A one-meter satellite dish captures the constant in-flowing signals and feeds them to a computer-like terminal and monitor. Setting up the system is a matter of connecting the cables and aiming the dish in the right direction, a simple process that shouldn?t take more than an hour. Perhaps the most challenging part of setting up the system is deciding how to mount the dish to your roof.
The DTN Aviation Center starts displaying current weather information almost immediately. The amount of weather information available is almost dizzying, and DTN offers two levels of service. Level I goes from the surface to Flight Level 180 (18,000 feet), and Level II extends from the surface to FL 450 (45,000 feet). The only real difference between the two is that Level I service doesn?t offer high-altitude weather information such as winds aloft and high level significant weather.
Both services provide enough information to fly just about anywhere in the world. Among its graphical offerings are satellite images for the U.S., Pacific, Atlantic, South America, Europe, and Asia. There are two U.S. radar summaries, one with ?watch? boxes and the other with Convective SIGMETs, plus current U.S. radar and 20 regional radar charts.
Surface weather images include surface analysis, 12-, 24-, 36-, and 48-hour surface forecasts, North American weather depiction, and 12- and 24-hour low-level significant weather. And there?s regional sky conditions, temperatures, dewpoints, surface winds, relative humidity, barometric pressure, regional weather depiction, and city forecasts.
DTN?s text selections include METAR/TAF, winds and temperatures aloft, local Convective SIGMETs, SIGMETs, and AIRMETs, area forecasts, five-day state forecasts, and two-day zone forecasts. Finally, DTN has an interactive dial-in access (through the built-in modem) for flight planning with GTE DUATS.
The system updates automatically, even if you?re using it, and you tap into it by using a mouse and on-screen pull-down menus, keyboard commands, or pressing the buttons on the monitor base. Finding the weather information you need is easy, and because DTN offers such a wide variety of information, checking one source against another to get the most comprehensive and accurate picture of the current and forecast weather is a snap. Perhaps even more important, with DTN Aviation Center there?s no waiting ? and no worrying about how current the information is.
For what you get, setting up a DTN terminal at home is affordable. There?s a one-time start-up fee of $330 (plus $55 for shipping), which includes the Weather Center terminal. Thereafter, the monthly fee for Level I service is $114, and Level II service is $148. DTN also offers NOAA weather warning, Thor Guard Lightning Prediction, Hail Reports and other premium services for additional fees.
DTN Aviation Center will not only meet just about any pilot?s weather needs, it will make you popular in the neighborhood as people learn you have instant access to the weather for the kid?s weekend sports activities. For more information, write or call DTN Aviation Center, 9110 West Dodge Road, Suite 200, Omaha, NE 68114; 800/610-0777. Or use Flight Training?s reader service card.
? S.M. Spangler
IP Trainer
IP Trainer Version 5.0 is a redesigned and redeveloped instructional tool for instrument students from ASA. With new sound and vivid new cockpit graphics, IP Trainer helps redefine computer-based aviation training.
Unlike a personal computer aviation training device (PCATD), IP Trainer is designed specifically to teach instrument students the complex flight procedures and maneuvers defined in the instrument rating practical test standards. Other simulators assume the student knows and understands instrument procedures, but needs an environment in which to practice them. IP Trainer takes a different approach and leads instrument students through 133 interactive lessons.
A virtual instructor teaches the lessons from scratch by demonstrating the lesson, prompts the student during his or her first attempt at flying it, and watches as the student practices on his own, stopping the student if they make a mistake. Finally, the virtual instructor tests the student on the maneuver using the same tight tolerances a designated examiner will use on the instrument rating practical test.
In addition to IP Trainer?s foundation of ?artificial intelligence,? it aids the teaching process by incorporating a visually and aerodynamically perfect Cessna 172 simulator. Also it includes ATC ?voices? for all phases of flight and lessons that take place in real airspace and use real instrument approaches to airports in New England.
With the software comes the highly-regarded Instrument Training textbook, written by Trevor Thom. It gives students a reference that explains the detailed instrument procedures and maneuvers in writing. The software also has new multi-user functions that enable multi-student classroom instruction.
IP Trainer started life as ?Instrument Pilot,? a program created by Precision Training Software in 1993. More than 2,000 pilots have used IP as an instructional tool to earn their. instrument rating. ASA says the program has saved pilots money because their instructors didn?t have to spend hours demonstrating and explaining the procedures and maneuvers it teaches.
IP Trainer has a suggested retail price of $495, and registered owners of Instrument Pilot versions 1 to 4.5 can upgrade to Version 5.0 for $99.95. For more information, write or call ASA, 7005 132nd Place SE, Newcastle, WA 98059-3153; 800/ASA-2-FLY; 425/235-1500; www.asa2fly.com/asa. Or use Flight Training?s reader service card.
? S.M. Spangler
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