A point of view on doing initial IFR training with traditional instruments vs. Glass Cockpit from one of our Airline Pilot Instructors:
“Glass is a great tool during real life IFR operations. Coupled with a good GPS, glass has the ability to raise situational awareness to levels higher than anyone has previously enjoyed. The ruling is still out on initial instrument training in a glass cockpit, however in my opinion at this time it’s still better to train in a conventional cockpit, then make the transition at some later point. The reason is two-fold: The first is scan development. Since glass instruments are contained in a small area, the scan develops accordingly. With the number of conventional cockpits still out there today, I think having the conventional skill set is very worthwhile. The second reason is economical. Glass sims and planes are typically more expensive, and since their avionics packages are usually so much more advanced the typical learning curve is longer. Conversely, climbing into a glass cockpit after learning in a conventional one saves money on the initial training, and only takes a few hours to make the switch. For example, the Embraer was one of the first glass cockpits I flew, and after only the first sim session we were performing advanced maneuvers, largely because of the skill-set I had already built up with traditional instruments. Ultimately, the decision depends on the student’s background, needs, and work ethic. However, I can’t say enough about developing a good scan.”