Garmin G5 vs Aspen

[cvela]

On 3/30/2017 at 5:27 PM, M20Doc said:

I take care of a S35 Bonanza which has an Aspen coupled with a Brittain autopilot and it works fine.

Clarence

I assume you are not referring to GPSS functionality?

[co2bruce]

1 G5 doesn't = Aspen PFD 1000, you need 2 (1 for the AI, one for DG). Am I missing something? The VFR Aspen unit is only 5,000 and will drive the autopilot. 

[Bravoman]

I'm having a G5 installed in my Saratoga. A GTN 750 drives the autopilot and I have an aerosafe standby electric vacuum system. I am installing it for total redundancy since my concern has always been that even with the standby vacuum system the AI itself can still go bad. 

[Cyril Gibb]

What, other than price and the part number, is the difference between a G5 for certified aircraft vs a G5 for experimentals?  Does it come off the same conveyer belt at the factory? 

Same question between an Aspen VFR vs IFR unit.

 

[bradp]

Not too much different.  As I understand the experimental version will drive a Garmin experimental autopilot and will output data on the RS-232 bus as well as AIRINC-429 when connected to a GAD-29 box.  It will also output altitude (for use as an altitude encoder).  

[rbridges]

On 6/11/2017 at 3:52 PM, Bravoman said:

I'm having a G5 installed in my Saratoga. A GTN 750 drives the autopilot and I have an aerosafe standby electric vacuum system. I am installing it for total redundancy since my concern has always been that even with the standby vacuum system the AI itself can still go bad. 

I didn't realize a gtn could drive an autopilot.  I should have been a lawyer. 

[WorldWiseTrade]

Ladies & Gentlemen, The installation notes for the G5 stipulates that the G5 unit(s) CANNOT be installed in a primary location if an aircraft autopilot utilizes the existing AI/HSI. That is to mean it does not go in your panel dead center. It can be used in an auxiliary position for backup use only, not primary. So if there is and analog autopilot involved, the primary instruments must remain and remain in the original positions.

Of course Garmin does not stand still so the scuttlebutt is that similar to Aspen's EA 100, there should be something announced soon. When this happens the flood gates will open and the vacuum pumps will become history. I have heard announcement possible at Oshkosh but only rumors.

When/If this happens it will be a very nice option, especially combined with the GTN products. Personally I don't like Aspen, difficult to see for us bifocal guys, menu's too complex, no simulator available for practice on a PC, etc. Plus dual G5's about half the cost of Aspen. And that EA 100 is very expensive.

Hey GARMIN... HURRY UP, we are all waiting!

[Awful_Charlie]

I don't know if the G5 is the same as the G500 in logic/inputs, but my decision to go Aspen rather than G500 was that the Aspen had a dependency on the pitot/static system, and the Garmin a dependency on a GPS fix. I have some control over the pitot/static, and can likely diagnose and maybe repair a fault there even away from base, whereas a GPS failure is much more likely out of my control and I'm unlikely to be able to make a repair away from home (remember the duff batch of Garmin GPS antennas that then took down every GPS in the aircraft?). I've seen lots of GPS dropouts, but only one pitot failure (where the heater wiring burnt out)

[bradp]

17 hours ago, WorldWiseTrade said:

Ladies & Gentlemen, The installation notes for the G5 stipulates that the G5 unit(s) CANNOT be installed in a primary location if an aircraft autopilot utilizes the existing AI/HSI. That is to mean it does not go in your panel dead center. It can be used in an auxiliary position for backup use only, not primary. So if there is and analog autopilot involved, the primary instruments must remain and remain in the original positions.

Of course Garmin does not stand still so the scuttlebutt is that similar to Aspen's EA 100, there should be something announced soon. When this happens the flood gates will open and the vacuum pumps will become history. I have heard announcement possible at Oshkosh but only rumors.

When/If this happens it will be a very nice option, especially combined with the GTN products. Personally I don't like Aspen, difficult to see for us bifocal guys, menu's too complex, no simulator available for practice on a PC, etc. Plus dual G5's about half the cost of Aspen. And that EA 100 is very expensive.

Hey GARMIN... HURRY UP, we are all waiting!

Here's the full text of Rev 6 (4/2017) of the installation manual that covers both the G5 AI and the HSI/DG:

 

Sorry about the formatting...

 

You can move the AI to the TC so long as the original AI does not have a flight director.

 

It is the installer’s responsibility to

ensure the installation will meet th

e requirements in this manual prior

to modification the aircraft.

As installed by this STC, the G5:



is NOT approved in FAA certified aircraft that:



are approved for Flight Into Known Icing (FIKI) conditions



have a gross take-off weight more than 6000 lbs



have more than 6 seats including pilot/copilot



the aircraft the G5 is being installed must have

an aircraft electrical power generating system

capable of supplying 14 VDC or 28 VDC



if a G5 is being installed as an attitude indicator

and an existing attitude indicator is retained, the

existing indicator must be a fixed pointer type



cannot replace a primary attitude indicator that includes a flight director or is part of an autopilot

system (an existing attitude indicator in the primary

location that is part of an autopilot but without

flight director may be moved to the turn coordi

nator location and a G5 installed in the primary

location)



cannot replace the turn coordinator that

is part of an autopilot system



cannot replace the DG/HSI that is part of an autopilot system



cannot replace the non-stabilized magnetic compass

(Whiskey Compass must be retained in the

aircraft)



must be installed in an instrument panel construc

ted of aluminum with a minimum thickness of .040

inches.



is only approved to interface with aircraft systems specified in this manual



must not have interface cables and wiring installed in fuel bays

 

 

[KSMooniac]

1 G5 doesn't = Aspen PFD 1000, you need 2 (1 for the AI, one for DG). Am I missing something? The VFR Aspen unit is only 5,000 and will drive the autopilot. 

I'm not sure the "VFR" Aspen can drive any autopilot...same box but it is crippled to sell at the lower price. That was my understanding from several years ago, but perhaps they've changed policies.

Sent from my LG-US996 using Tapatalk

[mike_elliott]

19 hours ago, rbridges said:

I didn't realize a gtn could drive an autopilot.  I should have been a lawyer. 

One Dentist/lawyer/CFI/avionics tech/A&P on the list is enough, Robert