Garmin avionics CDI issue - incorrect course guidance

[TangoWhiskey]

Something to be aware of, for sure!

http://www8.garmin.com/aviation/notices/1352.pdf

AFFECTED PRODUCTS

The following products are affected by this advisory:

 Cirrus Perspective®, Embraer Prodigy™, G900X, G950, and G1000 products
with GDU software 7.0X through 12.1X
 G2000, G3000, and G5000 products with GDU software version 2.00
 GTN 6XX/7XX series units with software versions prior to 5.0
 All GNS 4XXW/5XXW series units (not including the GNS 480)

DESCRIPTION
The course deviation indicator (CDI) may deflect in the wrong direction (away from the desired track) while making a course change between two intersecting legs of an active flight plan. This issue is most likely to occur if the aircraft deviates excessively from the desired track (DTK) during a planned course change.

PILOT ACTION
Pilots should monitor CDI guidance during flight plan course changes, especially when maintaining a large cross track error. Also, be aware that an autopilot armed for NAV capture during this condition will command the aircraft to follow the incorrect CDI guidance. If this condition occurs, maintain positive control of the aircraft and manually activate the appropriate flight plan leg to establish the correct CDI deflection.

RESOLUTION
This issue will be fixed in a future software release.

 

[flyingron]

Tell me what's wrong with the 480 again

 

[Marauder]

There was a lot of gloom and doom in the email that Garmin sent out right until this line:

RESOLUTION
This issue will be fixed in a future software release.

You would think that if it was an urgent issue, an emergency update would be released...

 

[TangoWhiskey]

Gotta be a very rare set of circumstances to make it occur if it hasn't been discovered before now.

 

[flyingron]

There's two common modes of operation:

Pilots flying the purple line and not looking at the CDI.
AUtopilot tracking the CDI in which case it's unlikely to be that far off track BEFORE reaching the intersection.

 

[douglas393]

There's two common modes of operation:

Pilots flying the purple line and not looking at the CDI.
AUtopilot tracking the CDI in which case it's unlikely to be that far off track BEFORE reaching the intersection.

I guess I am in the minority because I follow the CDI. Maybe its from my training in a six pack and using the GPS almost not at all or maybe its because the CDI is right in front of my face, but I find it more convenient than the magenta line. Got about 400 hrs on the G1000 and have not seen this occur yet, but then again less than 100 are IFR, and if I am flying VFR then I am not really using the CDI as much as I using an heading indicator.

 

[aterpster]

Tell me what's wrong with the 480 again

It's dead-end hardware.

The G-2000 trainer I have has GDU software 4.01. So, they do fix these things. The more complex the avionics/flight management system, the more often these things occur. Honeywell and Collins aren't exactly faultless.

I don't know anything about the 480, but all the Garmin designed equipment will handle more than one ILS to a given runway, or more than one RNAV IAP to a given runway. That's more than can be said for other than later generation biz jet avionics/FMS suites.

And, so it goes.