Can I bypass FlightStream 210 and connect via GI-275 & GTX-345?

[AdamJD]

I have two GI-275s, GFC-500, GTN-650xi, GTX-345, FlightStream 210 (sw version 2.91) and I use Foreflight.  I have connected to the 650 via FS210 for several years and have not had a problem until recently.

Over the past month I have had lost traffic and weather on both iPads after 20 minutes or so on multiple flights.  When this happens, the upper left of my foreflight says Connext, NO TOWERS and stays that way for the remainder of my typical 2.5 hour flight.  I fly in a fairly populated area and have added the map of ADSB towers to foreflight so I can see I am near towers when this happens.  I have gone to “Devices" on the iPad and my “Garmin Connext” shows as Connected and says “Provides GPS, attitude, flight plan send/receive, cabin pressure, and ADS-B.”  I then click on Connext and get the details which show I am connected via Flightstream 210, but under the DATA (ADS-B) group, the sub item Signal Status says “No Towers”.

My GTN-650 still receives current weather and active traffic throughout the flight, even when it goes out for the iPads via Flightstream.  So my GTX-345 is working and receiving traffic and weather.  Also, I can still actively transfer flight plans from my ipad to 650 and vice versa when connected via Flightstream.  So it would appear the Flightstream is still partially working.  

I have tried connecting to the GI-275 directly via bluetooth, but that only provides “Attitude and flight plan send/receive”. My option to connect directly to bluetooth on the GTX-345 is disabled with my current configuration.

I know I need to visit my favorite Garmin dealer.  However, in the meantime, I want to bypass the FS210 and connect directly to both the GTX-345 (for traffic & weather) and the GI-275 (for flight plan and AHRS).  Has anyone done this and had success?  If so, how do I enable Bluetooth on the GTX-345 so I can connect to it directly?  Do I have to do this through the GTN650?  Lastly, if this works, do we really need the FS210?  I know the 510 does DB management as well.  But the 210 does not.

Any thoughts or suggestions are appreciated!

Adam

[CCAS]

Possibly unrelated but a thought nonetheless:

I had a similar situation on my iPad running ForeFlight not that long ago. For me, I had recently installed Garmin Pilot on the iPad when I began to notice ForeFlight’s instability regarding ADS-B “In” data.  I theorized that both apps were trying to pull ADS-B data from the same device (in my case it was a Stratus 3). I uninstalled GP from my iPad and when I re-installed it, I didn’t establish a device connection to the Stratus. ForeFlight hasn’t had any issues since. 

[201Mooniac]

You can’t be connected to both the GI 275 and the GTX 345 at the same time.  The GI 275 should provide GPS position, ADS-B traffic and weather, AHRS, flight plan exchange, and database concierge (with some caveats) so there is no reason to try to connect to the GTX 345.  In fact, you likely don’t need the FS 210 anymore given the current GI 275 capabilities.  One point though, I use Garmin Pilot so I’m not sure that all of these capabilities work with FF but they are available from the GI 275, at least with the current up to date software.

[AdamJD]

Thank you. I tried only connecting to GI-275 and didn’t get the weather and traffic. From reading ForeFlight FAQs, this looks like a ForeFlight limitation. 

“Does ForeFlight work with the Garmin GI 275?

Yes. ForeFlight can connect to the Garmin GI 275 via Bluetooth, enabling the following features:

Supported Data Sharing

GPS position and backup attitude information from the GI 275 can be shared with ForeFlight.

Flight Plan Transfer

Two-way flight plan transfer is supported when the GI 275 is connected to a compatible Garmin Navigator, such as:

• GPS 175
• GNC 355
• GNX 375

One-way flight plan transfer (from the panel to ForeFlight Mobile) is supported with appropriately configured GTN 750Xi/650Xi systems.”

[AdamJD]

6 hours ago, CCAS said:

Possibly unrelated but a thought nonetheless:

I had a similar situation on my iPad running ForeFlight not that long ago. For me, I had recently installed Garmin Pilot on the iPad when I began to notice ForeFlight’s instability regarding ADS-B “In” data.  I theorized that both apps were trying to pull ADS-B data from the same device (in my case it was a Stratus 3). I uninstalled GP from my iPad and when I re-installed it, I didn’t establish a device connection to the Stratus. ForeFlight hasn’t had any issues since. 

Not bad idea to delete ForeFlight and reinstall on one of my iPads. Can’t hurt to try. 

I was also thinking about trying the 30-day Garmin pilot trial. If my flightstream is shot, I would rather learn Garmin pilot than pay $2k to replace flightstream. 

[M20F]

9 hours ago, AdamJD said:

I was also thinking about trying the 30-day Garmin pilot trial. If my flightstream is shot, I would rather learn Garmin pilot than pay $2k to replace flightstream. 

I am always curious what exactly is the huge savings with the flight plan going to the GPS?  Even I was based in 47N and would do insane things like fly from KOWD to KFME which is an insane routing it never took me more than a minute to put the route in.

What am I missing?

[DXB]

26 minutes ago, M20F said:

I am always curious what exactly is the huge savings with the flight plan going to the GPS?  Even I was based in 47N and would do insane things like fly from KOWD to KFME which is an insane routing it never took me more than a minute to put the route in.

What am I missing?

the real benefit is having all  route changes on your panel GPS automatically update on your ipad - try it and you won't ever want to go back!

[DXB]

10 hours ago, AdamJD said:

Not bad idea to delete ForeFlight and reinstall on one of my iPads. Can’t hurt to try. 

 

FWIW simply updating the Foreflight app on the ipad fixed a similar problem connecting to a portable ads-b receiver for me

[M20F]

16 minutes ago, DXB said:

the real benefit is having all  route changes on your panel GPS automatically update on your ipad - try it and you won't ever want to go back!

What route changes?  Even flying in the NE my reroute percentage is about 0.  File, ingest given route to ForeFlight, stick into Garmin.  I will be honest 90% of the time I only load destination and first fix because I am going to get cleared direct anyways (NE aside where again 1 minute to load).  
 

[LANCECASPER]

On 12/29/2025 at 1:29 PM, AdamJD said:

I have two GI-275s, GFC-500, GTN-650xi, GTX-345, FlightStream 210 (sw version 2.91) and I use Foreflight.  I have connected to the 650 via FS210 for several years and have not had a problem until recently.

Over the past month I have had lost traffic and weather on both iPads after 20 minutes or so on multiple flights.  When this happens, the upper left of my foreflight says Connext, NO TOWERS and stays that way for the remainder of my typical 2.5 hour flight.  I fly in a fairly populated area and have added the map of ADSB towers to foreflight so I can see I am near towers when this happens.  I have gone to “Devices" on the iPad and my “Garmin Connext” shows as Connected and says “Provides GPS, attitude, flight plan send/receive, cabin pressure, and ADS-B.”  I then click on Connext and get the details which show I am connected via Flightstream 210, but under the DATA (ADS-B) group, the sub item Signal Status says “No Towers”.

My GTN-650 still receives current weather and active traffic throughout the flight, even when it goes out for the iPads via Flightstream.  So my GTX-345 is working and receiving traffic and weather.  Also, I can still actively transfer flight plans from my ipad to 650 and vice versa when connected via Flightstream.  So it would appear the Flightstream is still partially working.  

I have tried connecting to the GI-275 directly via bluetooth, but that only provides “Attitude and flight plan send/receive”. My option to connect directly to bluetooth on the GTX-345 is disabled with my current configuration.

I know I need to visit my favorite Garmin dealer.  However, in the meantime, I want to bypass the FS210 and connect directly to both the GTX-345 (for traffic & weather) and the GI-275 (for flight plan and AHRS).  Has anyone done this and had success?  If so, how do I enable Bluetooth on the GTX-345 so I can connect to it directly?  Do I have to do this through the GTN650?  Lastly, if this works, do we really need the FS210?  I know the 510 does DB management as well.  But the 210 does not.

Any thoughts or suggestions are appreciated!

Adam

Sounds like a configuration issue.

Garmin's transfer protocol will work with FltPlnGo, Garmin Pilot or Foreflight. 

There are some avionics gurus that are Garmin dealers on Beechtalk. If you copy and paste your post in their Panel Talk section, you'll get some good answers.

The settings between all these device has to be just right to get it all to work. 

[AdamJD]

12 hours ago, M20F said:

What route changes?  Even flying in the NE my reroute percentage is about 0.  File, ingest given route to ForeFlight, stick into Garmin.  I will be honest 90% of the time I only load destination and first fix because I am going to get cleared direct anyways (NE aside where again 1 minute to load).  
 

Flying through DC airspace from South weekly both IfR and VFR, I get route changes often. Either east around Baltimore, west around Dulles, or if I’m lucky, split Dulles and Reagan. It all depends on time of day, landing directions at the big airports, and weather. 

And having 2 iPads and the 650, it’s nice to change it in one place and they all update. My autopilot is following the 650. My eyeballs are following the iPad, which is a much better moving map. 

[AdamJD]

12 hours ago, LANCECASPER said:

Sounds like a configuration issue.

Garmin's transfer protocol will work with FltPlnGo, Garmin Pilot or Foreflight. 

There are some avionics gurus that are Garmin dealers on Beechtalk. If you copy and paste your post in their Panel Talk section, you'll get some good answers.

The settings between all these device has to be just right to get it all to work. 

I’ll do that. It was working for overwater and then stopped. Only change I can loosely tie it to was an update to the 650 and 275 by the avionics shop. But it worked for a few weeks after that. 

[Will.iam]

19 hours ago, M20F said:

What route changes?  Even flying in the NE my reroute percentage is about 0.  File, ingest given route to ForeFlight, stick into Garmin.  I will be honest 90% of the time I only load destination and first fix because I am going to get cleared direct anyways (NE aside where again 1 minute to load).  
 

Where as the ipad takes one second to load. And since you mention you don’t put in but the destination and one fix why even do that when the. Ipad already has all your fixes from filing electronically anyways and then get into the plane and tap twice done. No turning the knob for each letter or tapping all four letters of the destination. But having said all that i still input the destination and a fix like you do as that keeps me in the CB club. If i bought a fs210 that would start to question my CB status.

 

[midlifeflyer]

9 hours ago, AdamJD said:

Flying through DC airspace from South weekly both IfR and VFR, I get route changes often. Either east around Baltimore, west around Dulles, or if I’m lucky, split Dulles and Reagan. It all depends on time of day, landing directions at the big airports, and weather. 

Interesting. I don’t get to fly into the NY/NJ/PHL area that often, but the one place I haven’t gotten route changes is in Potomac airspace. I file the T-Route around the east and unlike some other places, it actually works there. Once north of DC, a different story, depending on where I’m going. 

[M20F]

11 hours ago, AdamJD said:

Flying through DC airspace from South weekly both IfR and VFR, I get route changes often. Either east around Baltimore, west around Dulles, or if I’m lucky, split Dulles and Reagan. It all depends on time of day, landing directions at the big airports, and weather. 

And having 2 iPads and the 650, it’s nice to change it in one place and they all update. My autopilot is following the 650. My eyeballs are following the iPad, which is a much better moving map. 

I am guessing distance comes into play here.  I would be 47N to RDU or something so generally topping the B or I was coming into Odenton so DC insanity was my end game.  In general though in my year plying the USEC hard core amount of reroutes were minimal.  The routings were always colorful but in general consistent (what I got from 47N to Odenton was 100% the same every time even when Trump was in NJ).

[M20F]

4 hours ago, Will.iam said:

But having said all that i still input the destination and a fix like you do as that keeps me in the CB club. If i bought a fs210 that would start to question my CB status.

 

The voice of reason, man I am lazy but not $2K lazy.  I honestly don't even load the route on the ipad 90% of the time, it is why I have 2 GPS's with moving maps.  How many versions of the same thing does one need.

[kortopates]

You can’t be connected to both the GI 275 and the GTX 345 at the same time.  The GI 275 should provide GPS position, ADS-B traffic and weather, AHRS, flight plan exchange, and database concierge (with some caveats) so there is no reason to try to connect to the GTX 345.  In fact, you likely don’t need the FS 210 anymore given the current GI 275 capabilities.  One point though, I use Garmin Pilot so I’m not sure that all of these capabilities work with FF but they are available from the GI 275, at least with the current up to date software.

You sure about that? I don’t ever connect to be GI-275 except to upload databases via WiFI - didn’t know you could do more than that.
But i always bluetooth connect to both my FS510 on the GTN and my GTX-345.
Reason being if i loose the ADHRS on my G500 i won’t be able to get ADHRS data to my iPad on FS510 connection either, but the GTX-345 also provides ADHRS so i am set for having backup ADHRS on my iPad running GP in this very unlikely scenario.
Cool the GI-275 can do flight plan transfer when paired with a navigator using Connext but i don’t think that will work for me because i only have the FS-510 and GTX-345 set up
as connext devices with my G-500 set up.


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[201Mooniac]

3 minutes ago, kortopates said:

You sure about that? I don’t ever connect to be GI-275 except to upload databases via WiFI - didn’t know you could do more than that.
But i always bluetooth connect to both my FS510 on the GTN and my GTX-345.
Reason being if i loose the ADHRS on my G500 i won’t be able to get ADHRS data to my iPad on FS510 connection either, but the GTX-345 also provides ADHRS so i am set for having backup ADHRS on my iPad running GP in this very unlikely scenario.
Cool the GI-275 can do flight plan transfer when paired with a navigator using Connext but i don’t think that will work for me because i only have the FS-510 and GTX-345 set up
as connext devices with my G-500 set up.

According to the install manual, if you have a GI 275, then the GTX 345 Bluetooth is supposed to be disabled.  I haven’t tried it but the FS 510 is supposed to pass the “best” AHRS data, either from the G500 or the GTX 345 to the iPad (the G500 will always be better data) as both should be available to the GTN over HSDB.

I’m curious why you connect to the GI 275 to upload databases as opposed to using database sync?

Also, I don’t know what you mean by only the FS-510 and GTX 345 setup as Connext devices with the G500, to the best of my understanding, there is no setup on the G500 for connext devices (unless you install the FS-510 in the G500TXi which isn’t recommended).  Any Connext device will pass data but there should only be one active at a time.

[midlifeflyer]

5 hours ago, M20F said:

I am guessing distance comes into play here.  I would be 47N to RDU or something so generally topping the B or I was coming into Odenton so DC insanity was my end game.  In general though in my year plying the USEC hard core amount of reroutes were minimal.  The routings were always colorful but in general consistent (what I got from 47N to Odenton was 100% the same every time even when Trump was in NJ).

Dunno. How is the  RDU area to ABE at well below topping any Bravo? “As filed,” with the only change being a shortcut once speaking to PHL TRACON.

[kortopates]

According to the install manual, if you have a GI 275, then the GTX 345 Bluetooth is supposed to be disabled.  I haven’t tried it but the FS 510 is supposed to pass the “best” AHRS data, either from the G500 or the GTX 345 to the iPad (the G500 will always be better data) as both should be available to the GTN over HSDB.
I’m curious why you connect to the GI 275 to upload databases as opposed to using database sync?
Also, I don’t know what you mean by only the FS-510 and GTX 345 setup as Connext devices with the G500, to the best of my understanding, there is no setup on the G500 for connext devices (unless you install the FS-510 in the G500TXi which isn’t recommended).  Any Connext device will pass data but there should only be one active at a time.

Good to know about the FS passing the best ADHRS data, wish the GI-275 was a potential source too.

I have to manually 2 jepp databases, both Obstacles and Safe Taxi because for Jepp couldn’t give me the same coverage areas for these through my stack. i get full America’s on everything but two databases for the GI-275 where i get smaller coverage areas. The result is the GI-275 gets both coverage areas and isn’t smart enough to use the correct one and instead just says “DB conflicts” leaving me to do it manually. Sometimes both versions are already on the GI-275 thanks to the concierge service but sometimes need to transfer it from my ipad. Since getting proficient at fixing it, it’s that much of pain anymore. But i always wonder if i am only 1 more call away with Jepp support to get it fixed despite many past failed attempts.

i’ll try to give a better explanation on my Connect set up, which of course is on the GTN . With my G500/GTN750+650/GTX-345/GFC-500/GI-275, only two connect devices are shown on the 750, my FS-510 and GTX-345, and i am able to bluetooth simultaneously to both and seen the same options on many other students with similar G500/GTN panels.
Your saying though that the connext system with FS-510 should switch to provide ADHRS from the GTX-345 if i loose the G500 ADHRS. I will test this on my panel pulling the G500 CB and see if i still get ADHRS data without the GTX-345 connection. That would be nice!


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[201Mooniac]

35 minutes ago, kortopates said:

.
Your saying though that the connext system with FS-510 should switch to provide ADHRS from the GTX-345 if i loose the G500 ADHRS. I will test this on my panel pulling the G500 CB and see if i still get ADHRS data without the GTX-345 connection. That would be nice!


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You got me thinking that I never tested that feature though I try to test all the other configurations.  When I get my plane back from annual I’ll try it as well.

[AdamJD]

On 12/31/2025 at 7:35 AM, midlifeflyer said:

Interesting. I don’t get to fly into the NY/NJ/PHL area that often, but the one place I haven’t gotten route changes is in Potomac airspace. I file the T-Route around the east and unlike some other places, it actually works there. Once north of DC, a different story, depending on where I’m going. 

From South to North - Wilmington NC to GAI - I have to fly right through the middle of the bravo to get to my airport north of the big airports. If I was going to the NE, an east route around DC airspace wouldn’t be that big of a deal.  But GAI is smack dab in the middle of the top of the 3 combined bravos (think mickey mouse hat badge).

I file the dulles east corridor IFR or VFR SFRA, which is BRV TICON TRING.  My reroutes may be self-inflicted as I’m trying to get an IFR route that depends heavily on time of day, ATC willingness, etc.  When I’m IFR, I get that direct corridor route 10% of the time, but it’s very worth it when I do.  If I don’t get the corridor, I’ll get rerouted by Wash Ctr just before being handed off to Potomac at Richmond.  70% of the time, it’s a “candy cane” west route CSN MRB T356 WOOLY.  30% of the time, it’s an even longer “candy cane” east route which is usually POORK T291 RIPKN T356 WOOLY.  Either of those add 20-40 mins to my trip depending on altitudes and winds.  Both are designed to keep me out of arrivals and departures from either IAD, DCA, BWI or all three. There are usually no shortcuts once they put you on these, but occasionally I have been given more direct routing when I got closer.  

From North to South there is 0% chance they give you the corridor IFR.  100% of the time from my airport I get the candy cane east departure.  If winds are strong from the ENE, I’ll ask for a west departure, which usually ends up being WOOLY T356 AIROW FAY ILM, which feels like flying to Tennessee to get to coastal NC.  But they usually give me direct after Front Royal, so it’s about the same as the east candy cane.

So heading north IFR, I’m filing corridor and mostly expecting a reroute which I can load from saved flight plans and push via flightstream to my GTN650 and the other ipad.

[midlifeflyer]

@AdamJD, ever seen my “The Clearance” video? 

[AdamJD]

Wow!  That’s never fun.  The T routes have really cut down on that for us low and slow planes.  A lot of thought went into those even though some of them do send us “out and around”.  Sometimes when I get the reroutes, I tell them “no need to spell” which they seem to appreciate.

PS - was that Lake Gaston out in front of you - Roanoke Rapids?  Looked familiar.  That’s my geographical 1/2 way point.

[Pinecone]

On 12/31/2025 at 7:35 AM, midlifeflyer said:

Interesting. I don’t get to fly into the NY/NJ/PHL area that often, but the one place I haven’t gotten route changes is in Potomac airspace. I file the T-Route around the east and unlike some other places, it actually works there. Once north of DC, a different story, depending on where I’m going. 

Exactly.  If I file the T routes, I get what I filed and no changes, maybe a direct to a farther fix.

But I have gotten reroutes other places from adding a waypoint to keep me out of a MOA to full reroutes.  Especially into FL.  I get the clearance but it seems that Jax doesn't bother until you get into their airspace then reroute,