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Fuji Abound · 18th September 2008, 10:46

The very best thing you can do is get the G1000 simulator for your pc from Garmin. It is an almost exact replica of the real thing.

The first issue with glass is that a lot of the information is not in the usual familiar place. In consequence it takes time just looking at the screen to know where to look for what you want. Most people also report that it takes them a while if they are use to the six pack to become accustom to using speed and height tapes and to the precision and size of the AI.

Of course most of the time this doesnt particularly matter but if you are going to use it for IFR the last thing you want is to be scrabbling around for a vital piece of information whilst flying the approach.

On which issue there are three layers to the system. The first is gaining a basic grasp of the primary functions and understanding where the information is displayed. This should not take long to grasp. The second layer is developing the ability to enter routes and change these on the fly. The final layer is to be comfortable using the system in the IFR enviroment with the ability to change routes, dial up approaches, change from one approach to another, select the joining position in the approach you need etc.

I have found that there are more than a few who think they know the sytems well (and they probably do to the extent they intend to use the system) but their "skill" level falls some way short of the third layer.

BTW by craming as much time in on the PC sim as you can you can readily explore and practise all the sytems without wasting time in the air - the G1000 is a very powerful avionics suite with a great deal more to it than at first blush is apparent. Much of it you may not need to know to fly the aircraft and operate the avionics but equally there are a load of labour and time saving aids if you are prepared to fully familiarise yourself with the sytems.

If you have not used some of the add on features before gaining an understanding of how these work and, perhaps more importantly, their limitations may take a little while. The "add ons" include TAS, lightening, plates and the autopilot.

The Garmin autopilot is an excellent product but many of the systems rely on third party autopilots. There are interesting quirks, like for exampe the KAP140not knowing which way to turn when the IAP involves and out bound leg with a turn base onto final. All you need to do is "cheat" - use the HB to initiate the turn in the correct direction, but it is a bit disconcerting the first time if you are watching the autopilot fly the purple line expecting a right turn through base onto final when the thing turns left!

Oh, and so far as your comment about mixed reviews, personally I love glass. I think it is a superb way of combining systems and presenting as much information as the pilot could want in one (or should I say two places). It improves situational awareness enormously (for most of us at least), and it gives the pilot control at his fingertips of each phase of the flight without having to scrabble around for Polleys, approach plates, airport diagrams, maps etc. I think Garmin have done a very good job of bring together these functions. It is fair to say mind you there is not a great deal to compare Garmins efforts against and so perhaps in time the software and harware will improve and we will reflect on the G1000 as clunky and outdated. I also "fly" the Avidyne incarnation of glass. The two systems are in some ways quite different - the Avidyne certainly does not integrate the various functions as well as Garmin. However in other ways the Avidyne is much simpler and more intuitive. I use a computer almost every day so I am pretty comfortable with the technology. If you dont (use computers) I would imagine you might be writing one of the mixed reviews.

Enjoy.

18th September 2008, 10:46	#2 (permalink)
Fuji Abound Join Date: May 2001 Location: UK Posts: 3,224	The very best thing you can do is get the G1000 simulator for your pc from Garmin. It is an almost exact replica of the real thing. The first issue with glass is that a lot of the information is not in the usual familiar place. In consequence it takes time just looking at the screen to know where to look for what you want. Most people also report that it takes them a while if they are use to the six pack to become accustom to using speed and height tapes and to the precision and size of the AI. Of course most of the time this doesnt particularly matter but if you are going to use it for IFR the last thing you want is to be scrabbling around for a vital piece of information whilst flying the approach. On which issue there are three layers to the system. The first is gaining a basic grasp of the primary functions and understanding where the information is displayed. This should not take long to grasp. The second layer is developing the ability to enter routes and change these on the fly. The final layer is to be comfortable using the system in the IFR enviroment with the ability to change routes, dial up approaches, change from one approach to another, select the joining position in the approach you need etc. I have found that there are more than a few who think they know the sytems well (and they probably do to the extent they intend to use the system) but their "skill" level falls some way short of the third layer. BTW by craming as much time in on the PC sim as you can you can readily explore and practise all the sytems without wasting time in the air - the G1000 is a very powerful avionics suite with a great deal more to it than at first blush is apparent. Much of it you may not need to know to fly the aircraft and operate the avionics but equally there are a load of labour and time saving aids if you are prepared to fully familiarise yourself with the sytems. If you have not used some of the add on features before gaining an understanding of how these work and, perhaps more importantly, their limitations may take a little while. The "add ons" include TAS, lightening, plates and the autopilot. The Garmin autopilot is an excellent product but many of the systems rely on third party autopilots. There are interesting quirks, like for exampe the KAP140not knowing which way to turn when the IAP involves and out bound leg with a turn base onto final. All you need to do is "cheat" - use the HB to initiate the turn in the correct direction, but it is a bit disconcerting the first time if you are watching the autopilot fly the purple line expecting a right turn through base onto final when the thing turns left! Oh, and so far as your comment about mixed reviews, personally I love glass. I think it is a superb way of combining systems and presenting as much information as the pilot could want in one (or should I say two places). It improves situational awareness enormously (for most of us at least), and it gives the pilot control at his fingertips of each phase of the flight without having to scrabble around for Polleys, approach plates, airport diagrams, maps etc. I think Garmin have done a very good job of bring together these functions. It is fair to say mind you there is not a great deal to compare Garmins efforts against and so perhaps in time the software and harware will improve and we will reflect on the G1000 as clunky and outdated. I also "fly" the Avidyne incarnation of glass. The two systems are in some ways quite different - the Avidyne certainly does not integrate the various functions as well as Garmin. However in other ways the Avidyne is much simpler and more intuitive. I use a computer almost every day so I am pretty comfortable with the technology. If you dont (use computers) I would imagine you might be writing one of the mixed reviews. Enjoy. Last edited by Fuji Abound : 18th September 2008 at 10:57.