My next upgrade will be to switch out the 430W with the GTN 650. I have the GNX 375 which has worked great as a backup for the 430 and it is driving a 106. When I do the 430 to GTN upgrade I'm considering replacing the 106 with another G5. Probably overkill but at least everything will be of the same vintage
Mike, I noticed on your panel photo there’s about a 150 ft discrepancy (edit: no, I misread the photo, yours is within 10 ft...) between the altitude shown on your original altimeter and the G5. I have the same and so does a friend who just installed G5s in his Husky. All the same way (G5 indicating higher).
Is this common to all G5 installs? I think there’s a calibration procedure in the G5 installation manual, but we haven’t done that yet...
Last edited by Njacko on Mon Dec 28, 2020 1:36 am, edited 1 time in total.
Your rules might be different but when I replaced my vacuum DG with a G5 HSI, the avionics shop told me that I would have to remove the GI 106B that was previously connected to my GTN 650 and the G5 HSI would become my primary external localizer and glideslope indicator for the GTN 650. I think that is required by Garmin's STC.
The G5 HSI gets its altitude by tapping into the static line. It has an internal pressure sensor. Barometric pressure can be set in PFD mode using the front knob. I don't see any significant difference between the analog altimeter and the G5 when both are set to the same pressure.
There's a calibration procedure (C) in the Electronic Flight Instrument Maintenance Manual if the reading on the G5 differs from the analog altimeter. A test set is required. If you have a VFR or IFR certification done, the avionics shop will check the G5 altitude accuracy and calibrate it if necessary.
I checked the pick and it looks like the difference between the two is 10 feet. They are rarely reading the same but they've never been off by more than that. I attribute that to the mechanics of the old altimeter. The shop that did the install said that they would expect very minor differences. If you are off by 150 feet I'd get them looked at.
As far as I know they are full replacements for the 6 pack. I kept the other instruments anyway out of habit but the G5s are amazing.
My MXT-7-180 is currently in the shop getting updated to have the same G5 panel layout as yours.
Also updating with a Stratus ESG ADS-B transponder and Stratus 3i for traffic and weather on my iPad.
How is your tablet mounted to your panel? Is it removable?
I have a Pivot case for my iPad Mini 5 that clamps to the right yoke arm with a RAM Tough Claw. It doesn't block the instruments except the vacuum gauge and it doesn't obscure the view out the windshield. It's easy to read and close enough to manipulate easily. I wouldn't put a full size iPad there, though. I've tried a lot of different mounts and locations and this one has worked out the best. My polarized sunglasses make it necessary to rotate the iPad to portrait orientation but it still doesn't block the instruments. When I first started using it there I thought the rotation of the yoke would bother me but it doesn't.
Hi DaveZee,
Per the Garmin G5 Pilot Guide, Warnings, Cautions & Notes (page 8 )
"NOTE: Use of polarized eyewear may cause the display to appear dim or blank."
Might be a sensible precaution to check your glasses in someone's G5 equipped aeroplane.
At altitude, in strong sun from various angles, side, above, ahead.
I don't have any problem seeing the G5, GTN 650 or any other panel mounted avionics with my polarized sunglasses. The iPad is a different story. I have to rotate it to portrait orientation in order to get enough brightness.
My MXT-7-180 is at the avionics shop for upgrades in an ADS-B transponder and 2 G5’s. The GI-106b has to be removed per the Garmin STC of the G5 HSI now being a primary flight instrument and that would leave the right column empty. I want to shift the instruments so that the G5’s will be directly in front of me instead of to the left where the AI and DG are originally located. The shop said they were not sure if that’s allowed. They contacted Maule and they said that’s the configuration the aircraft was certified in and can’t be changed without FAA approval. The way I’d like it to be is going left from the radio stack: altimeter - VSI, then G5 AI - G5 HSI, then airspeed indicator - turn / bank coordinator auto pilot control.
Has anyone made changes like this? Can you tell me how you went about it or share existing paperwork?
I didn't rearrange my panel when I replaced the vacuum DG with the G5 HSI so the original layout is pretty much the same. Here's the photo that I posted on the forum: viewtopic.php?p=55172#p55172
While Maule cannot change the panel config with drawing approvals, it is done in avionics shops every day. Most shops have no problem cutting a whole new panel to accommodate an install. Eliminating a whole vertical row sure makes a nice looking panel.