First Flight w/ GTN650 & ADS-B

[ARFlyer]

I got the privilege of picking up and test flying our first ads-b upgraded aircraft today.

The GTN 650 that was installed is an amazing piece of equipment. I spent more time playing with it, which was the point of the test flight, then paying attention flying. Thankfully, I brought a good friend, who also works with me, along for the sole purpose of flying. He is working on his CFI-I with me, so we used the free flight time to his advantage.

I was super impressed with the TIS-B traffic stream. It even partially saved our butts today. We got an audio alert saying "Traffic, 2 Clock High, 1 mile,". The GPS flashed the traffic in yellow and I saw that it was 400' above and descending. We would have never seen it without the alert as it was above our right wing. That one alert five mins after takeoff sold me on the system.

I even got to say "We have the traffic on the fish finder" like a hot shot.

My only beef is that the touchscreen was hard to accurately press in turbulence. I figure over time I will be able to get a feel for with the screen in rough conditions.

There are a few other differences from the 430 I don't much care for, however with everything I'll get use to it.

We also installed a GNC 255 which on its own is pretty impressive. I was impressed that when you dial in a freq it tells you what it is.

Now I'm off to design a CFI training course since I'm the only one with actual experience.

 

[jordane93]

The 650 is a great GPS

 

[ARFlyer]

Are you satisfied displaying traffic on the 650 or will you be using a tablet for that?

I don't mind it being on the 650. I don't have a Stratus and it's to expensive to justify the cost for using it at work.

I have a feeling it will be disabled off the map screen by most of the CFIs. So turning it back on and off will get annoying. Some of the CFIs have a habit of adjusting the settings to how they see fit.

 

[AKBill]

The 650 is a great GPS

Have been using a Garmin 10 for 18 years and finally decided to upgrade to the Area 500. Would really like to have a panel like ARFLYER showed us.

 

[OkieAviator]

I find with the 650 it's easiest in turbulence to stabilize your hand with a few of your fingers on the panel and use your thumb to select.

I also prefer ADS-B on my tablet. You have to be cautious of getting locked in on other traffic. Sometimes it looks really close but it's 5 miles away.

 

[Arrow115]

That's a nice setup.

Did you get a chance to play with the weather? I am consider adding a gdl 88 to my 650 and canceling xm.

 

[ARFlyer]

That's a nice setup.

Did you get a chance to play with the weather? I am consider adding a gdl 88 to my 650 and canceling xm.

Yep!

It will give you METAR, TAF, Winds Aloft, SIG/AIRMETS, NEXRAD Radar, PIREPs, NOTAMs, and TFRs

The weather worked great once your high enough to receive the towers. I didn't get to play with the NEXRAD as it was clear.

I'll post a video when I fly it next. It's down right now after a student I was evaluating pushed the carb heat through the panel.

 

[JohnAJohnson]

I notice you have a GTX327, and if the plane is using a GDL88, I think you're locked in to the Garmin Pilot app for displaying IN (other than the Garmin panel boxes).

 

[RotorDude]

I find with the 650 it's easiest in turbulence to stabilize your hand with a few of your fingers on the panel and use your thumb to select.

Ditto, for the 750. Yesterday was one of the roughest in recent memory, and that technique did the trick when needed.

 

[ARFlyer]

I notice you have a GTX327, and if the plane is using a GDL88, I think you're locked in to the Garmin Pilot app for displaying IN (other than the Garmin panel boxes).

Will it transmit the data over a signal to my iPad?

 

[Marauder]

Will it transmit the data over a signal to my iPad?

Once the ADS-B out signal is being transmitted, any of the portable devices you use will get the benefit of TIS-B on the iPad. If you are using Garmin Pilot and install the Flightstream 110 you will get ADS-B in transmitted to the iPad without the need for a GDL-39.

If you buy the Flightstream 210, you will get the ability to download your flight plan from Garmin Pilot to the GTN. As well, if you modify the flight plan on the GTN, it will transmit the updated plan back to the iPad.

 

[Marauder]

Also, take a look at your transponder window on the picture you posted. It looks like the 88 is transmitting the ADS-B out. On my setup, I have a GTN and a 327. I can control the 327 through the GTN. You should be able to do the same (if they set it up this way).

 

[Marauder]

A question for you. Is that a protective cover on the 327 or the screen de-laminating?

 

[JohnAJohnson]

Will it transmit the data over a signal to my iPad?

Only with the Flightstream 110, and only to the Garmin Pilot app on the iPad. If Garmin decides to drop the Garmin Pilot app or if it becomes uncompetitive, you will be SOL and stuck with hardware that no other app will be able to use. Garmin/Pilot and Stratus/Foreflight have decided to lock us into a single hardware solution for their apps and I personally will never do ADS-B or app business with either because of it. Wing-X and other apps will support many ADS-B IN receivers, and they should be appauded for not trying to force loyalty onto the customer.

 

[ARFlyer]

Also, take a look at your transponder window on the picture you posted. It looks like the 88 is transmitting the ADS-B out. On my setup, I have a GTN and a 327. I can control the 327 through the GTN. You should be able to do the same (if they set it up this way).

The school wanted it that way since all the other aircraft have those transponders.

A question for you. Is that a protective cover on the 327 or the screen de-laminating?

I left the screen covers on until I meet with the director next week.

Question for you guys.

What's the Flight ID under the transponder menu on the 650? It's currently our tail number. I assume it's the ADS-B tail number, but you can edit it with any list of characters.

 

[Marauder]

The school wanted it that way since all the other aircraft have those transponders.







I left the screen covers on until I meet with the director next week.



Question for you guys.



What's the Flight ID under the transponder menu on the 650? It's currently our tail number. I assume it's the ADS-B tail number, but you can edit it with any list of characters.

The flight ID is what you see when you look at Flightaware and see what the airlines are transmitting; like UAL1492 for United Airline Flight Number 1492. I think for non scheduled stuff like GA, it is either blank or the N number of the aircraft. I'm not sure if there any requirements that it be filled in for GA.

 

[ARFlyer]

The flight ID is what you see when you look at Flightaware and see what the airlines are transmitting; like UAL1492 for United Airline Flight Number 1492. I think for non scheduled stuff like GA, it is either blank or the N number of the aircraft. I'm not sure if there any requirements that it be filled in for GA.

Thanks for the info.

I wonder how we can stress to the CFIs and students to NOT CHANGE the tail #. I know a few that might because it would be funny or cool.

 

[Marauder]

Thanks for the info.



I wonder how we can stress to the CFIs and students to NOT CHANGE the tail #. I know a few that might because it would be funny or cool.

I have seen some strange ones on Flightaware. Not sure it has a lock out feature but you may want to check with the installer. There may be a lock out feature in the firmware.

 

[John Collins]

Thanks for the info.

I wonder how we can stress to the CFIs and students to NOT CHANGE the tail #. I know a few that might because it would be funny or cool.

Unless the aircraft is installed with the capability to enter the flight ID, it is fixed as the tail number. So maybe a CAP aircraft will have that configured, but the typical GA aircraft will not have that feature set.

 

[ARFlyer]

Unless the aircraft is installed with the capability to enter the flight ID, it is fixed as the tail number. So maybe a CAP aircraft will have that configured, but the typical GA aircraft will not have that feature set.

Well I can select Flight ID and it pulls up the current ID with the ability to edit it. So is that the same thing your talking about? I've read the manual and the ADSB AC and found that it can be either option like you said.

 

[WellSys]

Have any of you been able to use Flight Stream's GPS position to drive any other iPad mapping applications?

Garmin support told me that Flight Stream's GPS signal simply feeds iOS's Location Services and that any iPad app that consumes Location Services can use Flight Stream's GPS position.

This would not include traffic or weather data, but it would provide position information.

Please let us know if this appears to be true based on your experience.

Thx.