What functionality does the G1000 have over a complete IFR panel (GPS, MFD, RMI) with the proper engine instruments (totalising flowmeter linked to GPS, multicylinder engine monitor)?
I am referring to functionality presented to the pilot.
G1000 installations I have seen don't even have an autopilot. I know Garmin are doing one, or doing one soon, but this is pretty poor.
Under the heading of "extra functionality" I would put fully automatic VNAV. One can get fully hands-off LNAV now (with GPSS etc) but VNAV is more tricky, not least because it's easy to fly into the ground with it. It's also gets messy without auto-throttle (very easy to bust Vne for example) and that isn't something we will see commonplace in piston GA.
One thing one can do with a big LCD panel is display a product like Jeppview, so you can see the approach plate, and have the rather slick feature of seeing the plane superimposed on top of the IAP profile. You also get a big enroute chart, which is quite nice but not really necessary in the IFR context (more useful for VFR I think, displaying a big chunk of a VFR chart). With a setup like that, it is damn difficult to make a mistake. However, if you do that, you can't display the normal stuff as well as the engine instruments at the same time, because JV takes up a whole LCD.
I don't doubt this is the future; it's a fait accompli anyway. But that doesn't stop me questioning it
