Garmin G1000 Synthetic Vision certified

TangoWhiskey

TangoWhiskey

Touchdown! Greaser!
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3Green
Man, this is SO cool:

http://aero-news.net/index.cfm?ContentBlockID=dc40a84f-6c3a-487c-927d-a1411f3b9617&

Garmin-SVT-0408e.jpg


So glad to see what I always hoped would come to the G1000--no more flat Horizon line, but Synthetic Vision out the front.

They'll put it in the Mustang first; I sure hope it makes it to the piston line.

http://aero-news.net/LinkToArticle.cfm?ContentBlockID=04d0687f-d030-40d8-a6ae-a500da72bc12
 
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Greg Bockelman said:
I wouldn't think it would be that difficult. Wouldn't it just be an addition to the database?
Click to expand...

Synthetic Vision, Greg... Need a sensor installed for that. This isn't just a computer representation of terrain.

Pretty dang cool. It also shows traffic in 3D and has "Highway in the Sky" rectangles that you can fly through - Almost like playing Pilotwings. LOL

And Troy: "SVT is a retrofitable system and we are working with OEMs to develop a process whereby customers will have the option of adding SVT to their aircraft with very little downtime." So you'll need to call Cessna, Diamond, etc and tell them you want this.
 
Wow, that is awesome. If I had a G1000 plane (maybe in 20 years they'll get cheap enough...) I would absolutely want that in it.

Wonder if that could be installed in with a 530 or some of the other avionics stuff out there?
 
While they call it synthetic vision, it's really just accurate terrain modelling, just like what's in MS Flight Sim to create its 3-D world. This is just a big database of terrain elevations.

ENHANCED vision is FLIR or other image enhancement using a sensor.
 
Note that they said "very little downtime," and not "very little downtime with minimal additional cost."

I'm sure you will be ABLE to get it. I don't think you will WANT to get it, if the price I've been quoted for the WAAS upgrade to my G1000 system is any indication. Try $20k - and that's WITHOUT the GFC700. Ooooof.
 
flyersfan31 said:
Note that they said "very little downtime," and not "very little downtime with minimal additional cost."

I'm sure you will be ABLE to get it. I don't think you will WANT to get it, if the price I've been quoted for the WAAS upgrade to my G1000 system is any indication. Try $20k - and that's WITHOUT the GFC700. Ooooof.
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OUCH! I can understand 20K (barely) for the two new GPS receivers, and cabling changes. But you should get some trade value for the two OLD GPS receivers that come out.

The GFC700 is the equivalent of a.... damn, nothing else for GA except maybe the Chelton units is close... so I'd figure that's a $20K-$30K tag there.
 
Frankly, I can't understand it. G1000 was designed when WAAS was already a reality in the UPSAT480, and already owned inhouse. Cabling, I'm sure, is already to spec. It's a 2005 aircraft for cripesakes. I'm told the problem is the box size of the WAAS receiver is incompatible (too big) with the current installation. I don't know if that means they're doing sheet metal work or what, but it just seems bogus to me. That should be a plug-n-play upgrade. I guess that's what happens in the absence of competition. If the FTC wanted to enforce fair trade, they'd have prevented the UPSAT/Garmin transaction.
 
That doesn't make sense to me either - I didn't think the modules got any bigger when they put the WAAS capabilities on them.
 
It seems to me that some very significant technological advances occurred between the time that the G1000 was designed and 2005 or that Garmin just didn't do a very good job designing it.

I can't help but notice that the entire G1000 system (one screen) is at least 5x larger than one EFD1000. And it doesn't even have WAAS yet. I really wonder if Garmin is just trying to fix up a severely outdated piece of technology. Just to think that they could put the entire G1000 system, including all the remote boxes, in one G1000 screen, and that they ought to be able to do it for $10k...something really isn't right with the prices that Garmin is charging.

-Felix
 
sba55 said:
It seems to me that some very significant technological advances occurred between the time that the G1000 was designed and 2005 or that Garmin just didn't do a very good job designing it.

I can't help but notice that the entire G1000 system (one screen) is at least 5x larger than one EFD1000. And it doesn't even have WAAS yet. I really wonder if Garmin is just trying to fix up a severely outdated piece of technology. Just to think that they could put the entire G1000 system, including all the remote boxes, in one G1000 screen, and that they ought to be able to do it for $10k...something really isn't right with the prices that Garmin is charging.

-Felix
Click to expand...

You are mistaken. The G1000 does have WAAS, TAWS, etc. available for it. And it's modular, upgradeable, and reliable. Because it was released incrementally, early airplanes don't have all the sensors that are available to later airplanes unless they choose to retrofit them.

And while I love the Aspen unit - keep in mind that the PFD pro unit is estimated at $15K installed and that doesn't include the GPS you want to drive it, any engine monitoring, etc. It's still a great deal compared to putting in a new AI/HSI, but it's a far cry from a G1000.
 
TMetzinger said:
And while I love the Aspen unit - keep in mind that the PFD pro unit is estimated at $15K installed and that doesn't include the GPS you want to drive it, any engine monitoring, etc. It's still a great deal compared to putting in a new AI/HSI, but it's a far cry from a G1000.
Click to expand...

I thought I'd seen estimates of 20 hours to install, which would be about $1300, or about $11,300 installed. It also doesn't even support engine monitoring, you'd need a separate system for that.

That said, I think it's still a better deal than something like the G600, which also doesn't include GPS, engine monitoring, etc. and requires a panel modification AND backup instruments. Once Aspen gets the MFD certified, having two units in the panel will eliminate the need for backup gyros.
 
TMetzinger said:
You are mistaken. The G1000 does have WAAS, TAWS, etc. available for it. And it's modular, upgradeable, and reliable. Because it was released incrementally, early airplanes don't have all the sensors that are available to later airplanes unless they choose to retrofit them.
Click to expand...
So how am I mistaken? Yes, it does all that, but to the cost of $60k+ (if you could buy it). And last I heard, the upgrade to WAAS costs on the order of $20k.

My point is still valid - the G1000 system takes up a ton of space, at least 5x that of newer, comparable units. It's a _nightmare_ to install due to all the cabling. And Garmin charges outrageous prices for it.

TMetzinger said:
And while I love the Aspen unit - keep in mind that the PFD pro unit is estimated at $15K installed and that doesn't include the GPS you want to drive it, any engine monitoring, etc. It's still a great deal compared to putting in a new AI/HSI, but it's a far cry from a G1000.
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Nope, we're looking at $12k installed.

Yes, it doesn't include engine monitoring. So let's add another $4k for a JPI, which is at least as good, if not better, than the G1000 engine monitoring setup.

So - $15k for a system that is just as capable (or more so) as the G1000. That's 1/8 of the price, 1/5 of the size. And it's not a "far cry" from the G1000 - it has all the same features.

How Garmin justifies this is beyond me. I'd say their G600, at least, is dead.

-Felix
 
The aspen doesn't include GPS either - at least not a GPS you can use. There is a sensor there but it's just an emergency unit to let you laterally navigate to the flight plan you'd created on your panel mount GPS unit (and presumably lost with the panel-mount due to the electrical failure or whatever).

The price I'd seen was from Avweb or Aero-News - basically quoting an average of 15 AMUs (Aviation Monetary Unit) for an IFR install with interface to your existing GPS and autopilot (heading bug and nav info). Could be more or less depending on the airplane of course.
 
Diamond has the G1000 SVT available immediately as a $9995 option on their DA-40 line: http://www.aero-tv.net/

If you want to see the SVT in action, watch the aero-tv video. They have moving images from Garmin. They also have the Chelton-style "fly through the boxes" approach path guidance, which they call "pathways". 3-D traffic on the screen in front of you (see the video to truly appreciate it), relative to your position and altitude. Airports and runways highlighted and labeled. $9995 isn't CHEAP, but it's certainly GA affordable compared to the options previously available, for this sort of technology.

According to the program, it's a 1-day upgrade; no new hardware, just a software upgrade, load terrain databases, and make some config changes.

New DA40 XLS and CS delivered from the factory after 4/11 are eligible for the option.

It is retrofit capable to earlier DA40's; availability and pricing to be announced over the next several months.

Will also be an option on the D-Jet (at different pricing (??!)), and on other Diamond aircraft (DA-50?) down the road.

Cessna has it as an option for the Mustang now, will be available for the rest of the G1000 piston line as a retrofit / option later this year, price to be announced.
 
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TangoWhiskey said:
According to the program, it's a 1-day upgrade; no new hardware, just a software upgrade, load terrain databases, and make some config changes.

Will also be an option on the D-Jet (at different pricing (??!)), and on other Diamond aircraft (DA-50?) down the road.

Cessna has it as an option for the Mustang now, will be available for the rest of the G1000 piston line as a retrofit / option later this year, price to be announced.
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Diamond says the D-jet will be at a different price because it's got 2 PFDs instead of 1. But hey, it's a software-only change, so why should driving 2 screens cost more? Simple. Because the jet drivers have more money.

The synthetic vision is simply a software change. But 10 grand?!?!?!? That's ridiculous. However, when it comes to glass panel, a 10K starting price for any upgrade appears to be what the market will bear. You want to talk about the cost of aviation being high? I think in many respects the enemy is us, because we pay it.

The safety implications are enormous. I believe "virtual VFR" will save a lot of pilots' bacon, but it will also claim a lot of folks emboldened by the perceived ability to scud run with impunity.
 
Ken Ibold said:
Diamond says the D-jet will be at a different price because it's got 2 PFDs instead of 1. But hey, it's a software-only change, so why should driving 2 screens cost more? Simple. Because the jet drivers have more money.

The synthetic vision is simply a software change. But 10 grand?!?!?!? That's ridiculous. However, when it comes to glass panel, a 10K starting price for any upgrade appears to be what the market will bear. You want to talk about the cost of aviation being high? I think in many respects the enemy is us, because we pay it.

The safety implications are enormous. I believe "virtual VFR" will save a lot of pilots' bacon, but it will also claim a lot of folks emboldened by the perceived ability to scud run with impunity.
Click to expand...

What's the over/under on more powerline strikes by scudrunners?

Cheers,

-Andrew
 
It's a significant upgrade to the G1000 system, not just a terrain database - they've completely redone it with the HITS, traffic, and terrain data. I don't see why two PFDs are more expensive than one, except probably as a licensing issue to drive revenue.

The video is terrific - I can see how this would really improve situational awareness.
 
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