GTN 750/650 Update to Garmin 6.11

[Oscar Avalle]

Has somebody done the upgrade in your GTN 650/750 to the new software version 6.11? PIREPs are welcome!

[Marauder]

  On 3/4/2016 at 12:54 PM, Oscar Avalle said:

Has somebody done the upgrade in your GTN 650/750 to the new software version 6.11? PIREPs are welcome!

I saw they came out with another fix yesterday. I'll wait a few weeks before I upgrade. It has some nice features but I have been burned being an early adopter.

Also check out the changes from yesterday. Hopefully they don't impact the GPSS roll steering of the Aspen.

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[MB65E]

Service Advisory 1619 A was just released today. I'd wait...

-Matt

[flyboy0681]

Today's message is only an advisory as to how the map will now depict turns coming up and wasn't a fix.

[Oscar Avalle]

  On 3/4/2016 at 2:53 PM, Marauder said:

I saw they came out with another fix yesterday. I'll wait a few weeks before I upgrade. It has some nice features but I have been burned being an early adopter.

Also check out the changes from yesterday. Hopefully they don't impact the GPSS roll steering of the Aspen.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

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yes, GPSS Aspen is critical!

[Bob - S50]

  On 3/4/2016 at 3:13 PM, flyboy0681 said:

Today's message is only an advisory as to how the map will now depict turns coming up and wasn't a fix.

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I read something else into the bulletin.  Not only does the map show curved lines, but your CDI will reflect whether or not you are following that curved line.  Supposed to provide better guidance to roll out exactly on the new course rather than over/under shooting and then having to re-intercept.

I'm with the crowd here.  If I can talk my partners into updating, I plan to wait at least a couple months and let others find the problems.  One report on BeechTalk reported it locked up his unit and he had to ship it back to Garmin for repairs.  Only one report though.  Many said they experienced no problems.

[donkaye]

  On 3/5/2016 at 1:54 PM, Bob - S50 said:

I read something else into the bulletin.  Not only does the map show curved lines, but your CDI will reflect whether or not you are following that curved line.  Supposed to provide better guidance to roll out exactly on the new course rather than over/under shooting and then having to re-intercept.

I'm with the crowd here.  If I can talk my partners into updating, I plan to wait at least a couple months and let others find the problems.  One report on BeechTalk reported it locked up his unit and he had to ship it back to Garmin for repairs.  Only one report though.  Many said they experienced no problems.

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So far no one has reported on using the new software.  I plan to have my units updated tomorrow if the weather permits.  I'm used to debugging Garmin products.  In talking with my avionics tech he says that if power to the unit is ever lost during any Garmin product update, the unit is bricked and must be sent back to Garmin, so the updates should be done using an external power supply.

My ESI 500 has arrived, but it will be a couple of weeks before Peter has time to do the installation.  I'll post pictures when it is completed.

Now I'm thinking of exchanging out my GMA 35 for the GMA 35C, assuming pin for pin compatibility, which I think it has.

[JohnB]

I had my GTN 750 upgraded to version 6.11 and so far. Great. Granted, I just got my 750 installed so I haven't flown with the older version much, but here are the things i noticed compared to the earlier version.

• Previous legs now shown. Very helpful for me in in flight route changes and deviations away from course by ATC.
• When you change to an airway with a large angle change, it displays a nearly perfect rounded out path AND if you have a GPSS installed, it flies it exactly which is just cool.

The things that I want to try with it, that are now possible with the upgrade are:

•      Adds vertical guidance to an LPV approach (LPV + V)
• Animates weather!!! (This was one thing I noted on their simulator that real weather was placed in static blocks, whereas on foreflight, you can animate it so at least you know the direction weather is traveling, and you couldn't on the GTN, you apparently can now)
• Is approved to be able to provide RNP 1.0 guidance. Even though that level wont get your airplane legal to fly an RNP approach at most airports, and probably not worth you getting certified to fly RNP approaches, who knows, it might eventually and if it improves to 0.5 to 0.3, perhaps it will be able to be certified for these approaches, which would be fun to go through the training and fly an approach perfectly previously only available to the bigger guys.

No bugs noted so far, everything works fine

[MooneyBob]

I have GTN750 installed. I need to check what software version I have. 

How do you upgrade to the newest version? Avionic shop has to do that? 

[Godfather]

  On 3/8/2016 at 11:46 AM, MooneyBob said:

I have GTN750 installed. I need to check what software version I have. 

How do you upgrade to the newest version? Avionic shop has to do that? 

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For certified aircraft you need to go to an avionics shop.  He version shows on the startup screen when you turn on the unit.  Garmin recently started to allow experimental aircraft units to do the upgrade on without help from a shop.

Edited March 8, 2016 by Godfather

[Bob - S50]

I think I mentioned this in another thread, but one BIG change is a behavior change when you load an approach.

It used to be that if you loaded an approach but did not activate it, your GPS would try to drive you to the airport before heading back out to fly the approach.  That is what ATC has cleared you to do until you get cleared for an approach or start getting vectors.  With the latest version, the only difference (that I can determine) is:

If you LOAD an approach, the GTN will take you to the last fix in your flighplan prior to your destination, then to the first fix in the approach, and then fly the approach.  This may not be what you are cleared for so be careful if you load the approach early.

If you LOAD and ACTIVATE an approach, the GTN will take you directly to the first fix (transition fix for example) in the approach, and then fly the approach.  That is, it will skip all the remaining fixes in the enroute portion of your flightplan.

So in other words, the only difference is at when the GTN takes you to the approach.  In either case it thinks you are cleared for the approach.

So in the words of Hill Street Blues (for us old guys), "Be careful out there".

[flyboy0681]

  On 3/8/2016 at 2:06 PM, Bob - S50 said:

I think I mentioned this in another thread, but one BIG change is a behavior change when you load an approach.

It used to be that if you loaded an approach but did not activate it, your GPS would try to drive you to the airport before heading back out to fly the approach.  That is what ATC has cleared you to do until you get cleared for an approach or start getting vectors.  With the latest version, the only difference (that I can determine) is:

If you LOAD an approach, the GTN will take you to the last fix in your flighplan prior to your destination, then to the first fix in the approach, and then fly the approach.  This may not be what you are cleared for so be careful if you load the approach early.

If you LOAD and ACTIVATE an approach, the GTN will take you directly to the first fix (transition fix for example) in the approach, and then fly the approach.  That is, it will skip all the remaining fixes in the enroute portion of your flightplan.

So in other words, the only difference is at when the GTN takes you to the approach.  In either case it thinks you are cleared for the approach.

So in the words of Hill Street Blues (for us old guys), "Be careful out there".

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From a practical point of view, any idea why Garmin did this?

This subject does appears in the new manual..

Edited March 8, 2016 by flyboy0681

[Bob - S50]

I'm not sure why they did that.  Could be that people kept forgetting to activate the approach.  This would solve that problem.  Trade one problem for another.  No matter what they do, we can find a way to screw it up.

[flyboy0681]

Experimenting with the simulator, the solution for this appears to insert the destination airport at the end of the FP and activate that leg once you pass the last fix in the flight plan, before the approach begins. Once the clearance comes through, just activate the waypoint that the controller gives you. Everything else will fall into sequence, making this a pretty good workaround.

[carusoam]

It seems to better handle a possible 'distraction'.

Does Selecting a procedure ever accidently stick in the brain as having activated the procedure?  I have experienced this in the MSFS after loading and flying endless procedures. Not properly activating a procedure doesn't work very well.   The mistake doesn't readily show itself either...

MSFS= Microsoft Flight Simulator.  It is not real life, but it simulates distractions really well!

Best regards,

-a-

 

 

[Bob - S50]

  On 3/9/2016 at 3:46 PM, flyboy0681 said:

Experimenting with the simulator, the solution for this appears to insert the destination airport at the end of the FP and activate that leg once you pass the last fix in the flight plan, before the approach begins. Once the clearance comes through, just activate the waypoint that the controller gives you. Everything else will fall into sequence, making this a pretty good workaround.

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We may be saying the same thing, but there is another way to 'trick' the system.  When entering your flightplan, enter another airport after your destination.  If you are going IFR, this can be your alternate.  If not, just pick one.  For example, if I'm going S50 to KTIW, I could load S50 KTIW KOLM.

Once you do that, if you load an approach for your destination (KTIW in my example), the approach will appear AFTER KOLM.  The flightpath lines on the screen will go S50 KTIW KOLM then to the approach fix.  You can then either activate the approach (and go direct to the fix) or activate a leg on the approach.  In other words, you get the old behavior.

Another advantage (if you want to call it that) of this technique is that it leaves your destination airport in the flightplan so you can reference it for waypoint info like frequencies.  Under v6.11, if you don't use this technique, when you load the approach the airport disappears from the list (it is replaced by the approach).

Like I said though, no matter what we do, we can always mess it up.  Know what you are doing.

[flyboy0681]

  On 3/10/2016 at 2:34 PM, Bob - S50 said:

We may be saying the same thing, but there is another way to 'trick' the system.  When entering your flightplan, enter another airport after your destination.  If you are going IFR, this can be your alternate.  If not, just pick one.  For example, if I'm going S50 to KTIW, I could load S50 KTIW KOLM.

Once you do that, if you load an approach for your destination (KTIW in my example), the approach will appear AFTER KOLM.  The flightpath lines on the screen will go S50 KTIW KOLM then to the approach fix.  You can then either activate the approach (and go direct to the fix) or activate a leg on the approach.  In other words, you get the old behavior.

Another advantage (if you want to call it that) of this technique is that it leaves your destination airport in the flightplan so you can reference it for waypoint info like frequencies.  Under v6.11, if you don't use this technique, when you load the approach the airport disappears from the list (it is replaced by the approach).

Like I said though, no matter what we do, we can always mess it up.  Know what you are doing.

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I just tried this method and it worked like a charm and is probably the way to go. I guess there's more than one way to skin a cat.

[carusoam]

Sounds like the software is catching up quickly to what the hardware is designed to do.

Aviation hardware is on a decade long cycle, compared to the Apple annual IPad cycle.  Apps updated daily, automatically.

Impressive computing speed increases, combined with gobs of data handling/memory, and the bonus of wifi, BT, keyboards, and touchscreens.  Hardware than can calculate approaching planes' trajectory and warn of impending collision

The race is on, Big G vs. Avidyne...

What else is in the pipeline?  GPSS output to match the nice curvy approaches charted on the screen?

Things are getting more interesting every month.

Best regards,

-a-

[Marauder]

  On 3/10/2016 at 2:34 PM, Bob - S50 said:

  On 3/9/2016 at 3:46 PM, flyboy0681 said:

22 hours ago, flyboy0681 said: Experimenting with the simulator, the solution for this appears to insert the destination airport at the end of the FP and activate that leg once you pass the last fix in the flight plan, before the approach begins. Once the clearance comes through, just activate the waypoint that the controller gives you. Everything else will fall into sequence, making this a pretty good workaround.

We may be saying the same thing, but there is another way to 'trick' the system.  When entering your flightplan, enter another airport after your destination.  If you are going IFR, this can be your alternate.  If not, just pick one.  For example, if I'm going S50 to KTIW, I could load S50 KTIW KOLM.

Once you do that, if you load an approach for your destination (KTIW in my example), the approach will appear AFTER KOLM.  The flightpath lines on the screen will go S50 KTIW KOLM then to the approach fix.  You can then either activate the approach (and go direct to the fix) or activate a leg on the approach.  In other words, you get the old behavior.

Another advantage (if you want to call it that) of this technique is that it leaves your destination airport in the flightplan so you can reference it for waypoint info like frequencies.  Under v6.11, if you don't use this technique, when you load the approach the airport disappears from the list (it is replaced by the approach).

Like I said though, no matter what we do, we can always mess it up.  Know what you are doing.

Thanks for looking at this Bob. I will eventually get the update but having someone road test it and tell me the cornering capability before I take it for a test drive, makes it much easier to use. Much appreciated.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Jerry 5TJ]

Ben at Smart Avionics, Inc. at N71 told me yesterday that he has upgraded several GTN750 to firmware 6.11, including in his own plane.  So far so good, he reported. I'll have mine done in the next month or two.  Upgrade quoted at $100 per box. 

[donkaye]

I've flown numerous approaches right after getting the update and had no issues---except, and this is only a software update for the GTN series, when flying VTF with the new system, all waypoints showed as expected on the GTN, but did not transfer over to the G500.  It still shows only the Final Approach Fix and no preceding fixes. :-(

Also, PTC doesn't work for me, but does for others.  Garmin says send the GMA 35 back for repair.  Another :-(

[Bob - S50]

  On 3/10/2016 at 8:18 PM, Marauder said:

Thanks for looking at this Bob. I will eventually get the update but having someone road test it and tell me the cornering capability before I take it for a test drive, makes it much easier to use. Much appreciated.

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My pleasure.  We finally pulled the trigger and picked a shop to install ADS-B and update our GTN650 at the same time.  I hate surprises and hate using the standard Airbus driver line: "What's it doing now?"  Therefore, I installed the 6.0 simulator on our Surface and have been playing with it.  Anytime I have a question about how to do something, I fire up the simulator and play with it.

[Marauder]

  On 3/11/2016 at 1:35 PM, Bob - S50 said:

  On 3/10/2016 at 8:18 PM, Marauder said:

17 hours ago, Marauder said: Thanks for looking at this Bob. I will eventually get the update but having someone road test it and tell me the cornering capability before I take it for a test drive, makes it much easier to use. Much appreciated.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

My pleasure.  We finally pulled the trigger and picked a shop to install ADS-B and update our GTN650 at the same time.  I hate surprises and hate using the standard Airbus driver line: "What's it doing now?"  Therefore, I installed the 6.0 simulator on our Surface and have been playing with it.  Anytime I have a question about how to do something, I fire up the simulator and play with it.

I too like to work through the scenarios offline when changes are made and prior to actually using them for real. Even for some of the mundane things like the dropping of the "1" for entering frequencies. You get into a habit of doing it a certain way, it takes time to break the habit.

I'm waiting on the upgrade for someone who owns an Aspen to do the upgrade. Want to make sure the update doesn't screw up how the Aspen uses the data.

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[flyboy0681]

Upgraded today. While I didn't have time to play with all of the new features, I toyed around with the HOLD feature and was amazed at it's simple yet powerful user interface. The animated weather will be a welcome relief.

[ArtVandelay]

  On 3/23/2016 at 9:36 PM, flyboy0681 said:

Upgraded today. While I didn't have time to play with all of the new features, I toyed around with the HOLD feature and was amazed at it's simple yet powerful user interface. The animated weather will be a welcome relief.

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I've never gotten a unpublished hold, but now I'm almost hoping I get one.  Having the AP removes one of the most tedious tasks; flying in circles (ovals).