A while back I purchased a Surecheck Traffic Scope which is a passive traffic avoidance and warning system. While it provides audible warnings thru the audio panel directly into our headsets there is not directional information provided for the airplanes it calls out. The display does show however the relative altitude to us in one hundred foot intervals. In addition to the Traffic Scope we have recently started flying with a new Garmin 496 with weather and XM music. For those unfamiliar the 496 provides terrain information and warnings. It might also be an honest assessment to admit that I am still learning how to use it.

Yesterday Sherri and I took the day off and flew to Petaluma for lunch after reading about the Two Niner Diner in the recent Pilot Getaways. Great place to go by the way! Anyway about two miles out the combination of my little additions to the cockpit joined together in a conspiracy and more or less overwhelmed Sherri. It went something like this. Since the pattern was full we were on an upwind about two miles or so out on the pattern side of the field and we could see the planes on downwind in the pattern going by on the left. So we'll start with them, Cessna 234 right downwind 29, Petaluma . Cherokee 211 right base 29, Petaluma . Now just for fun the Traffic scope decides to start talking also and of course I took the time to lay on my head and wire it into the audio panel so it comes right in the headset with the female voice blaring. “Traffic, Traffic,” and then the Citabria calls right crosswind 29 and then “Traffic, monitor closure rate, monitor closure rate.” Then Petaluma traffic, Stationair 455 3 mile rt 45 for 29, Petaluma . “Traffic, Monitor closure rate, Monitor closure rate.” About now Sherri is tapping her feet on the floor and doing this thing with her hand on her knee that is an indicator that she isn't having fun. This is where the new 496 decides to chime in. See we are scooting along the foothills and decending for a left turn back onto the 45. “Terrain, pull up, pull up” comes into our headsets and Sherri's posture is adjusting quickly and her head is on a swivel. “Traffic, monitor closure rate,” “Pull up, pull up” “Monitor closure rate” Pull up, pull up”, “94 whiskey 2 mile rt 45 for 29r Petaluma .” At this point two things are being added to the mix by the Garmin. “Terrain, Terrain, pull up, pull up,” and for the first time Sherri notices that the display of the 496 has the terrain overlay showing and the dumb thing has drawn an “X” at the predicted area that we will impact the hill if we were to keep going straight. “Pull up, pull up” again as she is staring at the Garmin where X marks the spot. Add another “Monitor closure rate” or two and then the Garmin offers us another little trick just for fun. “ Obsticle, pull up, pull up” This is two female voices barking out information in the cockpit when the third chimes in. This is the one that matters though and as I look over at her there isn't even the slightest look of amusement on her face. She said stearnly, “I don't like this.” So the traffic scope found its way into a muted mode and everything settled down with the Garmin as we progressed on the 45 and got away from the foothills. But just for fun the 496 gave one last piece of back seat driving as we turned final by announcing “500 feet.” I looked at Sherri and she said “Oh, that's neat.” ????? From here all was smooth sailing and we enjoyed a nice meal at a great airport diner.

So what do you all think? Is having three women in a two place airplane with you helping with your duties to much? Can we be to safe?