Garmin G5 and IFD 540

With the recent announcement of the Garmin G5 being certified for use as a digital HSI I was wondering if the IFD540 can be used as the GPS and CDI/VOR source for the G5 and still meet the requirements of the STC? Am considering a dual G5 setup and am putting in a 540.

How long do you realistically think it will take to sort this out one way or another? Days? Weeks? Months? I'm right smack in the middle of panel redo and just want to be able to make a decision. It won't be done for another month or two....

Since they said they aren't shipping it until May, I think it's safe to say that it will be months before we know. Adding it to the install manual will not happen in the next few months.

Gring wrote: The problem with the G5 in either the HSI or PDF format is that it will not connect to an autopilot.  So, if you have a King or Century autopilot that requires attitude information to drive it, it is a no go.  Most autopilots use the HSI to drive it so, it will be a no go there. .......

Edited by DH82FLYER - 31 Mar 2017 at 7:26pm

Any update on G5/Avidyne 540 compatibility?  Have the HSI enabled G5 units started shipping?

Nope. Garmin said they would start shipping these in mid-June. The Aircraft Spruce web site has them listed but if you add one to your cart, you'll see that it's marked as "NO STOCK - CALL".

Garmin actually received the STC for the HSI version earlier this week, but I'm not sure if they're shipping yet. Still no word on autopilot pickoff, although rumor has it that they will announce something about autopilot integration at Oshkosh. I too am super interested to hear what Avidyne has to say about integrating these with the IFD540.

I think Garmin came out and said that there were no plans for autopilot integration in the G5 at this time.

This needs to move up near the top of the list.     IMHO. 

Gring wrote: I think Garmin came out and said that there were no plans for autopilot integration in the G5 at this time.

Garmin has stated that an autopilot heading bug on the G5 HSI is a possibility. However, they then said that G5 AI autopilot integration is unlikely at this time, due to a lack of support from the FAA for such a move.

Edited by DH82FLYER - 10 Jun 2017 at 8:27am

compasst wrote: would prefer to go digital with the G5 devices rather than go with Aspen or other electronic alternatives. G5 communications support, please.

Why the preference for G5? Just curious.

I'm not sure I agree with this. Purchase cost is probably close to a wash; Aspen says (http://www.aspenavionics.com/pdf/Feature%20Comparison_FF.pdf) the list price of the VFR PFD + the ACU is $5995, and Garmin's selling 2x G5 for around the same price. My understanding is that the VFR Aspen would cost significantly more to install. On top of that, 2x G5s gives you reversionary capability that I don't think you get from a single Aspen.

Fair point. But at least for me, in the airplane I fly now, there is very little likelihood that I will invest in XM wx, active traffic, or a Stormscope. Those, along with EHA, are the primary expansion capabilities the Aspen offers beyond the ability to go VFR->IFR so the value's not there for me. Now, if I win the lottery, you betcha I'd put an Aspen in my panel ASAP.

compasst --

pburger wrote: compasst -- I'm not sure if you are aware, but the TruTrak autopilot has an STC for 172's (F thru R) and the 177.

I guess I'm guilty of hijacking this thread, because I brought up TruTrak.  Yes, the install kits for the 172 and 177 are approved and available now.  The full system approval is on track to be ready for Oshkosh.

Edited by pburger - 13 Jun 2017 at 10:42pm

ronl wrote: compasst, Your experience with poor reliability in Aspens is surprising to me. I've had an Aspen EFD1000 in my plane for over 5 years and never had a problem with it. I've (perhaps erroneously) always considered them quite reliable.

MarkZ wrote: I like my Aspens but they are intolerant of any kind of static leak.

Yes. IMO this is the Achilles heel of the Aspen PFD system. It's not all bad though, this is how I justified upgrading to the IFD550. :-)

From the Aspen EFD1000 pilot guide:

"4.1.2. Pitot Obstruction Monitor
Most light aircraft have only a single pitot and static system available for ight instrument use. As such, a common pitot and static input is shared between the PFD and analog standby instruments. Should one or both of these pitot and static lines become blocked, both the PFD and any standby airspeed and altitude indicators could display erroneous airspeed and altitude information. Furthermore, because the PFD uses pitot and static pressures as part of the AHRS attitude calculations, loss or corruption of the pitot or static pressures can also in uence the accuracy of the displayed attitude information.
The PFD has been tested to be robust to these failures, either by being tolerant to incorrect pitot or static inputs or by detecting and annunciating a degraded attitude solution. When connected to an IFR-certi ed GPS, the system is further able to detect and annunciate blockages in the pitot system and will fail the attitude solution before it becomes degraded. In that case, the system will red X the attitude and heading information and display a CHECK PITOT HEAT message as a reminder to the pilot to check for ice accumulating on the pitot probe.
Once the system detects that the pitot obstruction has been cleared, the CHECK PITOT HEAT annunciation is removed and the system automatically performs an AHRS in- ight reset.
Should a GPS failure be experienced in ight, the Pitot Obstruction Monitor continues to operate in a fail-safe mode and will continue to detect obstructions in the pitot system that may occur while airborne. However, after landing, the monitor remains active and as the airplane slows to taxi speeds, the system will indicate a failure of the AHRS and annunciate CHECK PITOT HEAT. In this circumstance, restoring the GPS will restore normal monitor operation.
CHAPTER 4 REFERENCE GUIDE
In summary, loss or degradation of the PFD attitude solution is unlikely if the pilot assures the proper operation of the pitot-static system. If the pitot or static system become blocked, an ADAHRS internal sensor fails, or a CROSS CHECK ATTITUDE indication is frequent or persists, the attitude indication on the PFD should be considered compromised. In this case, the pilot must use the backup attitude indicator for attitude reference until the cause of the problem has been ideate ed and resolved and normal system operation has been restored."

For backup attitude indication, it actually is very hard to match the separation-redundancy of a spinning gyro powered by an air or vacuum source.

I spent the money and purchased an L3 ESI500 for my backup. It works great and had localizer and glideslope on it so you have everything on one stand by gauge.

Edited by Gring - 15 Jun 2017 at 7:28pm

Yes, but read the detail in the Aspen install manual regarding backup and then read the section in the Quattro manual about failure modes. They are incompatible. It has been 18mths since I researched it and forget the details.

Gring wrote: Yes, but read the detail in the Aspen install manual...

Edited by oskrypuch - 15 Jun 2017 at 11:34pm

DavidBunin wrote: but I'll stay mechanical for my backups, thanks.

When all the pretty screens go dark inside a wet bumpy cloud it is very comforting to cast ones eyes on the face of an old friend: