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Teaching on a G1000

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Flight Instructor

I am a new CFI and did all my training using traditional gauges with a garmin 430. Now I am flying a G1000 and not sure how the checkrides go? Do examiners let people use gps because its part of the package or would it be like my checkride and the gps was not allowed.What do you see being different from a G1000 checkride to a non G1000 checkride. Also how do most people approach teaching partial panel on a G1000.

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2 Answers



  1. Gary Moore on Aug 11, 2010

    Disclaimer: I’ve never flown in front of a G1000. But any decent examiner is going to both 1) require that the student be compentent to use the equipment in the aircraft AND 2) be able to successfuly cope with the loss of that equipment.

    The partial panel question intrigues me also – perhaps someone with some G1000 experience can weigh in here…

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  2. Christopher D. Sams on Aug 16, 2010

    I have approx. 150 hours in the G1000. I took my instrument in one and I am taking my CFII in one tomorrow. First off, as Gary said, the student needs to be familiar with all of the G1000 systems e.g., AHRS, ADC etc. and how they operate. The PTS for all ratings says that it if is onboard, the student must demonstrate the ability to use it. I have had different experiences with different DPE and the FSDO. I think the safe way to go it to utilize all the resources available to you in the aircraft (a special emphasis area of the PTS), but to periodically “fail” instruments. For example, dim the MFD to see if the student is just following the magenta line on a DME ARC. This is fine, but in the spirit of the G1000, they should have a back up, if possible. In this case, perhaps they have the VOR turned in to NAV 1 and can revert to that.

    The partial panel in TAA is a massive issue. The DPE’s manual doesn’t specify how to test this, but the PTS requires it. Some have pulled circuit breakers, but that is not recommended by Garmin. On my instrument ride, the examiner dimmed the PFD. I then hit the reversion switch, and he said that failed. He then had me fly with the backup instruments and use the XTRK feature of the MFD to have radio navagation. Not realistic, in my opinion.

    I am all about real world flying, and despite what a Garmin rep. said at a seminar the other night, BOTH SCREENS CAN FAIL. The issue is knowing the systems and the student can explain what will happen. I had a CFI who was in hard IMC with a brand new plane and the MFD and PFD failed. The autopilot on the GFC 700 models will keep working as it was, so he waited until he was VFR (actually, pulled out his cell and called Garmin to trouble shoot from the air) and decended to find out what the problem was. When the screens fail, the COM 1 will revert to 121.5 and if the audio panel fails, the system will bypass the panel and connect the pilot to COM 1. These are what I would expect the student to know. Finally, in talking with an ASI at the FSDO, he said the he would have you demonstrate partial panel in a G1000 by flying around with the backup instruments and magnetic compass. I would tell the examiner that I would request a no gyro approach at that point or vectors to get into VMC. I am interested to see what he will ask me tomorrow since most of my instruction will not be in TAA. I can just hear every one of my instructors saying, “If you rely on something too much, the examiner is going to fail it.” That has served me will in that I always try to anticipate this, but I don’t hesitate to use what the aircraft has to offer. I just bought Max Trescott’s G1000 book and I think it was great for all of this information. As a DPE, I would value good decision making, knowledge, and resourcefulness above all else, not coming up with an unrealistic situation to satisfy the PTS.

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