Nice opportunity for a Bravo owner!

[Rick Junkin]

@JetlagAny updates on when you'll get your airplane back?

[Jetlag]

I haven't heard anything from Garmin since I dropped off the plane regarding the status update on the STC.  They did contact me on the panel layout, I approved it. Then later they contacted me saying my original clock did match up with the new panel Mooney sent them. They told me it would take a lot of millwork to put my old clock back in and asked if they couldn't just put in another model and they would pay for it. My contract says I get the plane back on or around December 20th. They are allowed to fly it up to 35 hours for testing. From what I have seen on Flightaware they have started flying it and must be at least 1/3rd of the way through testing. December 20th and 35 hours were supposed to be a conservative estimate to get their STC so it must be getting close. I am responsible for any maintenance items that come up and they need to have my permission for more than 35 hours. So I think everything is going as they plan. From what I understand they are not just retrofitting 2 G5s, they are making a whole new panel for me and moving things around. They have asked me where I what everything positioned and are paying for new panels to be made. I am ready to get my plane back. I got a great deal from Garmin, but seriously missing my Mooney. 

[carusoam]

Great report JL!

Best regards,

-a-

[Rick Junkin]

Awesome! Sounds like this opportunity will work out well for you. I'm really glad to hear that, and somewhat envious, knowing what I know now about the possible future options for my panel. We'll all be interested to see pictures of the final product that Garmin delivers to you! 

I've compensated for my remorse of not offering my airplane for the STC work by flying more to visit family and upgrading my pilot certificate in the time my airplane would have been unavailable. Traded one opportunity for another, as it were. But then I'm guessing you'll be having your cake and eating it too, by catching up for lost time with your upgraded panel in the New Year. I'm eager to hear your impressions.

Cheers,
Rick

 

[Jetlag]

Hello Andrew,

 

We haven’t finished development flights yet, we have one or two flights remaining, before we go into cert.

 

If we’re able to get into certification flights by the end of the week, which is our goal and we have a high probability of achieving that, we should be able to have the aircraft returned to you on December 21^st.

 

So I should have a more definitive answer by the end of this week.  Not having the aircraft in for cert. testing there’s still some risk but it doesn’t seem like we’ll need the aircraft into the January timeframe.

 

Regards,

This plane was

[Jetlag]

response from Garmin when I asked how the process is going

 

[carqwik]

Can't wait for a PIREP on the GFC500 and G5s once you get your plane back.

Any idea how long it will take Garmin to get the certifications?

[aviatoreb]

That's exciting.  Sounds like a Jan or Feb release of the STC from that suggested timing.

[Jetlag]

On 12/5/2018 at 4:58 AM, carqwik said:

Can't wait for a PIREP on the GFC500 and G5s once you get your plane back.

Any idea how long it will take Garmin to get the certifications?

Not sure how long it will take them to offer it to the market, but certification will be done when I get my plane back. Right now my plane is in the experimental category. On return to me, I get my plane back in the Normal certified category. So they either get their GFC500 certified or they have to reinstall the King 150. They can't give me back the plane in experimental category with non-certified equipment. I would imagine the GFC500 will be available as soon as they get with their marketing department. It will be official when I fly away from Kansas with my plane as far as the FAA is concerned the GFC500 is approved for long body Mooneys. I'll have a good report on everything for the flight home. I have to go from Kansas City to Portland, OR at the end of December. I'm sure I will run into some weather and really get to test the system along the way.

[aviatoreb]

35 minutes ago, Jetlag said:

Not sure how long it will take them to offer it to the market, but certification will be done when I get my plane back. Right now my plane is in the experimental category. On return to me, I get my plane back in the Normal certified category. So they either get their GFC500 certified or they have to reinstall the King 150. They can't give me back the plane in experimental category with non-certified equipment. I would imagine the GFC500 will be available as soon as they get with their marketing department. It will be official when I fly away from Kansas with my plane as far as the FAA is concerned the GFC500 is approved for long body Mooneys. I'll have a good report on everything for the flight home. I have to go from Kansas City to Portland, OR at the end of December. I'm sure I will run into some weather and really get to test the system along the way.

Perhaps they will give your plane back to you with that autopilot installed as a field approval with the understanding somehow that it can be converted to a full STC once they are awarded the STC?

Just guessing - since I don't know what I am talking about really - but I know that normally a field approval for a crucial system like an autopilot would be almost impossible, but  would to be so surprised that given the situation and with Garmin such a big player and that it went through all the testing, that they could be awarded a field approval for a one off like this as they FISDO they work with must clearly see the sensibility of it.  

[Jetlag]

I don't think so. Garmin seems to be very careful. I even forgot to have one line notarized and they came back to me a few weeks ago saying the FAA wouldn't move forward until that was cleared up.  We had to do a signing in Tokyo because I was out of town. I would highly dought they would give up and give me a field approval. Garmin has a huge interest in this going through. I have the impression they don't take on a project that they aren't sure about. With all the due diligence they did before they even excepted my plane for testing I think they already know it will be approved. 

[Jetlag]

They really weren't willing to wait around until I got back into town. They seem to be on a timeline and nobody wants to wait around. So we did a notary in Tokyo. 

 

[carqwik]

Wow...much faster than I thought on getting certification.  Will the certification cover all long bodies or just the M20M? 

[Jetlag]

The way it was explained to me Garmin choose the Bravo because it is the most represented model. It will cover all Long bodies. When they get the STC for the M20M it will cover the Acclaim and the Ovation. From Beechtalk I have learned that the GFC500 with G5 doesn't cover FIKI. The GFC500 with the G5 doesn't apply to FIKI planes. They where actively not looking for a FIKI plane when they took mine for testing. I have to believe it will eventually be approved but as of now from what I understand the GFC500 and G5 are not approved for FIKI. The GFC500 was not compatible with the G500 either when released either. My thinking is eventually they will have to make it ok for FIKI planes. So as of now something to thing about that the GFC500 won't work with FIKI.  

[LANCECASPER]

Garmin must be getting close to wrapping it up. As of today they have about 30 hours in the air.

https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N9149X/history

[daytonabch04]

Any updates?

[LANCECASPER]

Unless Garmin took two weeks off for the holidays, it looks like 5he flight testing is done.

https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N9149X/history

 

 

[aviatoreb]

2 hours ago, LANCECASPER said:

Unless Garmin took two weeks off for the holidays, it looks like 5he flight testing is done.

https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N9149X/history

 

 

Could the process be postponed do to govt closure?

[LANCECASPER]

The GFC500 is already FAA approved. Garmin just has to collect the data for the M20M. I doubt at this point that they even need the FAA. They can probably make it happen on their own.It's probably a matter of paperwork now, writing the AFMS and installation documents for this application.

[Jetlag]

Radio silence, haven't heard anything from Garmin since I reported last time. I will email them on Monday and see what is going on. The deadline has passed and I would like a heads up on when I need to buy a ticket to retrieve my plane. I figured everyone is gone for the holidays so I didn't bother asking when the 20th came and went because I was busy too. 

On another note, we found out over Xmas my wife will be back in school and busy for another 3 years. So I would like to try and find a partner in this plane around the Portland Oregon area, instead of selling it.  Our hours will go down to about 30-40 hours per year. We just won't have time to travel and use this plane. So if anyone knows of someone msg me. 

[LANCECASPER]

Looks like they were back flying it again yesterday

[Marauder]

Looks like they were back flying it again yesterday

That was probably the straight and level flight test.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

[LANCECASPER]

3 minutes ago, Marauder said:

That was probably the straight and level flight test.
 

 

That was the Garmin Test Pilot who lost GPS signal and figured out that you can't even do a coupled ILS on the GFC500 when that happens.

[smccray]

Testing the Electronic Stability Protection?

[Danb]

Stuck between ILS and LNAV