Garmin 600 autopilot

[Don Sasser]

Am i the only one that thought that the gfc 600 autopilot with its internal sensors could maintain pitch and roll function without any external input.
Turn off the 500 TXI PDF and the autopilot shuts down in about 45 seconds. The 275 reverts to a ADI and that's what you're left with. If it can't maintain pitch and roll functions without external inputs from the primary pfd , I would have thought it could receive inputs from the autopilot version of the GI 275 which is installed in the airplane. I'm told the autopilot can only accept one input cable and that it must come from PFD with in my case is the txi 500. Anyone with any knowledge about this??

 

[Pinecone]

Garmin GFC autopilots are really some software and a control head. The smarts are in the other instruments.

When you lose your primary PFD, then it reverts to the backup, the autopilot goes off line and you have to reselect a mode. This is to prevent it from doing wonky things at switch over.

 

[Don Sasser]

Garmin GFC autopilots are really some software and a control head. The smarts are in the other instruments.

When you lose your primary PFD, then it reverts to the backup, the autopilot goes off line and you have to reselect a mode. This is to prevent it from doing wonky things at switch over.

I just arrived at the avionics shop . When i say the autopilot shuts off, I mean I get a red blinking light and then a solid red light and

 

[Don Sasser]

Mine shuts completely down.There's power to the autopilot, but the autopilot light just blinks red and no functions work.
No pitch, No roll, No Level, nothing until the 500 TXI PFD is powered back up.

 

[WDD]

I remember a Garmin video where the G3 shut down and the auto pilot automatically switched to the back up G5. It was where they updated the Tiger a few years ago. So based on that, yeah, the autopilot should switch to the back up.

 

[Hang 4]

Garmin GFC autopilots are really some software and a control head. The smarts are in the other instruments.

That's true of the GFC 500, not the 600. From the GFC600 pilot guide - "The GMC 605 contains internal sensors which calculate the aircraft attitude, allowing the GFC 600 to operate without relying on any external source of attitude. Flight Director mode logic as well as some autopilot management functions are performed within the GMC 605 main processor."

 

[Don Sasser]

According to the avionics shop and Garmin tech support when the 500 TXI fails the autopilot completely fails as well . No functions work at all. The 275 reverts to an ADI and that's all you're left with. I wish someone would tell me that's not correct, but that's what Im told and that's what it does. Garmin suggest ( find VFR and Land)

 

[Don Sasser]

"The GMC 605 contains internal sensors which calculate the aircraft attitude, allowing the GFC 600 to operate without relying on any external source of attitude. Flight Director mode logic as well as some autopilot management functions are performed within the GMC 605 main processor."
This is what the pilots operation manual says.
I'm considering asking Garmin for a full refund based on this statement.

 

[WDD]

You might be dealing with the one Garmin employee junior enough to be the one working over Christmas break. Suggest you contact Garmin again after new year and call a few other shops to cross check things.

 

[GLMS_NC]

This says gfc600 is a fully independent system not relying on external inputs. Has its own internal AHRS. When TXi display goes off the AP should stay functional.

 

[Don Sasser]

That's what one would think by reading the manual, but can anyone confirm a 600 autopilot that dosen't turn off after a PFD failure. Mine turns off and Garmin says that's how it's intended to work.

 

[Mikey52]

That's what one would think by reading the manual, but can anyone confirm a 600 autopilot that dosen't turn off after a PFD failure. Mine turns off and Garmin says that's how it's intended to work.

After watching the video, it should disengage, but you should be able to turn it back on in pitch and roll mode.

 

[Don Sasser]

I agree 100% that it should according to the manual,but i've yet to find anyone that says they have a 600 that will operate in any fuction after the PFD fails.

 

[GLMS_NC]

That's what one would think by reading the manual, but can anyone confirm a 600 autopilot that dosen't turn off after a PFD failure. Mine turns off and Garmin says that's how it's intended to work.

Did Garmin confirm this, or that is what your installer is telling you and what we are trying to confirm?

 

[Don Sasser]

We're trying to get an answer from Garmin. Seems like it would be a simple question.
Is it a stand alone autopilot like the pilot manual and sales brochure states, or not??
We're waiting to hear back from a Garmin rep.