My Dream Gadget Just released - Garmin G500 TXi

[donkaye, MCFI]

25 minutes ago, gsxrpilot said:

@donkaye I think we're due for a picture of the gorgeous panel in your Bravo.  I'm not a Garmin guy, but it's hard to make a case against your panel. But post a picture. There are a lot of new members who haven't seen it.

OK.  Here it is.  It's still a dream to fly behind.  There is so much more that can't be seen in the photo; the stormscope, all the ADS-B stuff, the FS 510 and 210, the correlation of active and passive traffic that displays TargetTrend on all displays, the new Aeroled lights for taxi and landing that are unbelievably brighter than the regular 4596 lamps...

[JohnB]

20 hours ago, donkaye said:

First off, the Sim is "Flakey" to say the least.  It is constantly bombing out.  The left hand knob works the same as on the G500 for both Heading and Course.  I wouldn't use the touch screen for those functions.  GS and TAS are right next to each other as opposed to GS being on top and TAS being on the bottom of the ASI as now on the G500.  The Winds are also expanded to show total wind and direction in addition to headwind and crosswind components.  The information on top of the Current G500 is eliminated for the most part; no TRK or DTK, at least not on the Sim.  With two 7" screens you do get 2 AHRS, but then again I have two certified (three if you count the FS210) including the ESI 500.  I wouldn't get the dual 7".  You might as well just get the basic G500 in that case with the ESI 500 like I have now.  The Garmin engine monitoring system is too expensive for what you get.  I still like my MVP-50 much better.  For me, when all is said and done, forget the $11,000 ($9,000 screen plus $2,000 install) upgrade cost, I'm not sure you get very much more bang for the buck except for the full screen PFD capability.  Bottom line, I would like to have one of the 10.6 inch screens in my hands to play with for an hour.  I could then make an easy decision.

Hugely helpful Don and everyone else who chimed in! Thanks! Ok good to know I can use the knob for rapid course and altitude changes. Ok I too want to play hands on with the 10.6 inch screens before I buy. I think I can hook that up with my installer. I would have preferred that they put the knobs on the right side of the screen as I'm used to flying with my left and doing knob and button pushing with my right hand, but I would assume I would get used to the change. 

I saw that 11k upgrade price, I'm not sure it gives you much more than you already have in a G500. Here's what I'm hoping I can do. Get a 7" and a 10.6"  and put them side by side in some order. I would use the strip on the 10.6 for my primary engine monitor and remove all of the factory gauges, and keep my edm-830 as a secondary engine monitor. If all checks out, I shouldn't need to have another backup instrument and could technically take out everything else (although I would like having some steam gauges if they'll fit).Ill have to figure out how the G500 interacts with my autopilot, (I know ill need to get the analog to digital converter)  if its as easy as it is with my steam gauges, and the EI strip would qualify as your primary engine monitoring, im interested!

[JohnB]

On 10/18/2017 at 12:23 PM, jkhirsch said:

Here's my lazy question: Does anyone know if the EIS TXi can be a primary replacement like the 930 or MVP?

Exactly my question too! Still looking for an answer to this one, there's a webinar they're having, which im going to be on if I don't find out the answer beforehand.

[donkaye, MCFI]

2 hours ago, JohnB said:

Hugely helpful Don and everyone else who chimed in! Thanks! Ok good to know I can use the knob for rapid course and altitude changes. Ok I too want to play hands on with the 10.6 inch screens before I buy. I think I can hook that up with my installer. I would have preferred that they put the knobs on the right side of the screen as I'm used to flying with my left and doing knob and button pushing with my right hand, but I would assume I would get used to the change. 

I saw that 11k upgrade price, I'm not sure it gives you much more than you already have in a G500. Here's what I'm hoping I can do. Get a 7" and a 10.6"  and put them side by side in some order. I would use the strip on the 10.6 for my primary engine monitor and remove all of the factory gauges, and keep my edm-830 as a secondary engine monitor. If all checks out, I shouldn't need to have another backup instrument and could technically take out everything else (although I would like having some steam gauges if they'll fit).Ill have to figure out how the G500 interacts with my autopilot, (I know ill need to get the analog to digital converter)  if its as easy as it is with my steam gauges, and the EI strip would qualify as your primary engine monitoring, im interested!

On the TXi you can reverse the PFD and MFD.  If you do so, the functions of the knobs on the left and right change to the associated display and will give you what you are asking for.  You would still have to use your left hand for the MFD controls.  The EIS is primary, so all other engine instruments can go.  Here is the 1 hour 10 minute initial Webinar introducing the products.

View Recording.webloc

[donkaye, MCFI]

I should also say that having all this good stuff is not the end all of being able to get to where you want when you want.  For example, we didn't make it all the way to Homecoming by plane this year.  We got as far as Fort Stockton and that was it for this year due to weather I wasn't willing to go through due to the possibility of imbedded T-Storms.  The plane ended up staying in a Hangar the whole week, while we miraculously found a ride by car for the rest of the trip.  To make a long story short, there is no Uber or rental cars in Fort Stockton.  The hotels were also full except for the Comfort Inn.  Both Shirley and I and Mary and Homer were directed there at different times as one of the few places left with a couple of rooms.  We met them the following morning in the free breakfast area.  Unbelievably, Homer had a problem with his airplane and was driving with Mary to Kerrville from Arizona.  They graciously asked us if we wanted a ride the rest of the way.  We quickly accepted.  We never saw blue sky from that very rainy and windy Wednesday morning until Saturday.  It rained constantly every day in between causing very few people to fly into Kerrville this year.

[JohnB]

On 10/18/2017 at 12:23 PM, jkhirsch said:

Here's my lazy question: Does anyone know if the EIS TXi can be a primary replacement like the 930 or MVP?

I researched this with Garmin and the answer is YES, the EIS TXi is designed to be a certified primary replacement for your engine instruments, AND can be configured at time of install to display certain optional parameters you wish to monitor on the side strip and the full engine display screen, similar to what you can customize on a primary MVP-50. This would have been a non starter for me if the TXi didn't do this, but it does! So I'm looking at installing the 10.6" display with EIS and replacing all of my factory engine gauges, and keeping a few backup gauges. (I still am leery to go ALL battery/electric nav instruments).  It's still going to be a while as I don't think Garmin has got all of the certification paperwork ready for our Mooneys yet until early next year, and is bound to be back ordered once they do, but I'm planning now. 

JohnB

[JohnB]

On 10/21/2017 at 11:44 PM, donkaye said:

On the TXi you can reverse the PFD and MFD.  If you do so, the functions of the knobs on the left and right change to the associated display and will give you what you are asking for.  You would still have to use your left hand for the MFD controls.  The EIS is primary, so all other engine instruments can go.  Here is the 1 hour 10 minute initial Webinar introducing the products.

View Recording.webloc

Hey Don! I couldn't open your webinar link, but I just attended one and found out you can add optional remote buttons if you like and place them anywhere you wish on your panel to control your screens rather than always using your touchscreens.

BTW, have you upgraded your GTN to the latest software ( I believe its 6.21) adding visual approaches to just about every airport in the US with advisory glide slopes? Also sounds nice.  Ill hopefully be getting that next week.

John B

[donkaye, MCFI]

1 hour ago, JohnB said:

Hey Don! I couldn't open your webinar link, but I just attended one and found out you can add optional remote buttons if you like and place them anywhere you wish on your panel to control your screens rather than always using your touchscreens.

BTW, have you upgraded your GTN to the latest software ( I believe its 6.21) adding visual approaches to just about every airport in the US with advisory glide slopes? Also sounds nice.  Ill hopefully be getting that next week.

John B

John,  I just tested the link and it works perfectly.  I have upgraded the GTN to 6.41 and I love the Visual approach addition.  I now use it all the time.

I still haven't decided on whether to upgrade to the TXi.  There are pluses and minuses--mostly minuses from my point of view. I have to make a decision by June to be able to get the $2,000 discount on the display.  I have several students in the que for installation, so I'll get to play with the real thing before I have to make the decision. The Sim on the iPad is super flakey and basically unusable.  On the minus side, I don't like the lack of multiple Map and Weather Pages that are available on the Current G500.  I think the Menu on the screen bottom is too small by a factor of 50%.  It takes too many button pushes to get to the various pages.  (I don't want any more switches on the panel).  On the plus side, maybe the Map inside the HSI, but I think that is too small to be very valuable, but I'd have to use it to be certain.  The screen resolution is supposedly better.  No other pluses.

[JohnB]

20 hours ago, donkaye said:

John,  I just tested the link and it works perfectly.  I have upgraded the GTN to 6.41 and I love the Visual approach addition.  I now use it all the time.

I still haven't decided on whether to upgrade to the TXi.  There are pluses and minuses--mostly minuses from my point of view. I have to make a decision by June to be able to get the $2,000 discount on the display.  I have several students in the que for installation, so I'll get to play with the real thing before I have to make the decision. The Sim on the iPad is super flakey and basically unusable.  On the minus side, I don't like the lack of multiple Map and Weather Pages that are available on the Current G500.  I think the Menu on the screen bottom is too small by a factor of 50%.  It takes too many button pushes to get to the various pages.  (I don't want any more switches on the panel).  On the plus side, maybe the Map inside the HSI, but I think that is too small to be very valuable, but I'd have to use it to be certain.  The screen resolution is supposedly better.  No other pluses.

Don, It might not be such a plus for you since you already have a very cool primary engine gauge replacement (which I was going to get if this wasn't primary), a 10.6" would be redundant, and other than touch screen, not sure much difference between two G500 screens and two G500TXi screens would be other than touch screen, the map in HSI and higher resolution (as so my installer says). Very nice that you get to play with these before you consider, if mine is installed before your June deadline, I'd be happy to show you. Great, that Garmin upgrade sounded welcome.. can't wait for mine!

[donkaye, MCFI]

26 minutes ago, JohnB said:

Don, It might not be such a plus for you since you already have a very cool primary engine gauge replacement (which I was going to get if this wasn't primary), a 10.6" would be redundant, and other than touch screen, not sure much difference between two G500 screens and two G500TXi screens would be other than touch screen, the map in HSI and higher resolution (as so my installer says). Very nice that you get to play with these before you consider, if mine is installed before your June deadline, I'd be happy to show you. Great, that Garmin upgrade sounded welcome.. can't wait for mine!

John, before you buy the Garmin ESI, I'd read over the specifications closely.  It is expensive and doesn't provide as much information as the MVP-50, which I think would cost less money.

[JohnB]

22 minutes ago, donkaye said:

John, before you buy the Garmin ESI, I'd read over the specifications closely.  It is expensive and doesn't provide as much information as the MVP-50, which I think would cost less money.

Yes.. I know the MVP 50 has great user definable customization screens, checklists and other things that the EIS doesnt, but I just wanted the EIS to replace my HIGHLY unreliable and non replaceable factory gauges and may keep my EDM 830 as secondary if i still have panel room as Ive already bought that.

My biggest debate is whether to ditch all of my steam gauges and put in a G5 backup.. Ok I have a side question for you @donkaye. if you ever had an electrical fire IMC and had to shut down your master, your G5 would be on  to keep you level via its battery, but would you lose all navigation? Would I need 2? (one with the HSI function) I'm trying to prepare for an all electric failure IMC with my next upgrades, which right now I think I'd be ok as long as I can see my gauges! If this is too sensitive a question, you can answer offline.

John

[MIm20c]

1 hour ago, JohnB said:

Yes.. I know the MVP 50 has great user definable customization screens, checklists and other things that the EIS doesnt, but I just wanted the EIS to replace my HIGHLY unreliable and non replaceable factory gauges and may keep my EDM 830 as secondary if i still have panel room as Ive already bought that.

My biggest debate is whether to ditch all of my steam gauges and put in a G5 backup.. Ok I have a side question for you @donkaye. if you ever had an electrical fire IMC and had to shut down your master, your G5 would be on  to keep you level via its battery, but would you lose all navigation? Would I need 2? (one with the HSI function) I'm trying to prepare for an all electric failure IMC with my next upgrades, which right now I think I'd be ok as long as I can see my gauges! If this is too sensitive a question, you can answer offline.

John

If I was doing a new panel right now it would include the 10 inch txi panel, the L3 500 w/nav, and a 900/930/50 engine monitor.  

Some shops have been bending the rules with installing the g5 for AI backup. I don’t think any of them have used the g5 for airspeed and altitude backup which it is not certified for in any installation. The aspen system with dual air data computers and a large backup battery only needs a backup AI the Garmin needs all three. 

[donkaye, MCFI]

1 hour ago, JohnB said:

Yes.. I know the MVP 50 has great user definable customization screens, checklists and other things that the EIS doesnt, but I just wanted the EIS to replace my HIGHLY unreliable and non replaceable factory gauges and may keep my EDM 830 as secondary if i still have panel room as Ive already bought that.

My biggest debate is whether to ditch all of my steam gauges and put in a G5 backup.. Ok I have a side question for you @donkaye. if you ever had an electrical fire IMC and had to shut down your master, your G5 would be on  to keep you level via its battery, but would you lose all navigation? Would I need 2? (one with the HSI function) I'm trying to prepare for an all electric failure IMC with my next upgrades, which right now I think I'd be ok as long as I can see my gauges! If this is too sensitive a question, you can answer offline.

John

The Garmin G5 cannot be used as a backup.  Garmin is pretty clear about this and this has been discussed extensively on Beechtalk.

The ESI 500 does have Navigation, but it takes its input from either the GTN 750 or 650.  My last ditch backups would be the Aera 796 for Navigation on the yoke and ESI 500 backup battery for Attitude, if I lost both GTNs.  After that the last,  last ditch backup would be the iPad, which without the FS 210 or FS 510 would provide Navigation but no attitude, but the ESI 500 would.

Doing a Risk Analysis of your hypothetical I think would lead to a probability of your circumstance being unbelievably remote.

[JohnB]

38 minutes ago, MIm20c said:

If I was doing a new panel right now it would include the 10 inch txi panel, the L3 500 w/nav, and a 900/930/50 engine monitor.  

Some shops have been bending the rules with installing the g5 for AI backup. I don’t think any of them have used the g5 for airspeed and altitude backup which it is not certified for in any installation. The aspen system with dual air data computers and a large backup battery only needs a backup AI the Garmin needs all three. 

Hey.. I didn't yet see that L3 ESI - 500, that actually is certified as a backup instrument and has a battery, ill look into it! Thanks!!

28 minutes ago, donkaye said:

The Garmin G5 cannot be used as a backup.  Garmin is pretty clear about this and this has been discussed extensively on Beechtalk.

The ESI 500 does have Navigation, but it takes its input from either the GTN 750 or 650.  My last ditch backups would be the Aera 796 for Navigation on the yoke and ESI 500 backup battery for Attitude, if I lost both GTNs.  After that the last,  last ditch backup would be the iPad, which without the FS 210 or FS 510 would provide Navigation but no attitude, but the ESI 500 would.

Doing a Risk Analysis of your hypothetical I think would lead to a probability of your circumstance being unbelievably remote.

Wow.. and I thought mistakenly that the G5 could be backup to replace steam gauges, hugely helpful guys. So if the G5 can't be backup, its just adding another device for comfort. You guys are saving me even more money thanks!

So Lets see.. so now im looking at A) installing a 10.6 TXi/eis, keeping some of my vacuum driven and pitot instruments (AS/AI/ALT/HSI), ditching the others except my stormscope. Then in the event of TXI screen failure, I would be good to go IFR on my backup instruments, and with total electrical failure, I would have my AS/AI/ALT and maybe part of my HSI but might lose nav?- I think this would protect from every conceivable 1 system failure i.e. total electrical)

OR I could ditch them all , get an L3 ESI-500 with nav and keep my stormscope which would be cleaner with room for more gadgets (although I cant think of anything else I would ever need after this upgrade, but of course I didn't know I needed a TXi until it came out) - I would lose nav if the L3 is tied to GTN/GNS electrical, but that would be my ipad backup solution.

Actually just thought... I could just buy a $300 hand held transceiver with Nav/Com built in, so either of the two above would work with total electrical failure, and I could get to a VOR/ ILS airport without much worry or loss of comm. Hey more money saved!

I know the possibility of electrical fire is remote, or someone setting off an EMP while I'm flying (ha!) is ludicrously remote, but with all of these electrical gadgets going in nowadays, I like to at least be prepared somehow to get out of IMC in case my master has to go off. (And we would probably have bigger problems if an EMP went off anyways  ha!)

JB

 

 

[donkaye, MCFI]

11 minutes ago, JohnB said:

So Lets see.. so now im looking at A) installing a 10.6 TXi/eis, keeping some of my vacuum driven and pitot instruments (AS/AI/ALT/HSI), ditching the others except my stormscope. 

OR I could ditch them all , get an L3 ESI-500 with nav and keep my stormscope which would be cleaner with room for more gadgets (although I cant think of anything else I would ever need after this upgrade, but of course I didn't know I needed a TXi until it came out) - I would lose nav if the L3 is tied to GTN/GNS electrical, but that would be my ipad backup solution.

Actually just thought... I could just buy a $300 hand held transceiver with Nav/Com built in, so either of the two above would work with total electrical failure, and I could get to a VOR/ ILS airport without much worry or loss of comm. Hey more money saved!

I know the possibility of electrical fire is remote, or someone setting off an EMP while I'm flying (ha!) is ludicrously remote, but with all of these electrical gadgets going in nowadays, I like to at least be prepared somehow to get out of IMC in case my master has to go off. (And we would probably have bigger problems if an EMP went off anyways  ha!)

JB

 

 

I'd ditch (Sell) the WX 1000+ Stormscope and get the Remote WX 500 that interfaces perfectly with the GTNs and G500TXi.  Gives more panel space as a bonus.

A Handheld transceiver with VOR/ILS?  VORs are going the way of the Dinosaur.  No way for me.  I want GPS all the way and the Aera 796 on the yoke provides it along with weather and Jepp Charts--even in a total electrical failure.

As an aside, I spent months reviewing what was available in the market before I upgraded my panel to what I have today.  Whether its primary or backup, I recommend what I have.  In 3 years, I haven't been the least bit sorry for anything I did, and love flying behind it each time I get into the air.  In my opinion it's the best of the best of what is out there.

[donkaye, MCFI]

Regarding going ALL Glass:

When I was doing my upgrade, I wanted to keep one legacy VOR head to be used as a backup navigator.  My avionics tech said not to do that.  "It just wouldn't look right", he said.  I went along with him.  So for the first year, before the ESI 500 came out my backup navigation source in case of total electrical failure was my 796.  Keeping the legacy ASI, ADI, and Altimeter was never a consideration give the ESI 2000 that I originally bought.  I wanted a "Clean" panel, and with a lot of G1000 time, I felt comfortable doing that.

Legacy instruments take up a lot of space and are more inaccurate as compared to the digital replacements---and that goes for engine instruments as well.  I also think they could be used as a "crutch" to moving on into the new age of avionics.

If it makes sense economically, I'd recommend going ALL Glass.   The Learning Curve just isn't that great, and with Mooney speed, you'll think you're flying a modern jet.

[Marauder]

Regarding going ALL Glass:
When I was doing my upgrade, I wanted to keep one legacy VOR head to be used as a backup navigator.  My avionics tech said not to do that.  "It just wouldn't look right", he said.  I went along with him.  So for the first year, before the ESI 500 came out my backup navigation source in case of total electrical failure was my 796.  Keeping the legacy ASI, ADI, and Altimeter was never a consideration give the ESI 2000 that I originally bought.  I wanted a "Clean" panel, and with a lot of G1000 time, I felt comfortable doing that.
Legacy instruments take up a lot of space and are more inaccurate as compared to the digital replacements---and that goes for engine instruments as well.  I also think they could be used as a "crutch" to moving on into the new age of avionics.
If it makes sense economically, I'd recommend going ALL Glass.   The Learning Curve just isn't that great, and with Mooney speed, you'll think you're flying a modern jet.

Even if it doesn’t make economical sense, I highly recommend it as well. The ESI 500 is an awesome “backup” but quite honestly could serve as primary Nav Instrument. I’m impressed with the display, great attitude indications and the integration with my GPS.



BTW - before the peanut gallery makes a comment on the uncoordinated flight, this uncoordination was the result of a MSC re-rigging my plane. It has been corrected since.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

[JohnB]

On 11/27/2017 at 8:11 AM, Marauder said:

 

Even if it doesn’t make economical sense, I highly recommend it as well. The ESI 500 is an awesome “backup” but quite honestly could serve as primary Nav Instrument. I’m impressed with the display, great attitude indications and the integration with my GPS.


BTW - before the peanut gallery makes a comment on the uncoordinated flight, this uncoordination was the result of a MSC re-rigging my plane. It has been corrected since.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

 

Maurauder, the ESI-500 looks very impressive. I very much like the nav function back up of it, in my reading it looks like it gets input from your gps source or your vor ils source but I couldn’t find if it had any independent nav source that’s run by its battery that supposedly only lasts an hour. Do you know on yours, if you  turn your master off, will the nav functions still work? Or will you lose your nav as it would be tied into your electric gps/GTN/gns source assuming you’ve removed all of your steam nav gauges?

[Marauder]

Maurauder, the ESI-500 looks very impressive. I very much like the nav function back up of it, in my reading it looks like it gets input from your gps source or your vor ils source but I couldn’t find if it had any independent nav source that’s run by its battery that supposedly only lasts an hour. Do you know on yours, if you  turn your master off, will the nav functions still work? Or will you lose your nav as it would be tied into your electric gps/GTN/gns source assuming you’ve removed all of your steam nav gauges?

If you turn off the master, the ESI will continue to function on its own battery with the Nav function being available. In fact, when I power down the plane, I need to manually shut down the ESI if I don’t want it to go through it’s own power down cycle.

The limiting factor will be the power to the Nav source. In my case, I have it connected to the 650. It will operate either in GPS or VOR/ILS mode and like my Aspens, will provide precision vertical and horizontal course guidance.

I have my breakers color coded, so I would leave the minimal equipment running if needed. I have the advantage of having a dual Aspen system with its own backup power. The Aspen will retain the flight plan from the GTN even if it is powered off. The Aspens also have the ability to run independently with different Nav inputs. If needed, I could power off the MFD and the ESI, run the PFD to a low battery state, power up the MFD, stick it in reversion mode and transfer the PFD data, run it down and then power up the ESI and continue to navigate with it. The limiting factor will be the power needed to run the GTN.


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[Marauder]

And BTW - the nomimal battery life is one hour for the ESI. I have verified that my Aspens each will do 40 to 45 minutes and the ESI around 75 minutes. So with over 2 hours of backup power available, the limiting factor may be the airplane’s battery.


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[jamesm]

Hi,

I am sure this question has probably already asked .........  why is it that  Electronic CDI's such as  Garmin's G5 and L3's ESI-500  have 4 dots in deviation  scale for  LOC & G/S  indications?  Where as say  the Garmin or Mid Continent  Mechanical CDI indicators  8 dots for the Deviation scale ?

Since the  Electronics CDI   have fewer  deviation dots does that mean  that there is some sort of auto scaling going on in the  background ?

 

Thanks

James '67C

[kpaul]

The GNS and GTN auto scale from enroute, terminal and approach modes.

[JohnB]

10 hours ago, Marauder said:

 

If you turn off the master, the ESI will continue to function on its own battery with the Nav function being available. In fact, when I power down the plane, I need to manually shut down the ESI if I don’t want it to go through it’s own power down cycle.

The limiting factor will be the power to the Nav source. In my case, I have it connected to the 650. It will operate either in GPS or VOR/ILS mode and like my Aspens, will provide precision vertical and horizontal course guidance.

I have my breakers color coded, so I would leave the minimal equipment running if needed. I have the advantage of having a dual Aspen system with its own backup power. The Aspen will retain the flight plan from the GTN even if it is powered off. The Aspens also have the ability to run independently with different Nav inputs. If needed, I could power off the MFD and the ESI, run the PFD to a low battery state, power up the MFD, stick it in reversion mode and transfer the PFD data, run it down and then power up the ESI and continue to navigate with it. The limiting factor will be the power needed to run the GTN.


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Hugely helpful, thank you sir. This is going into my mostly glass with steam backup vs all glass decision making process. Thanks!

 

[Marauder]

Hugely helpful, thank you sir. This is going into my mostly glass with steam backup vs all glass decision making process. Thanks!
 

I made the big jump to all glass and don’t regret it. The ESI is expensive but the display is unbelievably crisp (better than the Aspens) and the colors very rich.


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[JohnB]

4 minutes ago, Marauder said:

 

I made the big jump to all glass and don’t regret it. The ESI is expensive but the display is unbelievably crisp (better than the Aspens) and the colors very rich.


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Was looking at another board, and I saw this post from a Marauder a long time ago. Was this you? If so Im definitely interested in your experience.

" I have been flying for 25 years, 22 of it in the same steam gauge Mooney with dual Nav/Coms, dual ILS CDIs, ADF and even a LORAN to boot. My closest thing to "glass" was a portable GPS that I updated every few years. Last December I finally upgraded to glass (Aspen 2000) and a WAAS GPS.

IMHO the improvement in situational awareness and the redundancy was well worth it. For those who say an electrical failure will disable a glass cockpit, try flying an ILS to mins when that same electrical failure hits your electric driven Nav radios and CDI. My Aspens are capable of full reversion and both have battery back-ups. They even can maintain the GPS flight plan information in case it goes down. I like my odds better today.

I still have a vacuum AI and elected to keep my ASI and altimeter because I do like redundancy. My only regret is that I waited so long..."

 

If this was you, how long did you keep your AI and ASI? I'm feeling the same way this poster did about redundancy.  Did you ever look at it once you installed your glass? Do you wish you had gone from all steam to all glass, or mostly glass then all glass like it seems like you did?