Starting Training...Glass vs. Steam Gauges

[fountboy1]

So I took my intro flight in a G1000 172. I loved it. Now my question is in persuing my Private license, should I do so in a glass cockpit or one with regular steam gauges. I have a couple flight school options in my area. One school has older 172's with steam guages for $70-90/hr. The school I took my intro flight at has 2004 glass 172 w/ G1000 which rents for $145/hr wet.

SO I guess my main question is, do I go the way of glass since it seems all new planes are using glass, or do I go with the much lower cost steam gauges in older planes. A plus would be that I might be able to afford buying an older 172b by myself or with a partner. I would love to be paying for a plane I would own as opposed to throwing that money away renting during training.

[yota]

I have done most of my training in a G1000 172,now I am training in one with steam gauges.I just bought a half partner ship in a 1965 182.One thing to remember is that there are alot more of the older planes to rent.I would take te money i saved and buy a gps for my future plane.

[N51Warrior]

I would take the steam guages. It seems to help a beginning flyer. Plus I would not waste money for a g1000 at this point.

[airfreddy]

fountboy1:

you need to learn to fly. Stay away from any high tech stuff until you have 500 hours and an instrument rating ( with basic IFR equipment). You need to be trained to fly " outside the airplane".

High tech stuff is nothing more than a distraction from your number 1 job in an airplane " fly the plane"

I even cover up the " steam Guages" For my students first 10 hours or so.

Here is a story about one of my students who insisted on using a GPS on a night Cross Country

Night Flight Training Story

Learn in a taildragger if you can

airfreddy

[Flyboy1]

I am doing all my training in G1000 and recommend it. The capabilities of the onboard computer system are amazing and help out alot. I must agree with the previous post however when he says the most of the student pilots attention should be focused on somewhere outside the plane. My instructor teaches me all about the G1000 and I use it frequently but Im still focused on things outside and flying the plane. It is easy to get distracted and get carried away with all the features the G1000 has to offer.

[particlem86]

I agree with airfreddy. I did all my primary training with steam gages, (also equipped w/ G430's though) and am currently instructing using older airplanes with no fancy bells and whistles. For primary training I definitely recommend the steam. I hear all the time at my FBO (and adjacent university) that its much easier to transition from steam to glass, then to learn everything on glass then go to steam. You should learn the basics, and focus outside the airplane before you get all the colorful toys. I think the new G1000, and the SVT (synthetic vision) stuff coming out it great technology, but airplanes last a long time, the old ones have been and will be here for a long time, so learn the basics before you learn to let the airplane do all the flying. Not to mention all the money you'll save! Hope this helps.