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- May 24, 2016
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4RNB
I've just completed a class that Garmin offered, found it helpful, and wanted to type up my thoughts. I'd hope by doing this I can reinforce what I think I've learned, perhaps share a few things, and maybe others might get a helpful tidbit.
As you read this, perhaps some perspective as to where I am in flying. I own a C172M, currently in the shop for G3X, 750xi GPS, a garmin 500 autopilot. I think I am at about 230 hours total time in plane that had dual G5s, a tru track autopilot, had a Garmin WaaS 175 GPS. I have no time in G1000 equipped aircraft. I took a long time to pass my instrument checkride, perhaps due to age, slow learning, numerous plateaus, no syllabus. I think I had 4 different instructors. Point being is that as you read this, I am still quite green as a pilot.
I learned of the class quite by chance just over a month ago. It was in my home state and seemed to directly apply to the equipment to be installed. https://fly.garmin.com/fly-garmin/training/
There was a class of nine students and a capable instructor. Everyone owned their own plane, and seemed to have had upgrades over the previous year or two. I think I was the only one to be in the class without flying the plane with equipment installed. I was grateful that there were others that have done this to C172s. A seatmate suggested that over 1M of upgrades was represented in the room, considering a twin guy claimed 301K of upgrades, this was believable. Several of the owners were CFI/CFII/MEIs. A three hours online class was a prerequisite, this was helpful by itself. I had not read the operating handbooks for the equipment.
Forgive the format, the class was rapid fire, just gonna type stuff out.
To enter the Demo Mode, press and hold the direct to key when powering on. In other words, perhaps much of one's learning can be done connected to ground power. There is also an ipad and downloadable onscreen sim. https://support.garmin.com/en-US/?faq=Eg1NnC6Hr4ANNXxSXuQig7
One pilot described tying his dimmers into his avionics for control over night time instrument dimming.
Yellow flight bars aka flight path marker
Airspeed trend vector shows what airspeed will be in 6 seconds.
Lots of STC changes over time impact problems/issues not getting to owners (example of Txi PFDs).
Nav source Green VOR/LOC Magenta GPS
G3x requires flightplan source external for IFR, internally it is only VFR legal
All flight plan changes must be made on the GTN.
CDI preview? (I am using ? to show something I want or need to learn more about, seemed interesting but did not make sense at the time)
Auto Slew?
Need to play or learn GPS overlay for VOR approaches along with dual bearing pointer usage.
Inset windows all customizable-many liked distance/bearing to airport for radio calls.
G3x can show classic 6 pack, good for transitioning pilots.
NOTE: the instructor wrote DPE/CFI guides for instrument failures in retrofit equipment, shows on the FAA fits website. Will show on bottom of page of link, I need to better learn and practice such things. https://www.faa.gov/training_testing/training/fits/guidance
Use 8GB cards for updates, don’t use 16 or 32. Sandisk!
If you type something more than once, doing it wrong. Flight plan-waypoint info!
There was much frustration and discussion of issues pertaining to avionics installations. Seemed to be bulk of issues were installation error (per Garmin instructor). Garmin tracks such things with their 30 strong support staff and has field educators they can/do send out for issues. They are considering some tiered system of installer recognition. Some owners trash talked a large installation firm that seems to have a large advertising budget.
Smart Glide is NOT a heart attack button. It is a bad plane, good pilot button. If used for bad pilot, good plane situation (where an autoland feature should be used) the plane will CLIMB to maintain best glide speed…
AFCS steps
Set references- Flt plan targets HDG ALT courses
Select modes HDG NAV VS IAS
Set rate
Verify
YD and FD can operate independent of AP
500 Vs 600: when does YD auto turn on?
Where does YD white triangle show up?
Suggestion: don't use TRK mode unless high wind near R or MOA
NAV mode follows navigation
APR arms lat/vert modes for approaches
ALT holds altitude
Descend using VS, climb using IAS.
Rate wheel is only for vertical modes, a pitch wheel
Green active mode
White armed mode
Yellow disengaged
Red- alarm
Cost of class versus benefit
16 hours, free lunches, $800. No fuel burned, so about a $50/hr instructor rate in group setting. If people have highly capable instructors, access to GPU, perhaps much of this could be done on the ground. Given comments from participants, there might be a sideline business for instructors to do such things. Many owners lamented the lack of availability of capable instruction in upgraded aircraft, certainly a lack of friends familiar with systems.
Make note of start up IFR power up tests, instrument self tests!
Future classes will split out Txi and G3x by themselves.
Audio replay via split panel mode?
Off route direct to, add later to flight plan, returns to linear sequencing.
OBS waypoint better? White outbound, magenta inbound.
Approaches
Load IAF that makes sense, not vectors. Tough to change otherwise.
Almost never hit activate approach
Create a direct to an approach fix
Activate a leg-to fix where you will be going to
Source autoswitch temperamental 275/Txi, not G3x
Magenta under approach in FP, the approach is active.
Preflight/flight plan= mitigate risk on the ground.
Use waypoint info-lots of info.
VNAV descents only
VFR flight track- set altitude +1000 AGL= set pattern altitude!
I took several notes to specifically ask my installer, going to keep those private. Overall, I think the class was helpful. If I had a bit more experience with the equipment first it might have sunk in better. I have a healthy respect for things to make sure initial flights stay VFR. I hope I can find a good safety pilot a few times after that. I would encourage others to evaluate online and in person Garmin training to enhance safety, knowledge, and efficiency (minimize button pushes).
As you read this, perhaps some perspective as to where I am in flying. I own a C172M, currently in the shop for G3X, 750xi GPS, a garmin 500 autopilot. I think I am at about 230 hours total time in plane that had dual G5s, a tru track autopilot, had a Garmin WaaS 175 GPS. I have no time in G1000 equipped aircraft. I took a long time to pass my instrument checkride, perhaps due to age, slow learning, numerous plateaus, no syllabus. I think I had 4 different instructors. Point being is that as you read this, I am still quite green as a pilot.
I learned of the class quite by chance just over a month ago. It was in my home state and seemed to directly apply to the equipment to be installed. https://fly.garmin.com/fly-garmin/training/
There was a class of nine students and a capable instructor. Everyone owned their own plane, and seemed to have had upgrades over the previous year or two. I think I was the only one to be in the class without flying the plane with equipment installed. I was grateful that there were others that have done this to C172s. A seatmate suggested that over 1M of upgrades was represented in the room, considering a twin guy claimed 301K of upgrades, this was believable. Several of the owners were CFI/CFII/MEIs. A three hours online class was a prerequisite, this was helpful by itself. I had not read the operating handbooks for the equipment.
Forgive the format, the class was rapid fire, just gonna type stuff out.
To enter the Demo Mode, press and hold the direct to key when powering on. In other words, perhaps much of one's learning can be done connected to ground power. There is also an ipad and downloadable onscreen sim. https://support.garmin.com/en-US/?faq=Eg1NnC6Hr4ANNXxSXuQig7
One pilot described tying his dimmers into his avionics for control over night time instrument dimming.
Yellow flight bars aka flight path marker
Airspeed trend vector shows what airspeed will be in 6 seconds.
Lots of STC changes over time impact problems/issues not getting to owners (example of Txi PFDs).
Nav source Green VOR/LOC Magenta GPS
G3x requires flightplan source external for IFR, internally it is only VFR legal
All flight plan changes must be made on the GTN.
CDI preview? (I am using ? to show something I want or need to learn more about, seemed interesting but did not make sense at the time)
Auto Slew?
Need to play or learn GPS overlay for VOR approaches along with dual bearing pointer usage.
Inset windows all customizable-many liked distance/bearing to airport for radio calls.
G3x can show classic 6 pack, good for transitioning pilots.
NOTE: the instructor wrote DPE/CFI guides for instrument failures in retrofit equipment, shows on the FAA fits website. Will show on bottom of page of link, I need to better learn and practice such things. https://www.faa.gov/training_testing/training/fits/guidance
Use 8GB cards for updates, don’t use 16 or 32. Sandisk!
If you type something more than once, doing it wrong. Flight plan-waypoint info!
There was much frustration and discussion of issues pertaining to avionics installations. Seemed to be bulk of issues were installation error (per Garmin instructor). Garmin tracks such things with their 30 strong support staff and has field educators they can/do send out for issues. They are considering some tiered system of installer recognition. Some owners trash talked a large installation firm that seems to have a large advertising budget.
Smart Glide is NOT a heart attack button. It is a bad plane, good pilot button. If used for bad pilot, good plane situation (where an autoland feature should be used) the plane will CLIMB to maintain best glide speed…
AFCS steps
Set references- Flt plan targets HDG ALT courses
Select modes HDG NAV VS IAS
Set rate
Verify
YD and FD can operate independent of AP
500 Vs 600: when does YD auto turn on?
Where does YD white triangle show up?
Suggestion: don't use TRK mode unless high wind near R or MOA
NAV mode follows navigation
APR arms lat/vert modes for approaches
ALT holds altitude
Descend using VS, climb using IAS.
Rate wheel is only for vertical modes, a pitch wheel
Green active mode
White armed mode
Yellow disengaged
Red- alarm
Cost of class versus benefit
16 hours, free lunches, $800. No fuel burned, so about a $50/hr instructor rate in group setting. If people have highly capable instructors, access to GPU, perhaps much of this could be done on the ground. Given comments from participants, there might be a sideline business for instructors to do such things. Many owners lamented the lack of availability of capable instruction in upgraded aircraft, certainly a lack of friends familiar with systems.
Make note of start up IFR power up tests, instrument self tests!
Future classes will split out Txi and G3x by themselves.
Audio replay via split panel mode?
Off route direct to, add later to flight plan, returns to linear sequencing.
OBS waypoint better? White outbound, magenta inbound.
Approaches
Load IAF that makes sense, not vectors. Tough to change otherwise.
Almost never hit activate approach
Create a direct to an approach fix
Activate a leg-to fix where you will be going to
Source autoswitch temperamental 275/Txi, not G3x
Magenta under approach in FP, the approach is active.
Preflight/flight plan= mitigate risk on the ground.
Use waypoint info-lots of info.
VNAV descents only
VFR flight track- set altitude +1000 AGL= set pattern altitude!
I took several notes to specifically ask my installer, going to keep those private. Overall, I think the class was helpful. If I had a bit more experience with the equipment first it might have sunk in better. I have a healthy respect for things to make sure initial flights stay VFR. I hope I can find a good safety pilot a few times after that. I would encourage others to evaluate online and in person Garmin training to enhance safety, knowledge, and efficiency (minimize button pushes).
. It'll take a few more hours behind it to develop the proficiency and muscle memory to fly hard ifr with it. It helped that I already had a couple hundred hours flying with the gtn.