Hesitation Going To Full Glass

[KSMooniac]

I believe the Dynon can be selected to show a legacy 6-pack format, or the modern EFIS style. I wouldn't go with them until after they get their Mooney autopilot approved, though. I think it will offer a tremendous value to the Mooney fleet. They have a J in house now for AP work.

I see the upgrade path as a series of decision gates and agree with what has already been written. I've got an old steam gauge 6-pack with a 530W/430W combo and an STEC-30. (I'm waiting on Dynon before deciding.) 15 years ago, I'd say emphatically that the larger screen 530 was far superior to the 430 and worth the premium. Today, I'd say the good compromise would be a big screen GPS/COM box like a 530, 540, or 750 would pair nicely with an old 6 pack or modern one with a G5 or GI275, or two. If you step up to a G3X or G500 or Dynon HDX, then put your big screen dollars there and pair with a small screen GPS/COM box. Single Aspen + big GPS, or double Aspen + small GPS. Backup nav/com or GPS/COM of your choice, perhaps with a dedicated mechanical CDI as well. Don't forget a modern engine monitor... I have an EDM 900 and will keep it as it is far superior to Garmin and Dynon IMO.

Since you're a Mooney owner, you are likely frugal. Pay attention to ongoing subscription costs to feed whatever you choose. I'd rather skip extra big screens and put dollars into other equipment to enhance the rest of the panel like a PMA-450B audio panel, USB chargers, autopilot, etc.



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[Brent]

I had an in-between panel when I bought my M20J that included an Aspen. I recently went full glass with a G3X, two GI 275s and a GTN 750. I'm still trying to decide how to configure the various displays. Lately, flying in SoCal I've actually been using one of the GI 275s as a dedicated traffic gauge. 

As one person noted, there is some redundancy between the G3X and the 750. In retrospect, I could have gotten by with a 650 in lieu of the 750, but I'm not unhappy with the bigger one. I still have a GNS 430 which accepts cross-fill from the 750, but it's not as seamless as a 650 would be in that hole.   

As for the long-in-the tooth part, I trained for my instrument rating with a six-pack, then got the in-between panel when I bought my airplane and learned the tapes and  now have full glass. I like having all the flight data in one place, and I love all the info available on the panel with no need for an iPad: VFR/IFR enroute charts, FIS-B weather and traffic, airport info, Stormscope, etc. I'm still working my way down the buttonology learning curve. The trickiest part for me is mastering the GFC 500 autopilot; not there yet. 

[Mooney in Oz]

7 hours ago, Brent said:

Lately, flying in SoCal I've actually been using one of the GI 275s as a dedicated traffic gauge.

Do you also use the G3X to display traffic? It has traffic displayed on the Map page and a separate, large dedicated traffic page.

[Marauder]

Hi All,
I'm kinda long in the tooth and old school. I'm wondering if my fears of dropping the old 6 pack and going full glass (GTN750Xi/G3X/GI275) are valid? I've always liked having an AI with command bars and flying approaches on an HSI/CDI dedicated instrument with bearing pointers/DME/etc. But of course having a moving map GPS for route info is ideal.
So, for those who have made the transition...is it a hard one and do you miss having the 6 pack?
Is there a good compromise?

I flew my plane with a 6 pack for 22 years before I went to glass. There is some initial “adjustment” that you will need to do to make the transition. For me, getting used to the tapes versus the analog was my challenge.

The other “adjustment” was flying behind a GPS. I flew for years with just a standard Nav/Com, ADF and heck, even a LORAN-C. There is more buttons to learn but once you get past flying from the back seat for a few flights, it becomes easier than the steam stuff.

I really like the map capability. Being able to see traffic, weather and your course all on a single display is pretty nice.




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[Jerry 5TJ]

I think it took me about 50 hours to become comfortable when I made the change from 6-pack to the G500 a decade ago.  At the time I had about 1700 hours of conventional round gauge flying.   I also had to learn the GNS530 buttonology and get used to flying 100 knots faster.   But the change to glass took longer than I expected.  A decade later I'm still trying to learn to scan the bugs rather than read the numbers on the tapes.

[rbridges]

I'm pretty much saying what everyone mentioned.  I went with the 3 Aspen MAX panels.  I like having the reversion capability between the MFD and PFD.  I also enjoy having a third screen to display traffic, weather or whatever.  I recently landed at KORL doing an ILS 25.  It was almost like cheating compared to my pre-Aspen days.  The nice thing is that I can continue flying if my vac pump fails.  Honestly, its only reason for being hooked up at this point is for my retractable step.

As @Marauder mentioned, the tape with airspeeds and altitude took some time but not much.  It's just a matter or reprogramming your scan.  

Edited February 1, 2022 by rbridges

[Brent]

13 hours ago, Mooney in Oz said:

Do you also use the G3X to display traffic? It has traffic displayed on the Map page and a separate, large dedicated traffic page.

I use the split screen with a US gov't enroute chart on the MFD side. I don't believe I have had traffic on that page, but I have seen it available elsewhere on the tabs. (I only have a few hours with the G3X, so far. I read the manuals, watched some Garmin video training, etc. But there's no substitute for flying with it. Work in progress.)