GI-275 synthetic vision

[RobertGary1]

I’m using synthetic vision now on my gi-275 pfd and at this point I have to say I don’t like it. It’s cool to see the runway centerline and even the runway number on the pfd but in flight it doesn’t seem to add a lot of value. The pip is cool as is the horizontal display of traffic but I feel those are kind of candy. The actual situational awareness isn’t improved. 
Should I spent more time with it; maybe it takes time to get used to it or have others found the same?

[flyboy0681]

We let the free ten hours run out. There is nothing compelling about it to justify the activation cost.

[Tom 4536]

Just now, flyboy0681 said:

We let the free ten hours run out. There is nothing compelling about it to justify the activation cost.

I did the same. I live in the mountains and I didn't see any worthwhile benefit. 

[David Lloyd]

I had synvis with the Dynon, when a friend was installing a G500 in his Bo, I told him to save his money. I am in the process of having GI275s installed and will spend the current $500 for the synvis.  The flight path marker might be useful and if it causes the traffic to display on the AI (the pilot guide is sketchy on it's description of weather or not), maybe it is worthwhile.  Us flatlanders just won't have much to look at.

[Tom 4536]

Just now, David Lloyd said:

I had synvis with the Dynon, when a friend was installing a G500 in his Bo, I told him to save his money. I am in the process of having GI275s installed and will spend the current $500 for the synvis.  The flight path marker might be useful and if it causes the traffic to display on the AI (the pilot guide is sketchy on it's description of weather or not), maybe it is worthwhile.  Us flatlanders just won't have much to look at.

I have the flight plan markers and traffic without the synthetic vision.

[flyboy0681]

3 minutes ago, David Lloyd said:

The flight path marker might be useful and if it causes the traffic to display on the AI (the pilot guide is sketchy on it's description of weather or not)

The guide is a disaster in my opinion because it doesn't separate the different installation configurations and conflates all features in the same place. For example, I have the ADI and would appreciate a dedicated manual just for that, but Garmin placed the ADI and HSI features all within the same pages, making it difficult to determine which features belong with which configuration.

[RobertGary1]

26 minutes ago, flyboy0681 said:

The guide is a disaster in my opinion because it doesn't separate the different installation configurations and conflates all features in the same place. For example, I have the ADI and would appreciate a dedicated manual just for that, but Garmin placed the ADI and HSI features all within the same pages, making it difficult to determine which features belong with which configuration.

I felt like an idiot trying to figure out how to get to the navigation page the manual talks about. In hsi mode that page is disabled but the manual doesn’t say that.  

[David Lloyd]

Oh yeah! The PG leave you wondering often, will my install do this or that.  A very nice user video showing his AIS and HSI (both primary) in his Mooney clearly shows him using the HSI as a multi-function display. Can't do that according to the PG downloaded from the Garmin site. So, did his installer not configure the HSI properly or is the PG in error.  Or maybe I don't quite understand what the PG says.  Edit:  I'm wrong here. Much more reading the STC, rather than the PG,  if the AIS primary is installed as well as a MFD, the MFD will be a backup to the AIS.  Not necessary to have an HSI primary.  Edit again, a week later:  Right the first time according to the avionics shop...kind of.  If the MFD is done, have to keep the steam gauges or other backup.  If the second 275 is installed as Primary HSI, steam gauges can be removed.  I think there is enough ambiguity, from one shop to another, one FSDO to another, something else could be interpreted. 

 I'm thinking about the EIS to be added next year.  PG says nothing about nor shows the ability to display outside temp, yet the pictures on the Garmin site shows outside temp displayed almost every picture.  Went thru this with the GNX375.  To understand what the radio does, don't depend on the PG to describe any particular thing.  Gosh, Garmin has such good stuff, much better than their guides.

In no way do I fault Garmin about the synvis.  Yes, it is limited by the screen size.  It can only display what is out there in front of you.  This part of the country, most of the time there just is nothing much to display.  For me, not worth much.  Felt the same way about the Dynon.  Everybody else has it, better do it.

Last month rode with a friend for his IFR currency in his GTN750 equipped Mooney.  Love that Garmin uses the same icons and (most of) the same features on the GNX375, know one, know 'em all.  He loaded an approach and tapped the screen on what I thought was just a title.  Nope, it was a button.  He learned that from someone else.  Not explained in the PG for either the 750 or 375, I looked.  Geez.  

[RobertGary1]

21 minutes ago, David Lloyd said:

Oh yeah! The PG leave you wondering often, will my install do this or that.  A very nice user video showing his AID and HSI (both primary) in his Mooney clearly shows him using the HSI as a multi-function display. Can't do that according to the PG downloaded from the Garmin site. So, did his installer not configure the HSI properly or is the PG in error.  Or maybe I don't quite understand what the PG says.   I'm thinking about the EIS to be added next year.  PG says nothing about nor shows the ability to display outside temp, yet the pictures on the Garmin site shows outside temp displayed almost every picture.  Went thru this with the GNX375.  To understand what the radio does, don't depend on the PG to describe any particular thing.  Gosh, Garmin has such good stuff, much better than their guides.

In no way do I fault Garmin about the synvis.  Yes, it is limited by the screen size.  It can only display what is out there in front of you.  This part of the country, most of the time there just is nothing much to display.  For me, not worth much.  Felt the same way about the Dynon.  Everybody else has it, better do it.

Last month rode with a friend for his IFR currency in his GTN750 equipped Mooney.  Love that Garmin uses the same icons and (most of) the same features on the GNX375, know one, know 'em all.  He loaded an approach and tapped the screen on what I thought was just a title.  Nope, it was a button.  He learned that from someone else.  Not explained in the PG for either the 750 or 375, I looked.  Geez.  

My hsi will show the hsi against a moving map but I cannot enter way points etc. mine is set up as a backup pdf so I think that limits what it can do. 

[Tom 4536]

2 hours ago, RobertGary1 said:

My hsi will show the hsi against a moving map but I cannot enter way points etc. mine is set up as a backup pdf so I think that limits what it can do. 

I installed the 275 MFD to get all the functions. So I have 3 275's: AI, HSI & MFD. I was never able figure out how to get all the 275 functions with just having the HSI & AI. I like the 275's. The display is crystal clear and easy to read the small numbers.

[PeteMc]

The Aspen Synthetic Vision is interesting to fly with, but I'd also probably never use it in IMC.  Even if I got used to it, the Flight Director bars are even lighter color than in regular mode.  So right when you want to have clear and distinct FD bars, you don't.  Love the MAX in general, but the graphics and color really needs an update by a new team.

 

[Yetti]

I think it is cool that the runway turns to green when you land on grass.   In a gee wiz how do they do that way of cool.   I wonder if it would be helpful in finding those airports that are hard to find either via city lights or sunshine.   I have got pretty good at relating the map and distance on the phone map to where I should look to set up for the runway.  Sometimes doing the setup for downwind without seeing the runway (setting sun scenario)   I think also the red when there is cumulogranite in front of you would be helpful.   There are also some 2000 foot towers around the flatland so it may be helpful for those kind of things.

Edited June 13, 2021 by Yetti

[aviatoreb]

I think its pretty neat.

[RobertGary1]

2 hours ago, Yetti said:

I think it is cool that the runway turns to green when you land on grass.   In a gee wiz how do they do that way of cool.   I wonder if it would be helpful in finding those airports that are hard to find either via city lights or sunshine.   I have got pretty good at relating the map and distance on the phone map to where I should look to set up for the runway.  Sometimes doing the setup for downwind without seeing the runway (setting sun scenario)   I think also the red when there is cumulogranite in front of you would be helpful.   There are also some 2000 foot towers around the flatland so it may be helpful for those kind of things.

The 375 gps offers visual approaches to all charted runways now. So you get loc and glideslope to small grass fields. You could easily shot it to 50 feet jn an emergency. 

[GeeBee]

A 3 inch instrument is too small IMHO to have useful SV. I've used it to great effect in larger displays.

 

[Yetti]

19 minutes ago, GeeBee said:

A 3 inch instrument is too small IMHO to have useful SV. I've used it to great effect in larger displays.

 

Ya I think it is a SA thing.  Like I notice the screen goes to yellow when landing.   That is just with the little 7" screen off to the right.  With a full panel screen if it went yellow or red time to start doing some flying.

[flyboy0681]

Another area of confusion for me is the expired database message that keeps flashing on the main screen of the ADI. I extinguish it by going to the messages page, but what database(s) are required for the -275 to operate if it's simply being used as an Attitude Indicator?

[MisfitSELF]

2 hours ago, flyboy0681 said:

Another area of confusion for me is the expired database message that keeps flashing on the main screen of the ADI. I extinguish it by going to the messages page, but what database(s) are required for the -275 to operate if it's simply being used as an Attitude Indicator?

As far as I can tell, you never need to update the 275 databases even if you fly IFR.

[Will.iam]

4 hours ago, flyboy0681 said:

Another area of confusion for me is the expired database message that keeps flashing on the main screen of the ADI. I extinguish it by going to the messages page, but what database(s) are required for the -275 to operate if it's simply being used as an Attitude Indicator?

Maybe TDZE so the fancy runway comes up the screen when you get close to touchdown?

[RobertGary1]

3 hours ago, MisfitSELF said:

As far as I can tell, you never need to update the 275 databases even if you fly IFR.

Yes. It’s something Garmin needs to fix. It makes sense for an mfd but makes no sense for the pfd. Just an annoying useless message. 

[jlunseth]

I opted not to do the SVT when I put a 275 in, but shortly after went to the Mooney PPP where we were flying in and around the mountains. Santa Fe itself is in a sort of basin and the approach from the east is either over mountains or through the valley the highway follows. It dawned on me that SVT that shows what you might run into might be worth while. For everyday flying where you are not below surrounding terrain it is just more clutter to the picture.

[Niko182]

I think what @GeeBeestated is spot on. Synthetic vision on an aspen, a 275, or even the older G500 doesn't really make sense. It's simply too small. However on the G500 TXI, and G3X, if you fly mostly in the full screen mode, it is very nice. It does sometimes get annoying when landing at a point that isn't in the GPS such as a lake bed, a highway, or an uncharted airport, when it is constantly screaming at me, and the entire synthetic vision turns red, but that a small price to pay when flying in IMC.

I flew IMC with a friend last week in a basic 172 with a kln94, when a controller accidentally turned us towards terrain, and then gave us a terrain warning. At that moment, I really missed the synthetic vision. Even though it isn't a primary source of information, it is comforting knowing where the terrain is around you, and to be able to see it on whatever screen is in front of you. I understand looking at charts can do the same, but with the synthetic vision, you don't need to think about it. You can just look and see.

 

[StevenL757]

On 6/12/2021 at 2:28 PM, RobertGary1 said:

I’m using synthetic vision now on my gi-275 pfd and at this point I have to say I don’t like it. It’s cool to see the runway centerline and even the runway number on the pfd but in flight it doesn’t seem to add a lot of value. The pip is cool as is the horizontal display of traffic but I feel those are kind of candy. The actual situational awareness isn’t improved. 
Should I spent more time with it; maybe it takes time to get used to it or have others found the same?

Flown an airplane that has a GI275 with SVT, and won't spend the nearly ~$1000 for mine for these same reasons.  SVT came over from my legacy G500TXi to my G500TXi install, and I love it.

[aviatoreb]

Geesh - where's the love?  So I will speak the counter point to a slew of negative on svt for the GI275.

First it was $500 for the svt.  No a GI275 isn't a G500TXi.  Full stop.  Period.  So yes, if you are choosing between a GI275 and a G500TXi and price and form are no factor and you want svt, clearly choose G500TXi.  If price, or form, or style is a factor and you go GI275 as I did - I like the look of round gauges too.  Then for $500 its neat.  Its pretty.  Yes I can see at a glance if I am about to hit the side of a mountain.  Knock on wood.  But no I wouldn't fly "visual" with svt on a GI275.  I think it adds some pretty style and a tiny bit of function.  For $500 its nice.  It certainly doesn't make it worse.  Better than staring at a blank ball.

See my photo above.  Above the clouds at a glance you can see the terrain and river below, from 11k.

Or this one - its the end stage of an approach into Shenandoah, VA and you can see terrain around - it was a real ifr approach since I was over layers but clearly its ending in real vmc. It was comforting to see something on the attitude indicator.

Most of all the GI275 is flying my KFC200 better than I could have imagined and way better than the KI256 and 525.  And the install is simpler since its just round gauges into the old holes, and no string of extra boxes since everything is built into those two round gauges.  Most of those other systems, aspen, garmin, have a pile of extra boxes to install behind the panel.  So I think GI275 is a valid piece of equipment.  And appeals to the classic style of round gauges.  But heck, once there, what's wrong with $500 for svt?  I like it.

 

[Gagarin]

I think an HSI or CDI are better options for course guidance, specially for IFR precision approaches.