things that move, like cars boats and airplanes.

also, during instrument training I had bought one of those ram yoke mounts and never used it more than once, actually really hated having it mounted up on the yoke
 
Tantalum said:
I hate touch screens on things that move, like cars boats and airplanes.

also, during instrument training I had bought one of those ram yoke mounts and never used it more than once, actually really hated having it mounted up on the yoke
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Me too. Best thing I found: Wireless mini keyboard (candyboard) to run the in panel touch screen EFB.
 
EdFred said:
Me too. Best thing I found: Wireless mini keyboard (candyboard) to run the in panel touch screen EFB.
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Thanks! Funny, I was thinking about something like that with one of those ball mice

People love the touch screen stuff but I don't get the hype, it leaves the screen all smudgy and if you have any kind of moisture on your hand, even from grabbing a cold water bottle, the screen gets wonky
 
I don't love or hate touch screens, I just don't have any issues with them. I've been flying behind a GTN 650 for 5 years now and using the screen has never presented any difficulties for me one way or the other. Again the Mazda issue really isn't about the touch screen, it's about having distractions that keep your eyes off the road. Idiots who are inclined are to do so are probably the same demo that absent the screen will resort to some other jackassery such as texting, putting on makeup, reading a book, etc. (and I've seen people doing all 3 plus other things).
 
tsts4 said:
I don't love or hate touch screens, I just don't have any issues with them. I've been flying behind a GTN 650 for 5 years now and using the screen has never presented any difficulties for me one way or the other. Again the Mazda issue really isn't about the touch screen, it's about having distractions that keep your eyes off the road. Idiots who are inclined are to do so are probably the same demo that absent the screen will resort to some other jackassery such as texting, putting on makeup, reading a book, etc. (and I've seen people doing all 3 plus other things).
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I have owned a few vehicles with HUDs for basic info. I like them for that purpose. If you start putting scrolling song/artist/radio station ID banners, outside temp, phone contacts, compass direction, HVAC settings, navigation, etc. all on the HUD it will likely be too cluttered to be of any use. I think touchscreens or infotainment devices are fine, but I'd rather have a simple HUD with basic info on it (maybe just speed, compass direction, and basic GPS navigation). I don't need everything tossed onto the HUD screen.
 
My VW won't let me access the radio menu while driving. That menu is the only place where I can access the "SCAN" feature. So instead I have to scroll through a list of frequencies and try to touch each one in turn. Much safer.
 
Our club's 182 has a 650 in the panel. Touch screens. A couple weeks ago I was up in some bumpy (but not obnoxiously so) air and it was all I could do to touch it in the right place (and only once) to make necessary changes. I like the old 430W in the 172N much better. But, that's me. YMMV.
 
As for heads up display in a plane . .. if you're flying IFR in the swirling gray cacky, should you be looking out through the windshield? I thought that was a Bad Idea.

Still learning... genuinely curious.
 
I have all the RAM Mounts possible and even when I had an iPad Mini I didn't find it all that great with a yoke mount. If I was expecting a challenging landing, like an airport, I'd often throw the iPad and mount in the other seat. Now with the Maxi iPad I can't even fit it on the Yoke. As part of some changes to my plane it did accidentally acquire the exact hole pattern for a RAM ball mount on the right hand panel, we'll see how that works.
 
Stephen Poole said:
As for heads up display in a plane . .. if you're flying IFR in the swirling gray cacky, should you be looking out through the windshield? I thought that was a Bad Idea.

Still learning... genuinely curious.
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No, but the reality is for a lot of us when flying IFR you actually spend most of your time in VMC vs IMC weather so you get traffic callouts from ATC, scenery to look at, etc, at least that's been my experience. But having said that, if you are hand flying regardless of the weather it's easy to unconsciously go off heading and altitude when distracted by other tasks in the cockpit (ie tuning radios, picking up a dropped pencil, fiddling with avionics, opening and app on your EFB, unfolding a paper chart, etc). That's why the whole touch-screen issue is a red herring. I've flown in plenty of turbulence and had no issue inputting route changes into the GTN 650. The key is the bezel is designed so you can anchor you hand while you use one finger to make the inputs-- pretty simple. Although I will admit trying to hand fly and do it at the same time can be tricky -- way easier if you have an autopilot.
 
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