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G3x and IFD540 working together


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  • 2 weeks later...

Ok I'll answer here as I can't see that anyone has explicitly answered the original question. The IFD540 will work fine with the G3x.

BUT,

if you have a G3x I presume you would be looking to do a GFC500 autopilot? Unfortunately there are certain coding anomalies that prevent the IFD540 working properly with the autopilot in Approach mode. Meaning that to get approach mode to work correctly you have to buy the GTN navigator from garmin as well- as is their want for you to have a full garmin setup. 

If you had a G3x and an IFD540 and integrated it into a 3rd party autopilot like an stec etc that is supported by Garmin or avidyne, then I can't see any obvious issues with that setup.

Both the Garmin suite and avidyne are dealer protected installs, so they won't sell direct. Dynon are maybe a little more flexible- their certified equipment is supposed to be dealer protected but since their dealer network isn't fully grown yet they have been allowing A&P/IA's  to install the Dynon equipment independently- an IA as you still have to submit a 337. The Dynon HDX is as powerful and versatile as the G3x

Avidyne and Dynon from what I gather may well be working closer together in the future so expect a much more complete integration between them in the future. I'd personally hold out for the Dynon autopilot and install the whole dynon setup. To get round the aviydne dealer protection what you could do to limit shop time is buy an install kit of a GNS530 (And get an IA to sign it off with a 337), wire that all up and simply take it to an avidyne dealer for a 'slide in replacement' so you might pay just a couple hours shop time for them to configure it and do the paperwork.

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Buy an experimental airplane if you want the convenience of buying avionics off the shelf and installing them yourselves legally without paying a shop to do it for you.

Speaking broadly, it cracks me up that some folks (not necessarily those opinions above) will plan their installs and buy/install a G3X (or any similar Garmin widget), an Avidyne product, an STEC autopilot, and then blame Garmin exclusively when they all don't talk to each other or play nicely.

I appreciate we all have choices, and that this stuff is really individually-suited; however, if you want peace of mind in knowing everything will play nicely, stick with one vendor.  You'll likely save yourself a lot of heartache and likely sleep better at night.  Trying to put a square peg into the proverbial round hole will likely cause you grief down the road in one form or another.

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I hope I never have to talk to them as a customer, honestly, if they behave like that toward end users.  My shop must have been born under a lucky star, as they’ve had had nothing but positive experience dealing with Garmin.  Maybe Garmin reserves the manners and helpfulness for dealers only?

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21 hours ago, StevenL757 said:

I hope I never have to talk to them as a customer, honestly, if they behave like that toward end users.  My shop must have been born under a lucky star, as they’ve had had nothing but positive experience dealing with Garmin.  Maybe Garmin reserves the manners and helpfulness for dealers only?

Yes they do lol. If you phone them as a non dealer with a technical question they will simply tell you to contact your nearest dealer. 

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23 hours ago, StevenL757 said:

Buy an experimental airplane if you want the convenience of buying avionics off the shelf and installing them yourselves legally without paying a shop to do it for you.

Speaking broadly, it cracks me up that some folks (not necessarily those opinions above) will plan their installs and buy/install a G3X (or any similar Garmin widget), an Avidyne product, an STEC autopilot, and then blame Garmin exclusively when they all don't talk to each other or play nicely.

I appreciate we all have choices, and that this stuff is really individually-suited; however, if you want peace of mind in knowing everything will play nicely, stick with one vendor.  You'll likely save yourself a lot of heartache and likely sleep better at night.  Trying to put a square peg into the proverbial round hole will likely cause you grief down the road in one form or another.

I appreciate your point of view on this but this is rather shallow when it comes to individuals owners. Sure if you had the money to buy a 100K+ airplane to start off with great, but others didnt. For some that cant afford to do a "Master suite" install at one time or frankly, the newer items were not available or options in the past and then become available, will have these kind of issues. That includes just upgrading a GPS or a required adsb transponder, people are looking for the cheapest options just to keep flying or its all they can afford.

Just because one vendor has all the bits to make it one system doesnt mean other vendors dont work together well. Having done all the installs on all my multi name avionics myself, they all talk and work well together with no issues and I sleep well at night. Also, I know exactly how its wired and am familiar with any expansion I would do in the future because following wiring diagrams and such is relatively straight forward. 

The question I asked was a curiosity question and of course its very apparent that going with one name would make things easier but not for the price that comes with the labor, sorry. The challenge is making the next choice so that the PC system can be removed and I can put a modern AP in when the time comes. So if that is Dynon, great!. But since many of us might not have the access to individuals with certain installs, it is nice to be able to ask "around" about what others have experienced or heard.

 

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On 8/5/2020 at 3:53 PM, AvionicsGeek said:

Ok I'll answer here as I can't see that anyone has explicitly answered the original question. The IFD540 will work fine with the G3x.

BUT,

if you have a G3x I presume you would be looking to do a GFC500 autopilot? Unfortunately there are certain coding anomalies that prevent the IFD540 working properly with the autopilot in Approach mode. Meaning that to get approach mode to work correctly you have to buy the GTN navigator from garmin as well- as is their want for you to have a full garmin setup. 

If you had a G3x and an IFD540 and integrated it into a 3rd party autopilot like an stec etc that is supported by Garmin or avidyne, then I can't see any obvious issues with that setup.

Both the Garmin suite and avidyne are dealer protected installs, so they won't sell direct. Dynon are maybe a little more flexible- their certified equipment is supposed to be dealer protected but since their dealer network isn't fully grown yet they have been allowing A&P/IA's  to install the Dynon equipment independently- an IA as you still have to submit a 337. The Dynon HDX is as powerful and versatile as the G3x

Avidyne and Dynon from what I gather may well be working closer together in the future so expect a much more complete integration between them in the future. I'd personally hold out for the Dynon autopilot and install the whole dynon setup. To get round the aviydne dealer protection what you could do to limit shop time is buy an install kit of a GNS530 (And get an IA to sign it off with a 337), wire that all up and simply take it to an avidyne dealer for a 'slide in replacement' so you might pay just a couple hours shop time for them to configure it and do the paperwork.

Thank you for this. 

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