Garmin Software Upgrade: GTN, TXi, GFC (v6.50)

[Bryan]

Garmin just released a series of upgrades (on the 5th of September) for our GTN navigators and other G500/600 TXi displays.  I am at my avionics shop now (for something else) and they told me about the update.  They have upgraded 10-15 planes already and are installing the newest upgrade in my GTN750 + FS510.  Highlights include:

• GTN Update: Decent VNav.  You can now give waypoints in your flight-plan, vertical altitudes to assist with VNav planning.  ONce an arrival or approach is loaded and activated, GTN automatically populates step-down altitudes or any applicable altitude restrictions.  These are overridable if ATC issues something different.
• GTN: You now won't lose your final destination airport when loading and activating an approach - in the flight plan.
• GTN: Forward Looking Terrain Avoidance (FLTA) audible messages: "terrain ahead, pull up", "wire ahead", "five-hundred"
• GTN: Keyboard enhancements (QWERTY)
• GTN: Sidetone setttings
• GTN: user-defined waypoint as an airport, so terrain alerts are minimized.

Other related products enhancements:

• Course Deviation Indication (CDI) and VDI Preview
• Garmin Pilot can now be used on Apple Devices to view real-time engine information via a FS510
• New TXi display Orientations

 

-Bryan

[DVA]

I updated my 500/750 last week. Lots of great new features. Just one caution, fly a practice RNAV approach or two to get use to the new vertical guidance arrows before you actually do a real approach. 

Learn from me. Lol. 

[carusoam]

Great update guys!

Thanks for the explanation.

Go MS!

Best regards,

-a-

[midlifeflyer]

I'm sure that second one will be welcome to a lot of pilots who upgraded from the GNS series. More than one has been confused by being directed away from their course when loading an approach early but not activating it.

Edited September 12, 2018 by midlifeflyer

[jetdriven]

that only happens when you load approach and activate.   that sends you direct to the first waypoint on the approach.  Just never load and activate, only load, and if necessary, go direct to the fix you want.

[JohnB]

On 9/11/2018 at 8:52 AM, Bryan said:

Garmin just released a series of upgrades (on the 5th of September) for our GTN navigators and other G500/600 TXi displays.  I am at my avionics shop now (for something else) and they told me about the update.  They have upgraded 10-15 planes already and are installing the newest upgrade in my GTN750 + FS510.  Highlights include:

• GTN Update: Decent VNav.  You can now give waypoints in your flight-plan, vertical altitudes to assist with VNav planning.  ONce an arrival or approach is loaded and activated, GTN automatically populates step-down altitudes or any applicable altitude restrictions.  These are overridable if ATC issues somet
• GTN: You now won't lose your final destination airport when loading and activating an approach - in the flight plan.

Other related products enhancements:

• Course Deviation Indication (CDI) and VDI Preview
• Garmin Pilot can now be used on Apple Devices to view real-time engine information via a FS510
• New TXi display Orientations

 

The final destination airport disappearance is a very annoying quirk! So glad that will be gone.

Ha! And the Garmin pilot can be used for real time engine information! That’s great! I bought the 510 recently and it absolutely will not transfer any information to Garmin pilot as advertised with the TXi.  I called tech support and they said they would get back to me. Guess they fixed it! Ok time for another avionics shop stop! Thanks for the heads up Bryan!

 

[jackn]

It would be nice if Garmin would upgrade the GTN training app on my iPad. Clearly would like to practice before updating the 750. 

[Browncbr1]

On 9/11/2018 at 11:52 AM, Bryan said:

 

• GTN Update: Decent VNav.  You can now give waypoints in your flight-plan, vertical altitudes to assist with VNav planning.  ONce an arrival or approach is loaded and activated, GTN automatically populates step-down altitudes or any applicable altitude restrictions.  These are overridable if ATC issues something different.
•  

Im loving the new update.  I tried a few approaches today and liked that the step down altitudes were showing up, but would like to configure my vac screen to have those in one of the fields.  It would be nice if it drove the altitude but on my G5 too..

Question, if you edit one of the pproach altitudes, it asks you to “save”.  Does it save that just for that flight plan or does it save to the approach data for future approaches as well?

 

[Bob - S50]

13 hours ago, Browncbr1 said:

 It would be nice if it drove the altitude but on my G5 too..

Question, if you edit one of the pproach altitudes, it asks you to “save”.  Does it save that just for that flight plan or does it save to the approach data for future approaches as well?

 

With the GFC500, it will work like an FMS the big boys (and girls) have.  Set the altitude that you have been cleared to by ATC (on the G5) and push the VNAV button.  The GFC will make the altitude restrictions.  Unlike the big boys you'll have to manage the throttle and drag for speed control.

I highly doubt it will save for future use, I'm about 99.99% sure it will be for the current flight only.

[Jim Peace]

Caution on the new update.  Just did the update and had my screen blank out for several seconds during a climb out of Vero Beach today.  Just got home and did a search and found on Beechtalk it has happened to several people since doing 6.5.  I will talk to Garmin Monday.  

When it blanked out and came back all the data was there.  No need to reprogram.  Speculating that it could be that the unit shutdown due to heat?  It was parked outside for 2 hours before we got back in it....Although it has never done it before in similar circumstances.  I have over 50 hours on this unit since new.

Also programed the new VNAV features and got the TOD on the map page but nothing on my duel G5's in the way of vertical guidance.  The TOD point came and went.

[Browncbr1]

5 hours ago, Jim Peace said:

Caution on the new update.  Just did the update and had my screen blank out for several seconds during a climb out of Vero Beach today.  Just got home and did a search and found on Beechtalk it has happened to several people since doing 6.5.  I will talk to Garmin Monday.  

When it blanked out and came back all the data was there.  No need to reprogram.  Speculating that it could be that the unit shutdown due to heat?  It was parked outside for 2 hours before we got back in it....Although it has never done it before in similar circumstances.  I have over 50 hours on this unit since new.

Also programed the new VNAV features and got the TOD on the map page but nothing on my duel G5's in the way of vertical guidance.  The TOD point came and went.

 

I’m pasting this from BT

The required configuration change to provide the new VNAV data to the G5 has to do with the GPS ARINC 429 output from the GTN to the GAD 29/29B.  

The GTN GPS ARINC 429 output will need to be changed from "GAMA FORMAT 1" (all previous versions) to "GARMIN 429" (GTN V6.50 and later) for the VNAV function to operate.

 

(you won’t get any vnav guidance on the g5 if you don’t have a gad29b)

Edited September 30, 2018 by Browncbr1

[Jim Peace]

38 minutes ago, Browncbr1 said:

(you won’t get any vnav guidance on the g5 if you don’t have a gad29b)

I used to be a tech savvy guy.  The older I get I just can't keep up and I am not so sure I care unless it costs me money.

I know I have dual G5s, GTN 650, GTX345 and the flight stream 510.  I know it all works with my Stec30 and I have some sort of fancy slaved compass flux capacitor. 

I could not tell you anything else behind the scenes.  Its all mumbo jumbo to me and I am in the business.  Can we make this anymore complicated for middle age men?

The parts list included in the bill to install all of this made me cry...not for the money so much as I did not understand half of the terminology and I don't care.

[Jim Peace]

49 minutes ago, Browncbr1 said:

(you won’t get any vnav guidance on the g5 if you don’t have a gad29b)

Okay I just looked at my install bill and I have the gad29b which is an ARiNC 429 bus I think.....who knows for sure....

[Browncbr1]

14 hours ago, Jim Peace said:

Okay I just looked at my install bill and I have the gad29b which is an ARiNC 429 bus I think.....who knows for sure....

You have to hold home button and energize the gtn, then go into the gps config settings for arinc 429 and change the setting for the output to the G5s from Gama format 1 to garmin 429 and you should be good to go.   Exit the menu and be sure to hit the “update config module” button before exiting to the main menu.    Do not power off until you have hit the update config button or changes won’t be saved. 

[Jim Peace]

4 hours ago, Browncbr1 said:

You have to hold home button and energize the gtn, then go into the gps config settings for arinc 429 and change the setting for the output to the G5s from Gama format 1 to garmin 429 and you should be good to go.   Exit the menu and be sure to hit the “update config module” button before exiting to the main menu.    Do not power off until you have hit the update config button or changes won’t be saved. 

Will this cause something else I am not aware of to go wrong?  How come it is not set up this way to begin with?

[MATTS875]

What does the gtn update cost? 

[toto]

Just now, MATTS875 said:

What does the gtn update cost? 

Unless I'm misunderstanding what we're talking about, it shouldn't be more than straight shop time. My shop normally does upgrades for free when the plane is in for something else. 

So I end up with a $0.00 line item on the invoice for the software update. 

[Jim Peace]

new post on beechtalk by someone else:::::

 

""""""I experienced the GTN screen going black today. I've flow roughly 5 hours since the 6.50 update and today was the first time I saw the black screen.

It went black for 5-8 seconds. Nothing was lost when it came back on and did not appear to have rebooted. When it was "black" it looked like the backlight was still on, just displaying black.

I have dual G5's, GTN 750, and FS510.""""""

[Jim Peace]

called Garmin and they are very well aware of the issue of the screen going blank.  They are working on a fix.

[MATTS875]

15 hours ago, toto said:

Unless I'm misunderstanding what we're talking about, it shouldn't be more than straight shop time. My shop normally does upgrades for free when the plane is in for something else. 

So I end up with a $0.00 line item on the invoice for the software update. 

Thanks. I will get it updated next time I'm at the shop

[Browncbr1]

20 hours ago, Jim Peace said:

Will this cause something else I am not aware of to go wrong?  How come it is not set up this way to begin with?

If you are not confident, I would take it to the shop.  

[Browncbr1]

For anyone interested.....,

currently vnav altitudes are only output from the navigators via arinc429.   I asked Garmin if they could add vnav altitude output to rs232 output as well.    (So folks who have Aera portables interfaced would enjoy the new vnav altitudes shown on the Aera map page in addition to hold/intercept curves with MapMX... )

  they said it might become available soon.  

[Jim Peace]

GTN went dark on me again today about 4 minutes after takeoff.  This time is was out for more than 5 seconds. problem is getting worse. what will be the next time? 30 seconds 10 minutes?

Who fills out the NASA report for a pilot deviation?  Garmin or me?

[flyboy0681]

On 9/16/2018 at 2:56 PM, jackn said:

It would be nice if Garmin would upgrade the GTN training app on my iPad. Clearly would like to practice before updating the 750. 

It would also be nice if the training app was oriented in portrait mode instead of landscape. After all, isn't the GTN unit itself portrait?

 

 

[ilovecornfields]

On 10/7/2018 at 3:28 PM, Jim Peace said:

GTN went dark on me again today about 4 minutes after takeoff.  This time is was out for more than 5 seconds. problem is getting worse. what will be the next time? 30 seconds 10 minutes?

Who fills out the NASA report for a pilot deviation?  Garmin or me?

I just got off the phone with Garmin. I was supposed to do my 6.50 software upgrade today and decided to entertain myself on the drive to the airport with Garmin’s hold music. 20 minutes later the guy tells me there is NO issue with the screen going black. He said “did you read about this online or something?” I said “Yes. It’s on Beechtalk and Mooneyspace.” He said, “hold on, let me check with some other people.”

Comes back and says DO NOT UPGRADE. There is a known issue with the 6.50 software and the GTX-345/GDL 88. When the GTN receives the ADS-B information it can become “overloaded” and the screen goes black. They expect to release the 6.51 software in the next couple of weeks which should fix this bug.

Glad I called because my avionics shop was unaware of this issue. 

Go Mooneyspace! (and Beechtalk).