On 22 Oct 2006 17:37:29 -0700, "cjcampbell"
wrote in
. com:

You talk about the failure of the power system on a Cessna 172S on a
long over-water ferry flight as if the plane was designed for that type
of flying. Ferry pilots ought to know that theirs is a high-risk
business. The battery backup on a 172S is perfectly adequate to get you
down safely in 99.9% of flights. If you choose to fly ANY plane where a
failure can put in a situation where you cannot recover, that is your
choice, but it is not the fault of the airplane or its designers. If
you choose to fly single-engine or single pilot IFR at night over the
mountains or long distances over water, that is your choice. But don't
complain that someone did not give you an 'out' when trouble happens.

Pilots should be made aware of the potential magnitude of the failure
mode when the glass cockpit goes into infinite re-boot mode. All
communications, navigation, autopilot, etc are lost. I doubt many who
fly behind such equipment are aware of that.