Garmin Smart Glide

Does anyone even see a reference on Garmin's website to the aforementioned free upgrade?
 
Interesting, I seem to recall a video announcing this as a free upgrade for anyone who had the appropriate hardware. I don't remember anything about experimental vs. Certified. I have a ticket into customer service, waiting to see what they say.
 
I think it's for anyone who has the hardware, not necessarily the experimental crowd. I have dual G3X Touch screens in my LSA and I got the upgrade.
 
Flocker said:
I think it's for anyone who has the hardware, not necessarily the experimental crowd. I have dual G3X Touch screens in my LSA and I got the upgrade.
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Where did you get it? Is there a link or do you have to request it from garmin?
 
I got a reply back from Garmin customer support today. It states that for certified aircraft, an authorized dealer must install the free upgrade. It did not state if the installation was free or not. I have sent an email to my avionics guy asking him the particulars.
 
Well, apparently the "free" upgrade isn't so free. Garmin says it can only be installed by an authorized Garmin dealer. I just heard back from my dealer, $500 to install the software. If I want the button, add another $2500. I just wanted the free upgrade without the button, it uses the direct to key and requires a placard.
 
Joe_B1 said:
I probably won't get it. Love how at Oshkosh they made a point of declaring how it would be free for the greater good but didn't say the dealers would be robbing us.
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If the dealer incurs labor cost to install the software, verify proper function, and do the paperwork ... how is that robbing you to charge for it?
 
Ed Haywood said:
If the dealer incurs labor cost to install the software, verify proper function, and do the paperwork ... how is that robbing you to charge for it?
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It isn't, it just irks me that Garmin was touting all this virtuosity about how they made the upgrade free for the good of the aviation community and then made it a dealer install. If they wanted it to be truly free, they would have provided the software as a database update sort of thing instead of requiring dealer intervention.
 
I can certainly understand being irked at having to spend money ... I specialize in that. But in this case, I doubt an OTA software update is a viable COA, because the consequences of an improper install could be death. A Garmin firmware bricked my GDL 50 a few months ago, and their customer support instructions were to throw it in the trash and buy a new one. No way they are going to take a risk of their new flagship product killing someone because an update was not properly tested. Plus, if it changes functionality, some kind of logbook entry would be required, and how are they going to do that OTA?
 
Ed Haywood said:
I can certainly understand being irked at having to spend money ... I specialize in that. But in this case, I doubt an OTA software update is a viable COA, because the consequences of an improper install could be death. A Garmin firmware bricked my GDL 50 a few months ago, and their customer support instructions were to throw it in the trash and buy a new one. No way they are going to take a risk of their new flagship product killing someone because an update was not properly tested. Plus, if it changes functionality, some kind of logbook entry would be required, and how are they going to do that OTA?
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I read about bricking your GDL and I understand that something weird could go wrong with an update but don't I risk that every time I do a database update? So let's do the math. My avionics shop gets $75 per hour. Let's be generous and give them $100 per hour to make the math easier. So they have quoted me a price of $400 -500 for this work which involves putting an SD card in a slot and pressing some buttons. I am assuming this upgrade doesn't take 4-5 hours. So why is this costing me so much, is it for the placard? If this was a user install, can't I as an owner make the logbook entry? If this install does in fact brick my GTN, wouldn't I notice that? I don't need my GTN to fly my plane!

It just seems disingenuous to me that Garmin would make such a big deal about this being free and then finding out it really costs half an AMU to get it done.

And I get that aviation is expensive, Garmin has to make money, nothing is free, yada yada yada...
 
My dealer (who had done installations for me in the past) upgraded my FS210, GDL88, and GTN and charged me 1/2 hour.
 
I’m wondering if the upgrade wipes the system’s configuration or something requiring a fresh setup. Otherwise it sure sounds like someone wants $500 to plug in an SD card or USB stick and take a few buttons to start an update.
 
cowman said:
I’m wondering if the upgrade wipes the system’s configuration or something requiring a fresh setup. Otherwise it sure sounds like someone wants $500 to plug in an SD card or USB stick and take a few buttons to start an update.
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Not sure but maybe I will write back to Garmin support and ask them what they think this should cost.
 
Joe_B1 said:
Not sure but maybe I will write back to Garmin support and ask them what they think this should cost.
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That's fair. I honestly don't know what is involved. But could be it involves more than just plugging in an SD card and walking away. Could be it requires diagnostic checklists to confirm proper operation. Could be they have to file a 337. Could even be a major alteration since it changes system function. Did you ask your dealer why it costs that much?
 
Pretty much all of Garmin's firmware updates are free. And for most certified equipment, it's only available through dealers. Most dealers want a minimum of an hour in fees to do the upgrade(s). It doesn't take an hour, but they do have to write it up and give you a log entry. For SmartGlide, It may require updating multiple units and checking ops to make sure it worked. I usually tie in upgrades with other avionics work and usually get a bit of a break on time charged.
 
Dam shame that certified a/c have to pay for the feature, which Garmin says is free. I loaded the new update into my G3X and did the configuration myself, after watching a video. Entering the a/c’s VG and Sink rate enables it. You then set parameters for runway. Looking to test fly it next week.
 
If garmin gave away GTN-750, I guess we’d complain that it cost us 5k to install so not free. Waah!
 
Ed Haywood said:
I can certainly understand being irked at having to spend money ... I specialize in that. But in this case, I doubt an OTA software update is a viable COA, because the consequences of an improper install could be death. A Garmin firmware bricked my GDL 50 a few months ago, and their customer support instructions were to throw it in the trash and buy a new one. No way they are going to take a risk of their new flagship product killing someone because an update was not properly tested. Plus, if it changes functionality, some kind of logbook entry would be required, and how are they going to do that OTA?
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On POA there's never a shortage of indignant complaints. This is the only post in the thread that has been made with forethought and analysis.

Those that are whining about the cost of the install haven't bothered to find out what is involved in performing the upgrade, and other than one poster, no one has asked their avionics shop what they would charge for the work.
 
When I was quoted a panel upgrade, a price was negotiated and the work was done. I was OK with paying the negotiated price. But nobody ever said any Garmin stuff was free until Garmin themselves made the statement that the upgrade was free. They never mentioned that it would take half an AMU to get said update. I get that their dealer network does not work for free. But it just seems a little disingenuous not to mention that this upgrade involved 5 hours of work to install.
 
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