Garmin G3X "G1000-like" system for homebuilders and LSA

TangoWhiskey

TangoWhiskey

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Page 5 of the EAA Sport Aviation (April 2009) has a new ad from Garmin for a G1000-like non-TSO'd system (MFD for now, but PFD is pictured and "available soon").

7" WVGA screen, terrain and obstacle, NEXRAD and other XM WX features, pre-installed Garmin FliteCharts and SafeTaxi diagrams, etc. The advertisement says that the PFD plus engine monitoring can be added as a single- or multi-screen configuration.

Any word on cost? Looks like there are two models, the GDU370 and the GDU375; the former depends on an external GPS like the 430 or 530, while the latter has a built in GPS unit.

https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?pID=14858

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I just heard a pilot on the field is installing a G-600 in his Baron 55. It still requires a pair of 430's. I'm gonna have to hunt down that bird once it's back here or head up to Taylor to check out the installation. The same shop is handling the upgrade to our Baron 55.
 
I don't see any pictures that show the typical AI, altimeter, HSI screen. I assume that the PFD is intended to be used in primary flight instrument role?
 
FlyNE said:
I don't see any pictures that show the typical AI, altimeter, HSI screen. I assume that the PFD is intended to be used in primary flight instrument role?
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Jason, I'll scan the ad. It shows about 1/3rd of the coming PFD, in the same form factor as the MFD. Looks just like the G1000 and G600 representations.

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TangoWhiskey said:
Jason, I'll scan the ad. It shows about 1/3rd of the coming PFD, in the same form factor as the MFD. Looks just like the G1000 and G600 representations.
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Ok...that's what i was looking for. That'll be a nice panel for those applications.
 
At the top of the PFD, where a G1000 would have frequencies, looks like this new unit has a horizontal scrolling heading tape.
 
flyingcheesehead said:
I think this is the "G300" that is going to go in the Skycatcher.
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That does appear to be the G-300 but perhaps a different configuration.

Here's what Cessna is claiming will go into the 162. It's the same as the latest data provided to us. Note the analog inclinometer. I don't understand why that couldn't be another bit of software.:
sin_cat_int01_hires.jpg


The G-600 appears to be two panels in one assemby:
GarminG600frontview.jpg


Here's the upgrade on a BE-55:
G600PanelUpgrade.jpg
 
KennyFlys said:
That does appear to be the G-300 but perhaps a different configuration.
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It's the G-300; their site says you can configure it as a single, double, or even triple display.

KennyFlys said:
Here's the upgrade on a BE-55:
G600PanelUpgrade.jpg
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That is SO photoshopped! ;-) Have they done the work yet? Would love to see the real after-picture.

(Basing my photoshopped comments on the fact that the digital instruments don't agree with the backup analog instruments in the plane, and the fact that I can still see the round holes on the right edge of the G600 'installation'. If I'm wrong, I apologize!)
 
Among other things. Such as the engines aren't running and the standby attitude indicator does not match the display. Hmm. How DOES the display get its attitude information?
 
TangoWhiskey said:
It's the G-300; their site says you can configure it as a single, double, or even triple display.



That is SO photoshopped! ;-) Have they done the work yet? Would love to see the real after-picture.

(Basing my photoshopped comments on the fact that the digital instruments don't agree with the backup analog instruments in the plane, and the fact that I can still see the round holes on the right edge of the G600 'installation'. If I'm wrong, I apologize!)
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I stole that from another site when I was looking for a better image of some configuration of the G-600. I didn't look at what it was actually displaying. Besides, I only concern myself with analog instruments... remember? :)

When I get to see Brian's Baron, I'll try to grab a picture of its panel to post.
 
Here's a video of the G3X in action during some wingover style maneuvers in a homebuilt. I wish he'd captured more of the actual horizon during the entire segment, but he did towards the beginning, and you can see how fluid and smooth the display is. Notice when the red chevrons appear indicating which way to pitch to get back to level. Compare it's readings in extreme pitch and bank with the other instruments.

 
I am reading this thread and I can't help thinking .. no wonder Blue Mountain Avionics went out of business.
 
olasek said:
I am reading this thread and I can't help thinking .. no wonder Blue Mountain Avionics went out of business.
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Blue Mountain went out of business because they were all R&D. They just couldn't find a product and stick with it,
 
TangoWhiskey said:
Here's a video of the G3X in action during some wingover style maneuvers in a homebuilt. I wish he'd captured more of the actual horizon during the entire segment, but he did towards the beginning, and you can see how fluid and smooth the display is. Notice when the red chevrons appear indicating which way to pitch to get back to level. Compare it's readings in extreme pitch and bank with the other instruments.
Click to expand...

That looks really cool and all, but I think I'd rather have one of the new Dynon boxes, when they come out in a few months. Specifically, the D1000, if there is space available in the plane. Looks like a sweet outfit, once it comes out.
 
The G3x will be a competent PFD for homebuilts. It's basically a 696 display with a separate ADAHRS box, magnetometer, and engine instrumentation package. The panel unit sells for about the price of the 696, but the ADAHRS adds considerable expense (ca. $10K). The system has a multitude of display configuration options, so you can see whatever you want on 1, 2, or 3 displays.

It's true that the current crop of experimental PFD manufacturers have reason to feel threatened by the new Garmin offering. The strength of the Garmin name ensures a long-lived product backed by an R&D budget that exceeds anything a startup could manage.

Still, there's room out there for the other guys, particularly since they can offer a similar set of features for less than half the all-in price of the Garmin.

I've been shopping for systems for my RV4, and the choice comes down to a gamble on the health of the manufacturer. Do I roll the dice on an Advanced Flight or GRT system (which are both competent systems in their own right) and risk the company going the way of Blue Mountain, or do I buy the Garmin, and regard the extra $5+K investment as insurance that I'll have somewhere to go if the system needs service a few years down the road?

For anyone in the market, make sure you understand the system's capabilities with regard to different types of NAV radio inputs. It seems a popular feature set is to offer the ability to display WAAS nav data from a 430W and/or ILS data from a SL-30, but displaying ILS data from the 430W seems to be an illusive technical obstacle for many systems. Same story for autopilots - most won't couple to anything but the GPSS output from a 430W. Weird, and all wrong in my view.

The other big thing I've been mulling over is fault tolerance. What happens when you lose a GPS signal? Some systems revert to "free gyro" mode, while others do a good job of maintaining orientation through a combination of air data and magnetometer input. My opinion is that a "free gyro" type system needs to be backed up by something like a Dynon D10a or conventional gyros.

Tough call, and no clear-cut standout, as far as I can tell. No matter what, I'm going to have far more capability in my experimental setup than I could ever afford in a certified platform. But it won't be as simple or as cheap as one is led to believe by the all the shiny brochures.

M
 
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