Garmin G5 and IFD 540

Gring wrote: I don’t yet have an auto pilot in my cardinal, but find my accuracy in flying has improved to less than 1/10 of a mile and less than 50 feet over several hours. This is totally because of the G5’s. Can you explain this a little?  Improved over what?  DG and CDI?  Analog HSI? I can tell you that my experience with the G5 is that the presentation (ie compass card) is significantly smaller than a King or Century HSI and harder to read.

Hi AVI Folks,

jonesronc wrote: I'm considering going the dual G5 route with G29B to replace my vacuum AI/NSD-360 HSI/ wet pump, ...

Just put dual G5 in my older Baron with century3. Even with gad29a had to keep old horizon for autopilot to use. Got rid of 106a and 3 pounds of cable to use Can bus and 429 port on the 440. Fly it tomorrow I and will let you know how it does but so far I like what I see. Flight plan in 440 sent info to both Dme indicators waiting to see how it flies. 9400$ out the door.

Flew the baron today with my 440 as nav for dual G5’s. No problems at all having to turn down pressure pumps since DG was removed. Gpss steering was super with century 3.   and 440 acted like a perfect 430 and all is well in my hangar. Wonderful combination. Hope the do a SV some day. I am satisfied for the future.

pburger wrote: This thread was started on March 30, 2017, and here we are at the end of the year.  I'm glad to see reports that the IFDs are talking to the G5s.  That is indeed great news.  Now, AVIDYNE, how about working on this?  The G5s are getting a LOT of play from all quadrants.  I'm definitely leaning that way.  I would love to do a dual G5 installation early next year, but I don't want to get caught with an unairworthy installation due to a lack of an STC.  If Avidyne could list these babies in their manual similar to the Aspen, I assume the legal bar would be met. Avidyne, what say you?

Flying_Monkey wrote: AviSimpson wrote: pburger wrote: This thread was started on March 30, 2017, and here we are at the end of the year.  I'm glad to see reports that the IFDs are talking to the G5s.  That is indeed great news.  Now, AVIDYNE, how about working on this?  The G5s are getting a LOT of play from all quadrants.  I'm definitely leaning that way.  I would love to do a dual G5 installation early next year, but I don't want to get caught with an unairworthy installation due to a lack of an STC.  If Avidyne could list these babies in their manual similar to the Aspen, I assume the legal bar would be met. Avidyne, what say you? Still this "No update to share. It appears that it will just be a documentation exercise as part of a major release (TSO impacting). We will still need to fly it in our test aircraft to confirm that everything is functional." Thanks for the update.  It's frustrating that this is taking so long if it really is just a documentation thing, but I guess this is probably quick in the aviation world.  I recently installed a 540 as part of a PA32-300 renovation that started before the G5s were announced.  Would have liked to maybe do dual G5s at the same time as everything else but was left in limbo since there has been no real updates. I have thought many times since the purchase that maybe I should have gone the Garmin route for compatibility with G5 and now the GFC500.  I guess I'll hold off and maybe wait for Dynon's offering next year.  But I imagine Avidyne is probably losing some sales to folks figuring that they want G5s and the GFC500 and not wanting to wait to see if Avidyne will be compatible/legal...especially if it is going to be an extended wait like we are experiencing with the G5s.  Guess I'm just venting.  I'm sure Avidyne is feeling the pressure to get this sorted out.

Avidyne has been working for over 3 years on having the Avidyne MLB100 (Now Skytrax 100) display ADS-B traffic and weather on the the Avidyne EX5000 MFD. I hope they complete that project before they start working on some new non Avidyne competitor equipment.

TogaDriver wrote: Hi AVI Folks, In order to reclaim that extra ARINC 429 port, Garmin plans to combine their EFIS/AIRDATA and GAD42 outputs into one stream so their GAD29B will only require one 429-IN port instead of two to drive our legacy autopilots. Does AVI have plans to create a similar concentrated ARINC output option for the IFDs?  Due to the compatible nature of the IFD series, you have the same 429 port limitations.  I understand the G5 is not your product but I think the G5/GAD29B may be causing customers to consider the GTN series over IFDs for just this feature, based on chatter I'm seeing on Beech and elsewhere.  Supporting this would maintain your argument of plug-n-play with the GNS series.

I wanted to bump the thread to generate some additional discussion.  My NSD-360a HSI is trying to die and rather than spend a bunch of $ overhauling it I am looking at a G5 HSI.  I actually already have a G5 in the panel (in the T/C slot) as a backup AI...  My thought was to move the G5 over into the HSI hole and add the necessary hardware to make it a fully functional HSI including GPSS!!!  What started out as disappointment to see a failing NSD-360 had turned to semi-excitement thinking about the upgrade the G5 HSI was going to provide with the added gpss and reliability of the solid state electronics.

My current G5 was installed prior to the IFD 550 therefor my shop has no issue with using the IFD as a position source regardless of any paperwork issues.  The issue my shop has at the moment is with available 429 ports.  Garmin has apparently fixed this limitation with the GNS series (mentioned in quote above).  I'm wondering about Avidyne's progress with the issue? 

The shop instructed me to go and check what my current 429 port usage was... They suggested it was probably being utilized by the skytrax 100.  One (pitiful) solution he mentioned was disconnecting the skytrax 100 to hook up the G5 (via GAD-29b I believe).  If /when Avidyne catches up with G it can be hooked back up and until that time I can get my ADS-B in on the Ipad via stratus 2.  I hate to think of the wasted and extra labor involved with that.

Anyway, I love my IFD 550 but am frustrated like several others.  My HSI is dying and I'm working towards and IFR check ride.  Poor timing.  

Ibraham wrote: Revision 10.2 installation manual recommends using RS-232 to connect the Skytrax 100 for both traffic and weather, instead of ARINC 429 SkyTrax Trfc+Wx Serial traffic and weather data information from the Avidyne Skytrax100/MLB100

funny, the shop just sent me an e-mail with a correction... describing exactly what you say.  I still need to go and document what ports are being used to determine if the G5 will work. 

thanks

BTW:  the Avidyne install manual shows another ARINC429 A & B out on the 1050 connector. n not sure if that will work.

Rats, wish I could have helped.  But another reason to love my 550

The interpretation of "slide-in replacement" is a clear case of where customers interpretation of the marketing-speak can deviate dramatically from the reality.

Sure they do. Marketing often presents information in a way that is easily misunderstood and implies more than is what is delivered. Whether that is misleading or even constitutes misrepresentation is not a black and white area. While I agree that Avidyne could be more transparent with disclosure on the limitations of the slide-in marketing, I find that in general many consumers are far too "gullible" or maybe too naive and not sceptical enough when evaluating manufacturers' claims.

chflyer wrote: That doesn't remove the blame from Avidyne if they have made specific commitments, taken people's money, and not delivered. That is a different matter.

This is a challenge for Avidyne and every other avionics manufacturer. New products and software updates on existing products make compatibility a moving target. Avidyne's "slide in" replacement is exactly that - it is the same form factor and it is pin compatible with a Garmin 530/430 - therefore when you slide it in the existing tray it emulates everything you had at that moment. They have no way of knowing how the 100's if not 1000's of installers have wired everything and they don't have a crystal ball to know what future software updates there will be on all of your boxes. It seems wise before letting anyone update any software on your other boxes to make a call to Avidyne support to see if it's been tested yet. I have been very impressed by how well it has worked for so many people. It shows that if the original installs were done according to the install manuals between all of these devices the likelihood is high that they will all talk to each other after getting the settings right. For a few it may mean that a few wires need to be added and they may need software updates or temporary downgrades to keep everything talking to each other. The more complicated your installation the more homework needed.

arkvet wrote: ... It's one reason I'm anxious to see if Dynon can deliver on the Skyview HDX.  Combined with my IFD 550 that would be a dream and I would expect Dynon equipment to cooperate well with Dynon equipment and the IFD.

That's a point to look into regarding the Servo quality.  However, I can't for the life of me believe that Dynon servos manufactured today would be of lesser quality than my 40 year old Century Servos.  I know refrigerators of today aren't what they used to be but I just can't imagine that's the case with AP servos.

Of the thousands of Dynon AP installs are there cases of AP servo failures? 

It's definitely a point worth considering. 

skitheo wrote: I would hope that you have specifics to back up that assertion. Otherwise, you're skating on thin ice. Avidyne hasn't always delivered on what I hoped they would in the time frame suggested. From my observation they have met their legal obligation. Your assertion is that they have not.

Maybe a much less complicated solution wound be for Avidyne to revise 440/540/550 marketing information to say "plug and play compatible for 2015" since their actual delivery dates have a reputation of sliding well past those conveyed to the media and on this forum. 

The natives are getting restless. ;-)

Edited by Gring - 01 Feb 2018 at 9:44am

So lets assume I did the dual G5 install which included the GAD29b and GMU-11.  It seems some dual G5 installations have the AI display glide slope / CDI / flight director bars, and some other helpful data that is pretty helpful for IFR approaches.  Is this additional info provided by the IFD via the GAD-29b / GMU-11 or is it dependent on the specific autopilot?  The AP will have to continue to be driven by the vacuum AI but I wonder if that will prohibit the additional info provided on the G5 AI screen.

Just some thoughts. I have a hard time wrapping my head around where all the information comes from.  I actually called garmin tech support today trying to get an answer to that question.  I never could get an answer and to some degree felt like I was annoying them. 

Edited by Gring - 01 Feb 2018 at 4:29pm

arkvet wrote: So lets assume I did the dual G5 install which included the GAD29b and GMU-11.  It seems some dual G5 installations have the AI display glide slope / CDI / flight director bars, and some other helpful data that is pretty helpful for IFR approaches.  Is this additional info provided by the IFD via the GAD-29b / GMU-11 or is it dependent on the specific autopilot?  The AP will have to continue to be driven by the vacuum AI but I wonder if that will prohibit the additional info provided on the G5 AI screen. Just some thoughts. I have a hard time wrapping my head around where all the information comes from.  I actually called garmin tech support today trying to get an answer to that question.  I never could get an answer and to some degree felt like I was annoying them.