Ron,
Here's more info than you ever wanted:
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(G1000)
VFR-wise... Well, how much time do you have with a Garmin 430/530? You'll find the flight plan functionality is exactly the same, and the same buttons that are on the 430/530 are on the G1000.
For Nav and Com radios, the knobs and flip-flops are familiar - But there are two important things to notice: First, the Com frequency that is in green is the one you're talking on (as selected on the audio panel). On both Nav and Com, the frequency with the blue box around it is the one that you're tuning (both #1 and #2 radios use the same tuning knobs), the one that will flip-flop when you hit that button, and the one whose volume will change when you turn the knob. To switch the blue box to the other radio, push the frequency knob.
The transponder is controlled by the PFD. There's a soft-key at the bottom of the PFD (XPNDR or somesuch) that will bring up a new list of softkeys like IDENT, ALT, STBY (and all the other modes), CODE, and VFR. If you hit "CODE" it'll bring up softkeys for 0-7, and BKSP. All of the non-main softkey sets will have a BACK softkey for getting back to the previous one.
You'll have 2 or 3 places to set the altimeter setting. One is on the G1000 itself (the outer knob of the CRS-BARO knob - Easy to find as the inner one is triangular). The second is on the backup "steam" altimeter at the top of the panel. Finally, if there's a KAP 140 autopilot you'll need to set that separately too - Press BARO and then the outer knob will change by .1 and the inner by .01.
To set the heading bug, use the HDG knob - That's the one with three "legs". If you want to set it to the current heading, simply press the knob in.
Your "ball" is the small line just below the bank index. It's much more sensitive than a real ball, so don't chase it too much.
You have an altitude bug if you want it, set with the ALT knobs (1000 feet per click on the outer, 100 on the inner). This will also control the GFC700 autopilot if equipped, or if it has the KAP140 autopilot you'll need to set that separately with its knob.
Finally, your altimeter, airspeed, and vertical speed are going to be tapes instead of dials, so you may need to look at them a little more than you're used to at first until your brain groks them.
There are a few other niceties on the G1000 that aren't absolutely necessary to know, but that can help you, even VFR. For example, if you put in a flight plan, the course pointer will automatically jump to the course, and on the HSI there is a little purple diamond that represents your ground track so it's easy to see your wind correction angle. Put the purple diamond on the tip of the course pointer, and you'll be right on course.
I like to have as much info available as possible, so I may (for example) put a regular map on the MFD, and put the traffic map on the PFD inset (INSET softkey). Generally, if I'm not editing the flight plan or doing something else with the lower-right corner area on the PFD, I'll hit the NRST button on the PFD (and then push the FMS knob to pull it out of CRSR mode) so that I always have a display of the 4 or so nearest airports already up in the event of an emergency. If you do have an emergency, twist the big FMS knob on the MFD all the way to the right and you'll quickly have a display with a map and a course line from your present position to the nearest airport.
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(Flying)
The DA40 is a nimble airplane - If you manhandle it like a Cessna, you'll be all over the place. It trims out nicely and requires only slight pressures on the stick, so don't grab the stick - Simply keep your hand loosely around it, and "think" the airplane in the direction you want to go, and it'll go there. It's quite nice.
Remember that you have a castering nosewheel. If you need to adjust course when taxiing, 1200RPM and full rudder deflection will give you a wide turn, and just a tiny hair of pressure on the brake will tighten it up nicely. Don't use too much brake, though, or you'll notice that you're going back and forth between the left and right brakes. Patience is a virtue. In addition, with the propwash on the takeoff roll and the airspeed on the landing roll, you do NOT need ANY brake until you're turning off the runway after landing.
On the stick, you have several controls. The PTT is the "trigger" on the front - Just remember, shoot to talk.
The electric trim is standard, the big red button is the autopilot disconnect, and the remaining small black button is the CWS - Control Wheel Steering - button, which is something like a temporary autopilot disconnect.
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(General)
Getting in is easy. There's a handhold on top of the glareshield, or you can grab anywhere else BUT the canopy. I usually step up onto the step, then the wing, then down into the foot well with one foot and then the other, and then sit down, all while holding the glareshield handhold. Then, I put my feet on the pedals and adjust if necessary.
Speaking of which, the seats don't adjust - The rudder pedals do. 07 and earlier models have a handle between the pedals that you pull, and then push the pedals with your feet. Not the easiest thing in the world for us big guys to reach that handle. But if I can do it, you probably can too.
Also, bring the canopy down slowly. At 6'4" I am right up to it, and in some of them even need a bit of a slouch. I pull the canopy down with my left hand, and then "catch" it with my right hand on the painted section so that I can lower it the rest of the way veeeerrrrryyyyyy slllloooowwwwllllllyyyyy.
The lap belt portion of the seat belt needs to be adjusted before you put it on, and you may find it somewhat difficult to get it on at first - Suck it in! But once it's on it's comfortable enough that I quickly forget about it. It's just hard to get the buckle in when it's down there next to the console and you can't see it.
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That's all I've got for now. Enjoy the flight!
