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Panel Upgrade


spectre6573

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Looking for some brain power from you guys.

I am looking to do a big upgrade on my panel to get rid of the old stuff as anybody would. So first, my mission is that I use my airplane to commute back and forth to work approximately 30-50 hours a month VFR and IFR and a lot at night.

Currently in the airplane;

IFD540

JPI EDM 900

and a full working Brittan AP (no alt hold) Nav and heading tracking.

Have a second narco nav/comm that I would like to upgrade as well.

Currently this all works pretty well together and since my trips are between 3-6 hours legs, an AP is pretty important.

So what I have been looking at;

-Aspen EVO PRO Max and the MFD 1000 MAX for backup with Trutrak and a NGT-9000

-500 TXI, to much money for me

-G3x 10 inch with no EIS, Trutrak (when ready of course), NGT-9000, G5 for backup (if needed which I think it is)

-Dual G5's with trutrak and NGT-9000.

 

Since the Aspen setup will be almost 20k along, this makes the G3x very competitive as long as it will work with my IFD540 and the trutrak autopilot when it is ready (g3x and trutrak work on the experimental side from what I have read on the RV forums. I am a bit of a techie so eye candy is nice but looking from input from people that have gone down this path and what they have found.

 

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Here is what I am working on...

Flush mounted Garmin G5's  re-did left side panel. You lose panel space but looks nicer imho.

GNC-255 (NAV/Com) previously installed

GNC-355 (GPS/Com) recently added

 NGT 9000+ previously installed

Added an extra switch hole (there is now 6 holes for the switches plus the master sw) so I can turn off strobes independently from the nav lights.

New RG 400 coax cables for the antennas.

 

James '67C

 

20190905_133012.jpg

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4 hours ago, MIm20c said:

My opinion is if you’re installing a new AP at the same time as the g3x the GFC500 is the way to go.  I’m also not sure how long it will take for avidyne to make the 540 legal for use with the g3x. 

Well the problem is the GFC500 isn’t certified for the short bodies and keeps dropping on the list for Garmin to certify. Second, the reports about the price and install price puts it into the mid 20k range. 

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8 minutes ago, spectre6573 said:

Well the problem is the GFC500 isn’t certified for the short bodies and keeps dropping on the list for Garmin to certify. Second, the reports about the price and install price puts it into the mid 20k range. 

Definitely not the mid 20K range, mine (M20J) was right about $17.5K

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You're quandry is basically the same as mine, except I don't have a GPS yet.  I can't seem to find a clear answer; is the G5 compatible with the Avidyne IFD series?  I think I'd like to go with a IFD-540, remote transponder and dual G5s (I already have 1) and my existing KX-155 as my second com/nav.  However, if I can't get full functionalify of the G5s (HSI and Glideslope so I don't need an external CDI or annunciator) without a Garmin GPS, I'd probably forego the Avidyne in favor of big G.  I plan on adding a TruTrack also when it comes available and they do have the interface with the G5. 

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37 minutes ago, ArtVandelay said:

The problem is some include G5(s), some don’t, pretty sure your quote doesn’t, and the others do.

Also, some are 2 servos installations, some 3, some 4.

 

Tom

True enough, mine did not include the G5 but was a 4 servo install.

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Not sure if it has changed in the last few months, but during the G3X Touch Certified introduction webinar, they were pretty specific it would not play with anything other than Garmin hardware. If that has changed, it would be great, but someone else would have to verify it.

With the newer release of the IFD software, you can install the remote Lynx and control it with the IFD. For limited panel space, it makes a nice, clean panel and view everything on the IFD or the Aspens. Just something else to consider.

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Just now, Oldguy said:

With the newer release of the IFD software, you can install the remote Lynx and control it with the IFD. For limited panel space, it makes a nice, clean panel and view everything on the IFD or the Aspens. Just something else to consider.

I have the AXP322 Remote and SkyTrax100. I'd love to pull both and put the Lynx remote in.

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3 hours ago, Oldguy said:

Not sure if it has changed in the last few months, but during the G3X Touch Certified introduction webinar, they were pretty specific it would not play with anything other than Garmin hardware. If that has changed, it would be great, but someone else would have to verify it.

With the newer release of the IFD software, you can install the remote Lynx and control it with the IFD. For limited panel space, it makes a nice, clean panel and view everything on the IFD or the Aspens. Just something else to consider.

The IFD is supposed to be plug-in compatible with GNS boxes, so if a G3x work with those it should work with an IFD.   I think that's the answer to the technology part of the question, anyway.   I think it's fairly obvious why Garmin folks say it won't work, just like using a G5 with an IFD, which several of us have.

I lost interest in the GFC500 once I saw how the servos are installed in a Mooney.   Not my cup of tea, so I'll wait a bit longer and see how the pending solutions stack up.   Otherwise I'm in a similar boat, IFD540, EDM900, and right now a single G5 since I had to keep my (now inop) Century autopilot fed with gyro attitude input.   I'd like to add either a G3x or a just a second G5 and a decent AP, but I'm not too worried about waiting a bit longer for it.  

Edited by EricJ
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7 hours ago, Oldguy said:

Not sure if it has changed in the last few months, but during the G3X Touch Certified introduction webinar, they were pretty specific it would not play with anything other than Garmin hardware. If that has changed, it would be great, but someone else would have to verify it.

With the newer release of the IFD software, you can install the remote Lynx and control it with the IFD. For limited panel space, it makes a nice, clean panel and view everything on the IFD or the Aspens. Just something else to consider.

I was thinking about going remote but from what I have seen (might be missing something) you don’t get all the functionality because you don’t have the screen m(such as winds aloft).  Am I wrong? This might be a email question to the respective parties to find out. 

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56 minutes ago, spectre6573 said:

What you what you have was another option. Wondering why you would want to pull them out? Could you elaborate?

The AXP322 is OUT on 1090MHz and the SkyTrax100 is the IN piece but only on 978MHz. The Lynx is a dual band solution where the IN is both 1090 and 978. That gives much better traffic resolution.

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The original posting suggests to install a G3X AND a GFC500.

Is that really necessary?

AFAIK the G3X touch "system", the G3X GDU already includes an A/P. To use this feature you have to add one or more GSA28 servos and wire the to the GDU via CAN-Bus - that's it

Besides you can (or must have?) one of the mode controllers GMC 305/307 or 507.

Why is then the GFC 500 necessary?

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12 minutes ago, NicoN said:

Why is then the GFC 500 necessary?

I was understanding that the G3x does not have a A/P built in.  The GFC 500 is attitude based and requires the G5 for this info.  The G3x touch can also supply this info but the autopilot must still be added.  (as I understand it)

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12 hours ago, EricJ said:

I think it's fairly obvious why Garmin folks say it won't work, just like using a G5 with an IFD, which several of us have.

I was curious about that.  I currently don't have a GPS and am looking at adding one.  I already have a G5 and was going to add a second with the GPS to that they could act as the CDI and annuciator so I wouldn't need to add another CDI on the panel.  With your install, do you get all of the info displayed on the G5?  Do you have an autopilot and does the G5 still output course info to your autopilot based on the flight plan in the GPS?

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bob585: AFAIk I understand the installation manual https://support.garmin.com/support/manuals/manuals.htm?partNo=010-00G3X-00 

 

page 23f., there is no GFC500 needed. Only one of the GMCxyz is wired via CAN-Bus and/or RS232.

Therefore it should be enough to add 1,2 or 3 GSA28. But, I did not understand how a trim servo is connected (or is it simply one more GSA28?)

 

 

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3 hours ago, NicoN said:

bob585: AFAIk I understand the installation manual https://support.garmin.com/support/manuals/manuals.htm?partNo=010-00G3X-00 

 

page 23f., there is no GFC500 needed. Only one of the GMCxyz is wired via CAN-Bus and/or RS232.

Therefore it should be enough to add 1,2 or 3 GSA28. But, I did not understand how a trim servo is connected (or is it simply one more GSA28?)

 

 

Just be aware that link is to the manuals for the experimental version.  In a certified airplane, you would add the GFC-500 autopilot to a G3X and G5.  Both can drive the autopilot and they back each other up.  The GFC-500 is really is the same thing though as described above as it is just the GMC-507 mode controller and the GSA-28 servos.  The trim servo is just one more GSA-28.  While no hardware really seems to change, it is just the means of certification that makes the distinction here.

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5 minutes ago, 201Mooniac said:

Just be aware that link is to the manuals for the experimental version.  In a certified airplane, you would add the GFC-500 autopilot to a G3X and G5.  Both can drive the autopilot and they back each other up.  The GFC-500 is really is the same thing though as described above as it is just the GMC-507 mode controller and the GSA-28 servos.  The trim servo is just one more GSA-28.  While no hardware really seems to change, it is just the means of certification that makes the distinction here.

I am afraid, you may be right.

These days I am reading a lot and more than one time I realized that those systems are similar but not identical :-(.

And it is always far more expensive

Is there a G3X installation manual for certified aircrafts publicly available?

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47 minutes ago, NicoN said:

I am afraid, you may be right.

These days I am reading a lot and more than one time I realized that those systems are similar but not identical :-(.

And it is always far more expensive

Is there a G3X installation manual for certified aircrafts publicly available?

The certified G3X installation manual is not posted on Garmin's site anywhere I could find it.  I guess it is in the dealer area.  I would imagine someone will find one though.

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