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My Dream Gadget Just released - Garmin G500 TXi


JohnB

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1 hour ago, JohnB said:

Panel In! Trillian has an upgrade! A G500 TXi and an Aspen Pro Evolution PFD with backup battery. New behind the panel is a is a wx 500 remote stormscope. I looked closely at my backup options including original steam gauges, l3 ESI 500, and aspen pro backup. Chose the aspen backup as it has a two hour battery, synthetic vision, can track two Nav sources, has a dual HSI  display which I like and has emergency gps ( it keeps your last gps course so that you can fly it, unlike the others if you actually lose all electrical power, you would lose all gps info). Have to especially thank @donkaye and @Marauder ( I watched your you tube video on your aspen) and all of you that helped on this thread with my decisions along the way, thanks! Still working out issues with the engine monitoring eis system, but the txi display is so incredibly clear, makes every other display including the gtn 750 look like a so so you tube video compared with the latest 4K ultra high def tv in your airplane, love it! 

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That looks awesome! Can’t wait for a PIREP on how you like all the features and capabilities. 

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John it looks awesome! Enjoy! I hadn’t thought of using the Aspen as a backup. That’s a great idea for all the reasons you mention.

I wanted to ask you about the EIS. Were you able to use existing and/or JPI sensors and probes or did you have to buy new ones from Garmin? Thanks.

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7 hours ago, Marauder said:

That looks awesome! Can’t wait for a PIREP on how you like all the features and capabilities. 

Wow!!

congratulations. I think at this moment in time you likely now have the most advanced and modern avionics in a Mooney on the planet.  Bar none.

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7 hours ago, Marauder said:

That looks awesome! Can’t wait for a PIREP on how you like all the features and capabilities. 

Getting used to the new panel, so I’m sure I’ll have more later, but really enjoying the smooth scrolling of everything , the touch screen when you want and knobs when you want as both options are feasible. Changing altitudes rapidly with the touch screen alone is a little clunky and not fast enough for me but as Don suggested on his G500 it is easier to do using the knobs so I’m going to try that next flight.  of my favorite additions is the flight path marker you get on your svt, if you keep that on the runway, that’s where you’ll land, very helpful. They give you a free trial with each install of 10 hours of svt, and I bet they know most people are going to get it.

2 hours ago, PTK said:

John it looks awesome! Enjoy! I hadn’t thought of using the Aspen as a backup. That’s a great idea for all the reasons you mention.

I wanted to ask you about the EIS. Were you able to use existing and/or JPI sensors and probes or did you have to buy new ones from Garmin? Thanks.

Great question. The EIS is supposedly compatible with all airplane sensors, but not the Mooney Pressure sensors (fuel, oil, MP) which had to be replaced with ones that the eis would recognize. I’m still hoping to keep my jpi sensors with my jpi 830 which I’d like reinstalled, as the eis can not display all of the data like a jpi can, and I’ve already had an issue with my eis oil pressure gauge reading caution low. Hope to have this resolved next week and  with a few more tweaks should be good!

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38 minutes ago, aviatoreb said:

Wow!!

congratulations. I think at this moment in time you likely now have the most advanced and modern avionics in a Mooney on the planet.  Bar none.

Really? Wow, thanks. That I’m sure will change shortly!

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8 hours ago, Marauder said:

That looks awesome! Can’t wait for a PIREP on how you like all the features and capabilities. 

Oh and thanks for your help @Marauder. Question for you since you have an Aspen, does yours or anyone have the AOA in it? That came with mine, If I activate it I would also have a backup aoa in case of all electric failure. Reading the flight calibration process for the Aspen it looks painful on paper. Have you or anyone gone through the calibration process for the aoa on their Aspen? Is it worth the time to do?

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2 hours ago, JohnB said:

Oh and thanks for your help @Marauder. Question for you since you have an Aspen, does yours or anyone have the AOA in it? That came with mine, If I activate it I would also have a backup aoa in case of all electric failure. Reading the flight calibration process for the Aspen it looks painful on paper. Have you or anyone gone through the calibration process for the aoa on their Aspen? Is it worth the time to do?

I do have the AoA but haven’t activated yet. It does require a flight calibration and I haven’t done it yet. From what I have read on the calibration procedure, it isn’t difficult but does require you to conduct clean and dirty approach to stall while very carefully noting the actual speed at first horn indication. I need to find a smooth day and a safety pilot to get that part done. 

After that, the calibration is fairly straightforward. You activate the calibration process and the Aspen tells you what speeds to fly and for how long. I think it is worthwhile to activate it. In my case I already have an AoA in the panel and the urgency has not been there. 

 

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45 minutes ago, Marauder said:

I do have the AoA but haven’t activated yet. It does require a flight calibration and I haven’t done it yet. From what I have read on the calibration procedure, it isn’t difficult but does require you to conduct clean and dirty approach to stall while very carefully noting the actual speed at first horn indication. I need to find a smooth day and a safety pilot to get that part done. 

After that, the calibration is fairly straightforward. You activate the calibration process and the Aspen tells you what speeds to fly and for how long. I think it is worthwhile to activate it. In my case I already have an AoA in the panel and the urgency has not been there. 

 

Thanks. Im where you are since I have an AOA system already. I recall the Alpha systems required you to do that once. I believe the Aspen requires 6 approaches to stalls (3 dirty, 3 clean). Ill put that on my one of these days list of things to do.

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10 hours ago, Marauder said:

I do have the AoA but haven’t activated yet. It does require a flight calibration and I haven’t done it yet. From what I have read on the calibration procedure, it isn’t difficult but does require you to conduct clean and dirty approach to stall while very carefully noting the actual speed at first horn indication. I need to find a smooth day and a safety pilot to get that part done. 

After that, the calibration is fairly straightforward. You activate the calibration process and the Aspen tells you what speeds to fly and for how long. I think it is worthwhile to activate it. In my case I already have an AoA in the panel and the urgency has not been there. 

 

I know a guy...

  • Right seat capable
  • Follows instructions
  • Can push buttons as required

Located in NJ...

 

JohnB, i’d Offer the same but the west coast is a bit far...   

:)

-a-

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8 hours ago, carusoam said:

That guy is WiFi and BT capable and always has an iPad...  :)

Caution: He is WingX capable only, if you want to shoot some approaches with that.

Best regards,

-a-

All this guy flies with is an L-3 9000+.  Which means the other guy’s WingX can and will receive ADS-B. 

Edited by Marauder
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16 hours ago, carusoam said:

I know a guy...

  • Right seat capable
  • Follows instructions
  • Can push buttons as required

Located in NJ...

 

JohnB, i’d Offer the same but the west coast is a bit far...   

:)

-a-

I would take you up on that offer if it were possible!

22 hours ago, Niko182 said:

out of curiosity how much did this install set you back? if you don't want to answer its fine. Just wondering.

Depends on what you get installed. Here is the price list https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2017-10-04/garmin-touchscreens-will-light-more-cockpits?amp

Figure that install will cost you at least half of the unit price. For me, my panel overhaul was less than the cost of an engine overhaul which I’ll have to have in about two years. But since I plan on keeping my Trillian for a long time, after I’ve finished my engine overhaul, I will essentially have a new airplane, with lots of very fun flying time before and after.  At least that’s how I’m justifying it :). 

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  • 2 weeks later...

PIREP 5-14-18

G500Txi with EIS system

Ok, I waited to do this one as I wanted to fly for a bit to get used to the equipment.

1) EIS. As some of you may know, I was hoping to get just the EIS strip only, and use my JPI 830 for everything else and I found out this is NOT possible from Garmin. In further reviewing EIS features and using them, almost every engine feature that is present on the EIS is on an JPI or MVP 50. The strip is helpful in that for the major items (oil temp pressure) you get yellow annunciators or red caution annunciation. You can't display actual shock cooling (CLD) values, which is a pain,  but for everything else you get advisory messages (so you have to pay attention to advisories) that you can custom select for almost anything you wish to monitor, so I like my EIS now and am keeping it. Only thing it doesn't have is the ability to display CO levels from a compatible unit (ie Guardian) and given their STC process, this would be not possible to add in the near future. I think I can get used to my EIS system as its so clean integrated into the system, just have to pay attention to the "A"nnunciator light when it illuminates.

2) Extra costs for TXi - Synthetic vision comes with a 10 hour trial on all TXi installs, but once you see this, you will buy it, so you might as well plan on the extra 3k to get it as even though you only maybe actually would be useful around airports for runway landings etc, it is so cool that after you spend your $ on the Txi, you're gonna need it. The SVT on the aspen is no where near the resolution of the SVT on the TXI

3) More extra costs for TxI - Ok Autopilot use. It is far too clunky to use the touch screen only to enter course and altitude changes with your autopilot. (I have a KAP 150) If you're given an altitude and heading change here's what you have to do. Twist knob or type in new heading (easy to do). Altitude, type in new altitude or scroll to it with knobs,. Hit Altitude capture. Then go to VS select, tap the - sign or + sign, then type the VS you wish, type or twist in VS then hit engage on the screen  (if you forget to hit the - sign on typing, if you want to go down, youll go up which will cause controllers to wonder where you're going) Knobs are easier BUT there is no way to capture an altitude or engage a vertical speed using the knobs alone! You have to select the VS/ Altitude and then touch the screen at the appropriate place to engage. Next flight, I am going to try doing VS engage first then select altitude, and to Altitude select engage, and alternatively,  use the manual CWS unlock button to manually go to the selected VS then use the knobs to sync that VS if that makes it easier next flight )  I wonder how you G500 users are doing this as all you have is knobs if this is different on the TxI. It would be fantastic if Garmin would make pushing in of the button to engage your altitude or VS choice, (hint hint Garmin factory lookers!)  that would be wonderful, but instead, pushing in the button only syncs your current setting. This is clunky in turbulence or rapid fire ATC instructions which I get all of the time. Calling Garmin, the solution would be to install a PFD controller (+$3K) for your autopilot named a GCU unit (which is  a few concentric knobs with arm and engage buttons on them, you can adjust all flight course and alt and barometric parameters) Which then has knobs and buttons easily selectable. With our Mooneys and panel space, I would recommend planning for adding a GCU unit in a place you can easily get to it as the altitude changing function of the Txi is not ideal, but would be perfect with a PFD controller which Im looking at getting, so save space for it on your panel in a place you like in case you want one later.

That's all I have for now. Great unit overall, makes me want to fly MUCH more.

 

John

 

 

 

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John,

That sounds better than I expected!

The old BK system for selecting altitude and VS seems equally complex... with the KAP150, I use six button pushes to set a 500fpm descent... then wonder for a bit if it understands what I want, or if I understand what I did...  

There must be a more simple way for starting the descent... 

Thanks for sharing,

-a-

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3 hours ago, JohnB said:

PIREP 5-14-18

G500Txi with EIS system

Ok, I waited to do this one as I wanted to fly for a bit to get used to the equipment.

1) EIS. As some of you may know, I was hoping to get just the EIS strip only, and use my JPI 830 for everything else and I found out this is NOT possible from Garmin. In further reviewing EIS features and using them, almost every engine feature that is present on the EIS is on an JPI or MVP 50. The strip is helpful in that for the major items (oil temp pressure) you get yellow annunciators or red caution annunciation. You can't display actual shock cooling (CLD) values, which is a pain,  but for everything else you get advisory messages (so you have to pay attention to advisories) that you can custom select for almost anything you wish to monitor, so I like my EIS now and am keeping it. Only thing it doesn't have is the ability to display CO levels from a compatible unit (ie Guardian) and given their STC process, this would be not possible to add in the near future. I think I can get used to my EIS system as its so clean integrated into the system, just have to pay attention to the "A"nnunciator light when it illuminates.

2) Extra costs for TXi - Synthetic vision comes with a 10 hour trial on all TXi installs, but once you see this, you will buy it, so you might as well plan on the extra 3k to get it as even though you only maybe actually would be useful around airports for runway landings etc, it is so cool that after you spend your $ on the Txi, you're gonna need it. The SVT on the aspen is no where near the resolution of the SVT on the TXI

3) More extra costs for TxI - Ok Autopilot use. It is far too clunky to use the touch screen only to enter course and altitude changes with your autopilot. (I have a KAP 150) If you're given an altitude and heading change here's what you have to do. Twist knob or type in new heading (easy to do). Altitude, type in new altitude or scroll to it with knobs,. Hit Altitude capture. Then go to VS select, tap the - sign or + sign, then type the VS you wish, type or twist in VS then hit engage on the screen  (if you forget to hit the - sign on typing, if you want to go down, youll go up which will cause controllers to wonder where you're going) Knobs are easier BUT there is no way to capture an altitude or engage a vertical speed using the knobs alone! You have to select the VS/ Altitude and then touch the screen at the appropriate place to engage. Next flight, I am going to try doing VS engage first then select altitude, and to Altitude select engage, and alternatively,  use the manual CWS unlock button to manually go to the selected VS then use the knobs to sync that VS if that makes it easier next flight )  I wonder how you G500 users are doing this as all you have is knobs if this is different on the TxI. It would be fantastic if Garmin would make pushing in of the button to engage your altitude or VS choice, (hint hint Garmin factory lookers!)  that would be wonderful, but instead, pushing in the button only syncs your current setting. This is clunky in turbulence or rapid fire ATC instructions which I get all of the time. Calling Garmin, the solution would be to install a PFD controller (+$3K) for your autopilot named a GCU unit (which is  a few concentric knobs with arm and engage buttons on them, you can adjust all flight course and alt and barometric parameters) Which then has knobs and buttons easily selectable. With our Mooneys and panel space, I would recommend planning for adding a GCU unit in a place you can easily get to it as the altitude changing function of the Txi is not ideal, but would be perfect with a PFD controller which Im looking at getting, so save space for it on your panel in a place you like in case you want one later.

That's all I have for now. Great unit overall, makes me want to fly MUCH more.

 

John

 

 

 

For the G500: To preselect Altitude and Vertical Speed do the following; 1. Press and hold the ALT Button. 2. Twist the knob to the Altitude you want to go.  This Arms the Altitude.  3. Press and hold the VS Button  This Engages the VS.  4. Twist the knob either counter clockwise or clockwise to select the climb or descent rate.

It sounds like I may be disappointed with the G500 TXi solution, but maybe not.  I do not intend to add the GCU Unit.  My Display is scheduled to arrive next week and take a couple of days to install.

In playing with the Sim here is the way I would handle it.  Unfortunately the Sim doesn't show Arming either ALT or VS.  Heading is the default so given a heading change just twist the knob as you would with an HSI.  Then for an Altitude change I would twist the outer knob to ALT and the inner knob to select the Altitude.  Don't know how to ARM yet, but from the above sounds like a screen tap to ARM.  Should just be able to push and hold the inner knob to ARM ALT, but it sounds like that is not an  option.  For VS Twist outer knob to VS and inner knob either clockwise or counter clockwise to set climb or descent.  I'd forget about trying to do it with the screen alone.  Too time consuming.  Using the knobs, I think everything can be done as quickly as with the legacy KAS 297B.

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7 minutes ago, donkaye said:

For the G500: To preselect Altitude and Vertical Speed do the following; 1. Press and hold the ALT Button. 2. Twist the knob to the Altitude you want to go.  This Arms the Altitude.  3. Press and hold the VS Button  This Engages the VS.  4. Twist the knob either counter clockwise or clockwise to select the climb or descent rate.

I haven't tried pushing alt button on autopilot and adjusting altitude to see if it auto arms, I'll try that. Unfortunately I can't hold my ALT button down while adjusting another knob unless I use two hands with my setup.

7 minutes ago, donkaye said:

It sounds like I may be disappointed with the G500 TXi solution, but maybe not.  I do not intend to add the GCU Unit.  My Display is scheduled to arrive next week and take a couple of days to install.

In playing with the Sim here is the way I would handle it.  Heading is the default so given a heading change just twist the knob as you would with an HSI.  Then for an Altitude change I would twist the outer knob to ALT and the inner knob to select the Altitude.  Don't know how to ARM yet, but from the above sounds like a screen tap to ARM.  Should just be able to push and hold the inner knob to ARM ALT, but it sounds like that is not an  option.  For VS Twist outer knob to VS and inner knob either clockwise or counter clockwise to set climb or descent.  I'd forget about trying to do it with the screen alone.  Too time consuming.  Using the knobs, I think everything can be done as quickly as with the legacy KAS 297B.

Hey Don, here here.. my thoughts exactly! Yes, I wish that were the case. If you could push the inner knob to arm the altitude capture/ vs, that would be ideal. but you cant. (I asked Garmin if you could change it to that, they said nope, I'm still going to write them as I think that would be a good addition to have to their software as an option to toggle between sync and arm in your menu setup)  Pushing the knob synchronizes your current value into the autopilot.  So the easiest way I've found to do it, is use the outer knob to select the ALT or VS field, inner knob to select the ALT or VS, take your hand off and tap the screen in each portion to arm/ engage each of them as you adjust each of them. Still a few too many pushes and hand movements than ideal for a rapid altitude change for me, but possible to get used to.  Heading change is quite simple. This looks much faster on the GCU 485 PFD controller, twist the altitude knob, hit arm button, twist VS knob, hit engage and you're set.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Follow up. Changing altitudes once you get used to it is much easier, but it takes getting used to as it’s different from altitude preselect. You can’t just use the knobs alone, but tapping the screen twice is as easy as pushing the engage / arm buttons on a typical preselect. So I don’t need a GCU 485 controller, thank goodness as those take up lots of panel space. So once you get used to changing altitudes and vertical speeds with the device, it’s a breeze. 

Another feature that’s really fantastic is that when everything is doing ok, and you’re in cruise, and you change to the full screen PFD display with SVT,  it is very calming, even in near imc  or limited visibility weather. Still exploring features that I’ve never had before now.  Very dreamy to fly! 

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  • 4 weeks later...

I also have my G500 TXi with EIS in.

IMG_3363.thumb.jpg.7f3ab85e2b48bb0a9995f2643ddce943.jpg

I agree with @JohnB's PIREP and his last post above that he did not need a GCU 485.  As a prior G500 user I do not find the G500 TXi process any more or less difficult than the G500 process.  The only real thing that changed is instead of holding a hard key, I am tapping a screen key for the GPSS/HDG BUG, ALT CAP, or VS ENG.

@donkaye's procedures that he wrote for the G500 To preselect Altitude and Vertical Speed do the following; 1. Press and hold the ALT Button. 2. Twist the knob to the Altitude you want to go.  This Arms the Altitude.  3. Press and hold the VS Button  This Engages the VS.  4. Twist the knob either counter clockwise or clockwise to select the climb or descent rate.

Here are the instructions in the most streamlined fashion in the G500 TXi in @donkaye's same format:

To preselect Altitude and Vertical Speed do the following; 1. Twist outer knob clockwise once.  2. Twist inner knob to the Altitude you want to go. 3. Tap ALT CAP screen button.  This Arms the Altitude.  4. Turn the outer knob clockwise once more.  5. Tap the VS ENG screen button.  This Engages the VS.  6. Twist the knob either counter clockwise or clockwise to select the climb or descent rate. 

The only thing added is two rotations of an outer knob that I put in bold to access the Altitude and VS pages.

I find using the knob and twisting much faster than actually punching in digits.

Although this process could be used alternatively instead of steps 1 and 4 in bold, they could be replaced with, "1. Tap the top of the altimeter on the screen." and 4. Tap the VS number on the screen.

So you are exchanging the outer knob single rotation with a screen tap.  I find it easier to use the outer knob because the next step is turning the inner knob and my hand is already there.

In summary you can use the knob efficiently for all tuning.  You still have to tap the screen once to ALT CAP and once to VS ENG.  On the G500 they were hard buttons.

 

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Very nice panel.  I do have one question.  You posted on Beechtalk, and from the display you put the MFD to the left of the PFD.  What was your rational in doing that?

Mine goes in tomorrow for the G500 to G500 TXi upgrade.  I'm not doing the EIS.  What time frame did yours take for the upgrade?  Are you SureFlight Aircraft Completions.  Since you were doing the fuel calibration yourself I figured you might be.

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I am one of the owners of SureFlight. Install is a week and a half  if I was not doing the EIS and the CIES Senders. 2 weeks with that. 

The rationale for the right PFD is to keep the left hand on the yoke and  the right hand is used for throttle, prop, mixture, radios, GPS Navigator, and twisting the PFD knob which is used more than the MFD knob.  So I don’t have to swap hands to turn the PFD knob.

In full PFD screen both knobs tune the PFD.  In split screen only the knob on the side the PFD is tunes it. 

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 6/25/2018 at 1:48 PM, Rmag said:

I also have my G500 TXi with EIS in.

 

I agree with @JohnB's PIREP and his last post above that he did not need a GCU 485.  As a prior G500 user I do not find the G500 TXi process any more or less difficult than the G500 process.  The only real thing that changed is instead of holding a hard key, I am tapping a screen key for the GPSS/HDG BUG, ALT CAP, or VS ENG.

@donkaye's procedures that he wrote for the G500 To preselect Altitude and Vertical Speed do the following; 1. Press and hold the ALT Button. 2. Twist the knob to the Altitude you want to go.  This Arms the Altitude.  3. Press and hold the VS Button  This Engages the VS.  4. Twist the knob either counter clockwise or clockwise to select the climb or descent rate.

Here are the instructions in the most streamlined fashion in the G500 TXi in @donkaye's same format:l

 

Awesome panel @Rmag! I was wondering what your device on the far right was, and it looks like an ipad mounted seamlessly into your cockpit? Nice! Powered? I may have done that if I had the room.

Another pirep is that once you get used to the knobs, everything is really easy. i.e. Barometer setting changes are a breeze, turn outer knob all the way to the  right, then use inner knob to adjust actual barometer setting. And I use the alt capture then VS adjust as you described, its really quite simple. So once you get used to it,

  • heading change -  just turn the inner knob,
  • altitude - one big knob click right then inner knob,
  • VS - one outer knob click right after altitude then inner knob to adjust
  • barometer-  outer knob all the way to the right then inner knob.

And @donkaye I would also +1 highly recommend putting your PFD on the right, and your MFD on the left @donkaye , my setup as well. Having your right hand knob control all flight functions is for me much better as a right handed pilot,  and you would only be able to control your PFD with the right hand knob if you use full screen mode if you flipped the order. But I get it, as you're not getting the EIS, full screen may not be exactly centered, but depend on your other placements in your panel.  You rarely need the knobs to control functions on your MFD as most of them (zoom etc) you can do touch screen, but the outer knob on your MFD side allows you to switch quickly different MFD displays (traffic, chart, map etc) without having to go back to the main menu to tap which is nice.

Rmag, I see you also have the EIS, I gave a blase review before. but I have grown to really like mine now. It is very straight forward. It picks up pre warnings well before there' s any issues with your engine. Very clear to see when everything is in the green as the resolution is so high without having to interpolate or process a number which is available on your engine page if you need it. After Oshkosh, ill be upgrading from my Flightstream 210 to the 510 so that I can try out getting engine information supposedly automatically downloaded to Garmin pilot and see if that is an advantage.

The next gadget im thinking of installing is the Guardian Aero 553 as the TXi currently does not allow my remote CO detector to display CO levels which I wish it did. Of course this may change if I see something better at Osh!  

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