G1000 data logging

flyingcheesehead

Touchdown! Greaser!
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iMooniac
I finally got to use the new data logging feature in the G1000. (This is part of the G1000 software for DA40's starting at version 0321.22.) For a geek such as myself, this is really cool stuff!

I uploaded the flight from MSN to IA24 to cirrusreports.com, which shows a Google map, a graph of parameters which you can choose, and will generate KML files so you can re-fly the flight in Google Earth:

http://cirrusreports.com/flights/N569DS/224513
 
Link Don't work. Looks like you need to share the flight logs
 
Cool! You can see how the EGT drops off on descent, and is at the lowest point about as you land, and then increases as you taxi. Now, if you were only turbocharged, we could look at the TIT and determine whether the 5 minute cooling off period makes any sense! :)
 
Cool! You can see how the EGT drops off on descent, and is at the lowest point about as you land, and then increases as you taxi. Now, if you were only turbocharged, we could look at the TIT and determine whether the 5 minute cooling off period makes any sense! :)

Well, I think 5 minutes since the wastegate has been anything but wide open makes sense, still - Even at shutdown, the lowest EGT was over 850 degrees. Assuming EGT is roughly equal to TIT, the innards of the turbo are gonna be very hot and need to cool off. However, fixed-wastegate birds like the Seneca may not be getting helped nearly as much.

Anyway... Some interesting things I've found from looking at the raw data and the CirrusReports graphs:

1) It took the engine a full 5 seconds to shut off (from 642 RPM to 0).

2) The VSI transducer is maybe a wee bit too sensitive! The VSI readings sitting still on the ground seem to be all over the place, within about a ±30 fpm range. I guess now I understand why the VSI's digital display does not show anything less than 100 fpm, and has a resolution of only 50 fpm. Otherwise, it'd be all over the place!

3) It's kind of cool to be able to look at the various parameters and figure out exactly what was going on - For example, I used the RPM to find the time where I started the runup, and was able to see the mag checks by looking at the RPM drop and corresponding EGT increase. I can also see when I primed and started the engine by the fuel flow and such. Neat!

3a) Some things are pretty easy to find: Engine start, shutdown, and runup (via RPM), beginning and end of taxi and beginning of takeoff roll (via GS), etc... But finding the exact second of liftoff or touchdown is amazingly difficult! For example, on takeoff from runway 21 at KMSN you're going downhill. At 13:46:02, rotation speed (IAS) is reached. At 13:46:03, pitch attitude begins to show a noticeable increase. At 13:46:04, the MSL altitude is at its lowest, pitch reaches nearly 5 degrees, and the IAS records a "blip" where it gets 1/2 knot slower before acceleration continues. At 13:46:05, the Baro altitude is lowest. Finally, at 13:46:07 the VSI begins to indicate in positive territory. Figuring out exactly when I touched down is even more difficult!

4) What everyone really wants to know: In cruise, at an average power setting of 23.69" MP and 2203.2 RPM, average altitude of 6503 feet MSL, we got an average true airspeed of 134 KTAS at an average fuel burn of 8.53 gph.

Some things I still need to figure out:

1) Where the "AltMSL" is getting its data. There's also a column for "AltB" which is the barometric altitude (shown on the tape) and another column for "AltGPS". The units shown are: AltMSL in "ft MSL", AltB in "ft Baro", and AltGPS in "ft WGS". So maybe the AltMSL is the GPS altitude with a correction for the WGS? On the ground at MSN, I got roughly 865 ft Baro, 905 ft MSL, and 791 ft WGS (field elevation is 887, ramp elevation is ~840 on the other planes' altimeters, so the "ft MSL" is closest) at an OAT of 13.2ºC. Upon reaching cruising altitude of 6500 feet, I get 6505 ft Baro, 6570 ft MSL, and 6458 ft WGS at an OAT of 12.8ºC.
 
The next question is whether you'll use the information to look for people operating in ways that may be, shall we say, suboptimally or harmfully. And if you find them, do you educate or punish (if they are harming the engine)?
 
1) Where the "AltMSL" is getting its data. There's also a column for "AltB" which is the barometric altitude (shown on the tape) and another column for "AltGPS". The units shown are: AltMSL in "ft MSL", AltB in "ft Baro", and AltGPS in "ft WGS". So maybe the AltMSL is the GPS altitude with a correction for the WGS? On the ground at MSN, I got roughly 865 ft Baro, 905 ft MSL, and 791 ft WGS (field elevation is 887, ramp elevation is ~840 on the other planes' altimeters, so the "ft MSL" is closest) at an OAT of 13.2ºC. Upon reaching cruising altitude of 6500 feet, I get 6505 ft Baro, 6570 ft MSL, and 6458 ft WGS at an OAT of 12.8ºC.

Possibility:
Alt MSL is your MSL altitude (what you'd have seen on the tape) and is corrected for nonstandard pressure.
Alt Baro is your pressure altitude (based on a 29.92 setting and what would be sent out to your transponder).
AltGPS is your GPS-derived altitude in the WGS84 spheroid.
 
The next question is whether you'll use the information to look for people operating in ways that may be, shall we say, suboptimally or harmfully. And if you find them, do you educate or punish (if they are harming the engine)?

We're starting to use the data off of our Cirrus fleet at Purdue and what you just mentioned is a widely discussed topic among students and instructors. Use the data to evaluate operating practices in a positive manner as an educational resource or as an instrument for punitive action? We shall see...
 
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Which slot does the data card reside?

Upper slot on the MFD. From what I've heard, it needs to be FAT (16 or 32) formatted, not NTFS or anything else.

If they don't exist, it'll create a file called airplane_info.xml and a folder called data_log where the files will show up. They're named with date, time, and point of origin (which will be the nearest public field if you're taking off from a private field). One file per power-up of the G1000. Pete was sure showing it off to a lot of people the other day. ;)
 
The next question is whether you'll use the information to look for people operating in ways that may be, shall we say, suboptimally or harmfully. And if you find them, do you educate or punish (if they are harming the engine)?

Well, so far I'm the only one logging anything - The club hasn't put a card in.

If we do put a card in, I think it should be used first and foremost for diagnostics - IE "Engine ran really rough on runup, so I cancelled the flight." In that case, rather than paying an A&P to diagnose, it should be rather obvious from the EGT's exactly which cylinder is having the problem. It sure would have been nice to use that kind of data when we were having intermittent electrical failures on the 182 recently as well.

Second use: Education. Nobody wants to be scolded or punished, and that would cause a negative reaction. I don't think most people know much about engine management, and yelling at them for doing something would not be good. A much more productive approach would be "Hey, Pete, were you aware that you had a CHT of 415º for an extended period of time? Yeah, it's best to keep them below 400 to minimize wear and tear on the engine. You can see all the CHT's on the engine page, so it may be helpful to keep the MFD on the engine page while you're in the climb. You can reduce CHT's by using a lower climb angle with higher airspeed, or adjusting the mixture. Hope this helps, thanks for your time!"

I can't see it being used for punishment except in extreme cases of repeated intentional misuse. It's just not productive to do otherwise.
 
Possibility:
Alt MSL is your MSL altitude (what you'd have seen on the tape) and is corrected for nonstandard pressure.
Alt Baro is your pressure altitude (based on a 29.92 setting and what would be sent out to your transponder).
AltGPS is your GPS-derived altitude in the WGS84 spheroid.

Nope - Alt Baro is the indicated altitude. So, Alt Baro is not pressure altitude.

The AltGPS makes sense, and since presumably the terrain data is based on WGS84, that's where the terrain system calculates the -100 and -1000 from.

Alt Baro is what's on the tape...

But what's AltMSL?

1) It is not relying on the altimeter setting - It didn't show any significant change when I changed the altimeter from 30.25 to 30.08 after getting the ATIS.

2) It doesn't appear to be pressure altitude - With a setting of 30.08 and sitting on the ground at ~840 MSL you would expect the pressure altitude to be ~680, but it ranged from 857 to 911 during the period between startup and when I began to taxi.

3) It does appear to be based off GPS somehow. I added a column to the spreadsheet that calculates the difference between GPS (feet WGS) altitude and AltMSL, and it was VERY steady, and very evenly decreased from 114.5 to 106.1 over the course of the flight, never deviating more than 0.2 feet in a second.
 
be nice to pete, he's not used to having to deal with engines. thats what tow pilots are for.
 
Well, so far I'm the only one logging anything - The club hasn't put a card in.

If we do put a card in, I think it should be used first and foremost for diagnostics - IE "Engine ran really rough on runup, so I cancelled the flight." In that case, rather than paying an A&P to diagnose, it should be rather obvious from the EGT's exactly which cylinder is having the problem. It sure would have been nice to use that kind of data when we were having intermittent electrical failures on the 182 recently as well.

Second use: Education. Nobody wants to be scolded or punished, and that would cause a negative reaction. I don't think most people know much about engine management, and yelling at them for doing something would not be good. A much more productive approach would be "Hey, Pete, were you aware that you had a CHT of 415º for an extended period of time? Yeah, it's best to keep them below 400 to minimize wear and tear on the engine. You can see all the CHT's on the engine page, so it may be helpful to keep the MFD on the engine page while you're in the climb. You can reduce CHT's by using a lower climb angle with higher airspeed, or adjusting the mixture. Hope this helps, thanks for your time!"

I can't see it being used for punishment except in extreme cases of repeated intentional misuse. It's just not productive to do otherwise.
Oh, I agree that this is how it should be used. I could also see owners with planes on leaseback requiring the data from the FBO so they could monitor how the FBO is training people to do engine management, as well as auditing the hours the FBO says are being flown.
 
Meh 415 is nowhere near the limit ;-)

Limits == Goals, right???
 
A much more productive approach would be "Hey, Pete, were you aware that you had a CHT of 415º for an extended period of time? Yeah, it's best to keep them below 400 to minimize wear and tear on the engine. You can see all the CHT's on the engine page, so it may be helpful to keep the MFD on the engine page while you're in the climb. You can reduce CHT's by using a lower climb angle with higher airspeed, or adjusting the mixture. Hope this helps, thanks for your time!"

BTW, FWIW, Pete did NOT have a CHT of 415 at all! I thought he knew I was kidding. :rofl:

His highest CHT was a nice cool 375.78. :yes:
 
I'm still having fun with this data. I did a short power-off (idle) descent to get a better idea of actual glide performance. It was 2.3 minutes (2:18 on the money), 1304' vertically, with an average IAS of 72 and TAS of 74.

So, the glide angle was 4.33º (I was curious because we did maintain the VASI glideslope after turning final - 3.50º!), the descent rate 567 fpm, and the glide ratio 13.2 to 1. Wow!

Now, I'm gonna have to test this more thoroughly later on. This bird should easily make it across Lake Michigan from MTW-MBL (42nm with feet wet), but it'd be really nice if it'd make the crossing from FAH-HIC (50nm) as well. By my current calculations, it'll make the 42nm crossing at 10,500 and the 50nm crossing at 12,500 with zero exposure time. Awesome! :goofy:
 
I'm still having fun with this data. I did a short power-off (idle) descent to get a better idea of actual glide performance. It was 2.3 minutes (2:18 on the money), 1304' vertically, with an average IAS of 72 and TAS of 74.

So, the glide angle was 4.33º (I was curious because we did maintain the VASI glideslope after turning final - 3.50º!), the descent rate 567 fpm, and the glide ratio 13.2 to 1. Wow!

Now, I'm gonna have to test this more thoroughly later on. This bird should easily make it across Lake Michigan from MTW-MBL (42nm with feet wet), but it'd be really nice if it'd make the crossing from FAH-HIC (50nm) as well. By my current calculations, it'll make the 42nm crossing at 10,500 and the 50nm crossing at 12,500 with zero exposure time. Awesome! :goofy:

Is that in a no-wind condition?
 
What you're seeing with the G1000 logging function is essentially General Aviation FOQA. Do a Google search if you're interested but the basics of the program is to identify to people who need to know how the airplanes are being operated. That's a real simplification but it's in the ballpark. We use FOQA in our operation. The otherside of having this data is it gives agencies involved in the post incident/accident lookback a digital means to see what the airplane was doing (assuming the module survives) very accurately which leads to better causal factors and hopefully a way to avoid things that brought somebody to grief in the first place.
 
Is that in a no-wind condition?

That's in an any-wind condition. Total glide range is not changed by wind, it simply changes where the turn-back point is.

For example, if there was a tailwind equal to Vg, the turn-back point would be the shore - If you turned around right there, you'd settle straight down to the ground (if that same wind existed at all altitudes, of course). Likewise, if you were just off shore and kept going forward, your groundspeed at Vg would double and you'd have twice the glide range in that direction, so the effective glide distance along that axis would be unchanged, it'd simply be offset in the direction of the winds aloft.
 
What you're seeing with the G1000 logging function is essentially General Aviation FOQA. Do a Google search if you're interested but the basics of the program is to identify to people who need to know how the airplanes are being operated. That's a real simplification but it's in the ballpark. We use FOQA in our operation. The otherside of having this data is it gives agencies involved in the post incident/accident lookback a digital means to see what the airplane was doing (assuming the module survives) very accurately which leads to better causal factors and hopefully a way to avoid things that brought somebody to grief in the first place.

Interesting.

The other thing I was thinking of is that it could provide a valuable source of real-world data on airplanes - You could get an average fleet cruise speed at a particular power setting, for example. I wonder if the owner of the cirrusreports site knows what a gold mine of information he's sitting on!
 
What you're seeing with the G1000 logging function is essentially General Aviation FOQA. Do a Google search if you're interested but the basics of the program is to identify to people who need to know how the airplanes are being operated. That's a real simplification but it's in the ballpark. We use FOQA in our operation. The otherside of having this data is it gives agencies involved in the post incident/accident lookback a digital means to see what the airplane was doing (assuming the module survives) very accurately which leads to better causal factors and hopefully a way to avoid things that brought somebody to grief in the first place.

Interesting article about FOQA from a legal 'how might the data be used' perspective:

http://www.aviationlawcorp.com/content/foqasafety.htm
 
I am using the data logging in a 2010 Cessna182, you can upload and download flight plans from a 695/6 also. If you have a check list on the upper slot of the MFD just copy it to a larger card and you will have check list and data log on the same card. I have two check list data cards and switch back and forth. If you go to Garmin they have a Bata version of a program like the Cirus program. It is at the G1000 software site free.

https://buy.garmin.com/shop/store/downloadsUpdates.jsp?product=010-G1000-00&cID=153&pID=6420

You do not have to make a file on the card, it will make it for you.
 
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Top slot of mfd along with the check list if you have one.

I thought the checklist file went on the card in the lower slot of the MFD with the obstacle database? I'll have to add it.

I am using the data logging in a 2010 Cessna182, you can upload and download flight plans from a 695/6 also.

I tried to copy a flight plan file (generated by fltplan.com specifically for the G1000) and the G1000 said that there weren't any valid flight plan files on the card... Any hints? Anyone else here used this functionality with fltplan.com?

If you go to Garmin they have a Bata version of a program like the Cirus program. It is at the G1000 software site free.

https://buy.garmin.com/shop/store/downloadsUpdates.jsp?product=010-G1000-00&cID=153&pID=6420

Awesome! Thanks!
 
I thought the checklist file went on the card in the lower slot of the MFD with the obstacle database? I'll have to add it.



I tried to copy a flight plan file (generated by fltplan.com specifically for the G1000) and the G1000 said that there weren't any valid flight plan files on the card... Any hints? Anyone else here used this functionality with fltplan.com?



Awesome! Thanks!
You can only use a flight plan from a 696/5 or Jepp and there is one other flight planner you can use but I will have to look it up.

Remember both top and bottom slots can have the -41,-42,or-43 data cards in the pfd or mfd it will work in any slot, but the check list goes in the top of the MFD and the data will log on it if you have the card set to unlock. The flight plan file exchange will work in the top slot of the MFD.
You can also do a screen shot capture with the top PFD or MFD by pushing two soft keys, but I will have to look up the soft key buttons to use. Flightplan.com will not copy to a G1000.
What GDU software are you using? That makes a difference.

DO NOT ADD ANY DATA TO THE BOTTOM GDU CARDS but safe taxi, obsticals, AOPA, Garmin charts, base map, terrain, Jepp charts, or you will corupt them.
It takes a check list that you buy from the OEM.
 
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You can only use a flight plan from a 696/5 or Jepp and there is one other flight planner you can use but I will have to look it up.

Flightplan.com will not copy to a G1000.

Others from the DA40 owners group have used the file that fltplan.com spits out successfully. I've attached it below.

And, in doing so, I think I found the problem: It looks like a .xml extension got added to the filename after the .fpl. I'll have to double-check that the next time.

Remember both top and bottom slots can have the -41,-42,or-43 data cards in the pfd or mfd it will work in any slot,

What are -41, -42, or -43 cards? :dunno:

but the check list goes in the top of the MFD and the data will log on it if you have the card set to unlock.

DO NOT ADD ANY DATA TO THE BOTTOM GDU CARDS but safe taxi, obsticals, AOPA, Garmin charts, base map, terrain, Jepp charts, or you will corupt them.
It takes a check list that you buy from the OEM.

I have the checklist file - But I didn't want to add it to the bottom card, just in case. The Diamond owners said the checklist file should go on the bottom card on the MFD. I'll dump it onto my card and try it in the top slot tomorrow.

(Actually, just looked again - It is on my card that was in the top slot. No checklist, that I saw.)

You can also do a screen shot capture with the top PFD or MFD by pushing two soft keys, but I will have to look up the soft key buttons to use.

Oooh, cool!

What GDU software are you using? That makes a difference.

0321.22 right now. But, the version numbers don't translate between the various airframes. Looks like the latest Cessna NavIII version is 0563.18. I'll check in the Pilot's Guide for 0321.22 and see if I can find this stuff.
 

Attachments

  • KSHOOK_KMSN_IA24_N569DS.fpl.txt
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After reviewing the manual -

I have the checklist file - But I didn't want to add it to the bottom card, just in case. The Diamond owners said the checklist file should go on the bottom card on the MFD. I'll dump it onto my card and try it in the top slot tomorrow.

The manual does not specify which slot the checklist file should be in.

I think the flight plan import problem was, like I mentioned, an incorrect file extension. I'll try that tomorrow too. I'll also try to export a plan so I can make sure they're the same format...

John, I'd be really interested not only in the keystroke to take a screen shot, but where in the manual you found it - I can't find it anywhere. Maybe I'm not searching for the right thing.
 
Okay, played around with it a bit today, here's the verdict so far:

You can only use a flight plan from a 696/5 or Jepp and there is one other flight planner you can use but I will have to look it up.

The fltplan.com G1000 export did work (the file I posted last night) - It's just that somehow it got a .xml filename extension appended to it. I used the same file and removed the .xml, and it did import.

However, it did NOT accept IA24 as part of the flight plan - Probably because it's not in the database, it's a private airport. I guess changing that to a straight-up lat/long would work better.

the check list goes in the top of the MFD

The checklist file was not read in either the top slot of the MFD, as you suggested, or the bottom slot as the owners group folks suggested. And yes, I checked to make the filename extension was correct. (filename is chklist.ace)

You can also do a screen shot capture with the top PFD or MFD by pushing two soft keys, but I will have to look up the soft key buttons to use.

I asked around and got an answer from someone who should know, but it didn't work. Need to do some more research on that one.

Here's today's flight - Just a quickie city tour for a guy who's interested in flying: http://cirrusreports.com/flights/N569DS/228667
 
Others from the DA40 owners group have used the file that fltplan.com spits out successfully. I've attached it below.

And, in doing so, I think I found the problem: It looks like a .xml extension got added to the filename after the .fpl. I'll have to double-check that the next time.



What are -41, -42, or -43 cards? :dunno:



I have the checklist file - But I didn't want to add it to the bottom card, just in case. The Diamond owners said the checklist file should go on the bottom card on the MFD. I'll dump it onto my card and try it in the top slot tomorrow.

(Actually, just looked again - It is on my card that was in the top slot. No checklist, that I saw.)



Oooh, cool!



0321.22 right now. But, the version numbers don't translate between the various airframes. Looks like the latest Cessna NavIII version is 0563.18. I'll check in the Pilot's Guide for 0321.22 and see if I can find this stuff.

You are getting the system software mixed up with the GDU software. The GDU (display) MFD PFD is what we need to know what that is. A -41 -42 -43 are the last numbers of the part number for the bottom MFD and PFD data cards, -43 will have SVS on it, the -42 has charts and sfe taxi, and the -41 are the original cards with no SVT Safe taxi or charts. The file will end in ACE for the check list. GDU SW of 10.0 and above will give you data logging. Do not go by the SW v of the manual that is not always the V they use by the time it is put in the plane, I have 563.20 running with GDU Sw v 10.01
Look on the aux 6 page and see if you have a checklist on the page, if you do not show one your plane does not have it. Not all planes have a check list, it has to be approved by the FAA.
 
Be carefull adding anything to the terrain data cards. I would not add any app to them but charts and updates, do not use it to update NAV Jepp data, there is a SB to not use them for it.
 
To get a screen shot of the MFD or PFD. Make a folder on a SD card name it "print" and put in the upper slot. Then hit the soft key 2 and 11 that will copy the screen to the print folder.
I do not do it that much, much easier to use the PC sim to get a screen shot use "screen capture" then go to the program file and you will find it there.
 
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"The manual does not specify which slot the checklist file should be in."

Because the check list comes from the OEM. Yes you can put the check list in bottom slot but then the supplemental data card will have to go in the top. Better to keep both supplemental cards in the bottom slot.
 
You are getting the system software mixed up with the GDU software. The GDU (display) MFD PFD is what we need to know what that is.

Ah, OK. I'll look next time I boot it up.

A -41 -42 -43 are the last numbers of the part number for the bottom MFD and PFD data cards, -43 will have SVS on it, the -42 has charts and sfe taxi, and the -41 are the original cards with no SVT Safe taxi or charts.

OK. We have the -41 then.

The file will end in ACE for the check list.

Yup. It's called chklist.ace and it still doesn't work. :dunno:

I tried it in both the top and bottom slots of the MFD (simply pulled the -41 for the bottom test) and it said "Checklist File N/A" on the bootup screen both times.

GDU SW of 10.0 and above will give you data logging.

Well, we have at least that version then. I've logged several flights now. What a great tool!

Look on the aux 6 page and see if you have a checklist on the page, if you do not show one your plane does not have it. Not all planes have a check list, it has to be approved by the FAA.

I have the file. It simply doesn't seem to be recognized. I did confirm that it didn't get the extra file extension like the flight plan file that failed too. I was able to successfully import the flight plan I made on fltplan.com now, and was able to export a flight plan from the G1000 to the card as well.

Be carefull adding anything to the terrain data cards. I would not add any app to them but charts and updates, do not use it to update NAV Jepp data, there is a SB to not use them for it.

Yup. Nav data is stored internally.

The Diamond owners who are using the checklist said to put it on the card and not alter anything already there... But if it actually works in the top slot I'd rather do that.

To get a screen shot of the MFD or PFD. Make a folder on a SD card name it "print" and put in the upper slot. Then hit the soft key 2 and 11 that will copy the screen to the print folder.
I do not do it that much, much easier to use the PC sim to get a screen shot use "screen capture" then go to the program file and you will find it there.

Aha! That's different than the method I found elsewhere - I'll give it a try. I was simply thinking that it'd be neat to take shots of funky weather or heavy traffic on the MFD, or use it for creating learning materials.
 
GDU SW of 10.0 and above will give you data logging. Do not go by the SW v of the manual that is not always the V they use by the time it is put in the plane, I have 563.20 running with GDU Sw v 10.01

Hmmm. Well, apparently our GDU software (MFD1 and PFD1) is 9.15. But, we do have data logging, which is what prompted me to start this thread. ;)

Look on the aux 6 page and see if you have a checklist on the page, if you do not show one your plane does not have it. Not all planes have a check list, it has to be approved by the FAA.

It's not reading the file. Just like on the boot screen, Aux6 says "Checklist Not Available." I need to go look through the info on the owners' group again and see what I'm missing.

To get a screen shot of the MFD or PFD. Make a folder on a SD card name it "print" and put in the upper slot. Then hit the soft key 2 and 11 that will copy the screen to the print folder.

That didn't work. Nor did using the keys that the other person told me. :dunno:
 
Did you make a folder named "print" ?

Did you get your checklist from your OEM? If not it will not work.

9.15 will data log but you have the old style page info like a 430 530. Many new features with 10.00 and higher.
 
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"The Diamond owners who are using the checklist said to put it on the card and not alter anything already there... But if it actually works in the top slot I'd rather do that."

Do not put any data on the supplemental cards. Read the service bulletin from garmin, 0801
 
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