How to Mute Avidyne TAS system on G1000?

[Ed de C.]

Good evening folks - I'm slowly getting to know my new Ovation and one annoying feature is the frequent alerts I get from the Avidyne TAS 600 system for traffic on the ground or close by when I'm on short final to a busy tower-controlled airport.  Is there a way to mute these alerts?  Not only are they frequent, they come through painfully loud unless I dial back the headset volume control.

I have a 2008 Ovation 3 with this system onboard and G1000.  Evidently this plane was built without ADS-B in (it has the GTX-33ES transponder), and the Avidyne is how traffic comes in.  I've scoured the Avidyne manual.  It makes reference to a mute button (if equipped).  The manual pictures show such a mute button on an optional dedicated Avidyne display but says nothing about a G1000 setup.  There is a mute softkey on the G1000 MFD traffic page but it does not mute the Avidyne alert.  

Does anyone know if there is a way to temporarily mute the audio alert?

Thanks,

Ed

 

[Ed de C.]

Hmmm.  I was thinking of posting a question about what this odd button on the yoke labeled TAS might be.  Sneeking suspicion that is my mute button right there.  I'll test it out shortly and see if that answers my question.

[201Mooniac]

I'm not very familiar with the TAS on a G1000 but with my G500 TXi, there is a mute button on the yoke and the alert volume can be set in the menu to get the alerts to not be so loud.  I expect the G1000 would be similar.  You might want to check the setup menus.

[LANCECASPER]

10 hours ago, Ed de C. said:

I have a 2008 Ovation 3 with this system onboard and G1000.  Evidently this plane was built without ADS-B in (it has the GTX-33ES transponder), and the Avidyne is how traffic comes in. 

It looks like you've found the mute button on the yoke.

No Mooney was built with ADS-B in 2008. On yours though it looks like the previous owner upgraded the GTX-33 to a GTX-33ES to provide ADS-B out. Since yours is a 2008 you would have had WAAS so the transponder uses that to send out your position for ADS-B out.

If you want ADS-B in on yours you need to replace the GTX-33ES with a GTX-345R. It will also require a software upgrade to display ADS-B weather and traffic.

https://www.mooney.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/SBM20-321.pdf

[N201MKTurbo]

My Avidyne 550 was the same way. the traffic and terrain alerts come through a dedicated audio pair to the audio panel. I put a switch on the panel to open that audio line. I call it the "Shut up you stupid b!@#$" switch. Yes I can see the mountain I'm flying next to and I can see all the planes in the pattern at the airport! I always turn it back on after I'm at cruise. I like the notifications then.

[Ed de C.]

Sure enough, the TAS button on the yoke mutes the Avidyne traffic alert (hurray!).  Now if I can turn down the alert volume I'll be set.  As I take a microfiber rag with interior cleaner, I'm discovering all sorts of easter eggs, like how to fold down the rear seats, an obscure music in jack...  Good input guys, like adding USB outlet on the pilot's side, not just the cigarette outlet on the passenger side.  First world problems.

Best, 

Ed  

[N201MKTurbo]

3 hours ago, Ed de C. said:

Sure enough, the TAS button on the yoke mutes the Avidyne traffic alert (hurray!).  Now if I can turn down the alert volume I'll be set.  As I take a microfiber rag with interior cleaner, I'm discovering all sorts of easter eggs, like how to fold down the rear seats, an obscure music in jack...  Good input guys, like adding USB outlet on the pilot's side, not just the cigarette outlet on the passenger side.  First world problems.

Best, 

Ed  

If you go into the setup menu, there is a setting for the alert volume.

[Ed de C.]

Hello M201MKTurbo - 

I cannot find this setup menu in the G1000.  Can you please give me some direction there?  I tried the Aux pages but there's nothing there about alert volumes.  Neither is there any softkey action on Map/traffic page.  

Much appreciated,

Ed

[AVDB]

Hello Ed,

There is only one TAS page which is available for pilot in G1000 normal operational mode - Traffic Map Page

From G1000 Pilot's Guide:
"Displaying traffic on the Traffic Map Page:
1) Turn the large FMS Knob to select the Map Page Group.
2) Turn the small FMS Knob to select the Traffic Map Page."

If we are talking about audio alerts setup - it is available in Configuration Mode only. 

From G1000 System Maintenance Manual:

"To enter configuration mode:
1. Press and hold the ENT key on the PFD while applying power. Release the ENT key after
‘INITIALIZING SYSTEM’ is displayed in the upper left corner of the PFD.
2. Repeat step 1 for the MFD and PFD2 (if installed). The System Status Page (Figure 4-1) is displayed on the MFD and the PFD.

4.2.1 User Interface
Once the G1000 is placed in configuration mode, the large and small FMS knob is used to cycle through the different configuration pages, to change page groups, and to change pages in a group. The FMS knob is also used to perform the following:
• To activate the cursor press the small FMS knob.
• To cycle the cursor through different data fields rotate the large FMS knob.
• To change the contents of a highlighted data field rotate the small FMS knob. This action displays an options menu for the particular field, or in some cases, allows the user to enter data for the field.
• To confirm a selection press the ENT key. To cancel a selection, press the small FMS knob. Pressing the small FMS knob again turns the cursor off. The CLR key can also be used to cancel a selection or turn the cursor off."

In Configuration mode, on PFD, go to System page group -> Audio Alert Configuration page
As this page is not shown in G1000 MM, for the purpose of training, please make a screenshot and load it in this post.

TAS alert volume settings have to be there.

Note: When G1000 system is powered up in Configuration Mode, the system may sound an Audio Warning Tone.
This tone can be silenced by using the following steps:
on MFD:
- rotate Large FMS knob to the right to select GDU group page
- rotate Small FMS knob to find Alert Configuration page
- Across the button of display are the softkeys. Locate the button under the letters ACK for acknowledge and press the soft key
This should stop the chiming of the audio warning system

Regards,
AVDB

[AVDB]

[Ed de C.]

The answer to the annoying traffic alerts on the ground turned out to be simple.  After some recent maintenance, I noticed that the mechanic had pulled the traffic alert breaker.  Bingo.  I'm now taxiing to the runway with the breaker pulled and push it in just before taking the runway.  I pull it after landing.  I put one of those colored rings on the breaker to spot it easily.  The yoke mounted mute switch deals with the short final alerts.  

Ed