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Garmin G5 (merged thread)

@Lucius
Several other people on other Forums are reporting the same/similar problem.

Tököl LHTL

WhiskeyPapa wrote:

Several other people on other Forums are reporting the same/similar problem.

That’s interesting. Glad I didn’t buy it then I would guess it’s just a software glitch or installation error, but you never know with Garmin. They are too big and dominating (in the certified marked at least) to take the business side of things lightly. The important thing for them appears more and more to be maximizing profit using their dominant position.

The elephant is the circulation
ENVA ENOP ENMO, Norway

I’m sure this problem with the G5 will get rapidly sorted. My own experience as a Garmin dealer since the mid 1990’s is of a customer-focused company who really do care, and this is borne out by their ratings in independent surveys:
https://www.ainonline.com/sites/default/files/pdf/ain_2016_pss_pt2_avionics.pdf

It’s true that they’re in a dominant position in the market but it’s because they keeping pushing on with new and innovative products every year unlike their previous competitors such as Honeywell- Bendix/King who gave up and have all but disappeared.

Avionics geek.
Somewhere remote in Devon, UK.

It does however show what a complete joke box ticking exercise certification is… you get the product certified and then very quickly customers discover some serious thing like this.

In my (small electronics company) business this could destroy the company.

I know Avidyne have had serious issues with both bugs and general QA (search on IFD540) but they had the IFD boxes loaned out to some pilots who got their CofA downgraded for uncertified avionics testing (AIUI there is a special procedure for this on N-reg where e.g. you get a Bonanza downgraded, and there is a post here from one such pilot, somewhere) and ran with that for about a year, presumably while saving up their cash for the next payroll run So their stuff basically worked when it came out… in the USA, away from EGNOS, anyway.

Does anyone know the cause of this G5 issue?

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

You have to remember that the G5 and the Dynon equivalent have been approved via the new evidence-based route under an ASTM standard – they’re not TSO’d products and don’t have DO178B software etc. Therefore slagging off the certification regime is inappropriate. If this is a widespread problem then doubtless there’ll be an AD issued shortly by the FAA. It could however be a small issue related to a particular batch of sensors or something similar.

Avionics geek.
Somewhere remote in Devon, UK.

wigglyamp wrote:

My own experience as a Garmin dealer since the mid 1990’s is of a customer-focused company who really do care, and this is borne out by their ratings in independent surveys:

Yes, but isn’t that also just part of the business side of things? How many with the G900x are satisfied? I would think none. All their customer focus is on the items that count for them business wise. The G5 should be such an item, so I also believe these reported errors to be sorted out pretty soon. But you never know. Garmin was not the first to manufacture a small digital all in one mini EFIS. They have been around for more than a decade from many manufacturers. Is it a small glitch that will be fixed soon, or is it a symptom of Garmin cheeping out a bit too much on hardware and/or development to be able to compete? As I remember it, this G5 suddenly appeared from nowhere, and for the non-certified version, at a comparatively low price compared with older units from other manufacturers. The non certified version only cost US$1000.

The elephant is the circulation
ENVA ENOP ENMO, Norway

I can’t think of an avionics manufacturer who hasn’t had a glitch with a product after release so I’ll certainly give Garmin the opportunity to correct a problem before suggesting they’re anything other than a good business to deal with.

Avionics geek.
Somewhere remote in Devon, UK.

wigglyamp wrote:

I can’t think of an avionics manufacturer who hasn’t had a glitch with a product after release so I’ll certainly give Garmin the opportunity to correct a problem before suggesting they’re anything other than a good business to deal with.

I have a different experience (only good personally, but including what I hear from others). Garmin is OK, but only if you purchase one of their bread and butter products. People have been waiting for years for upgrades to the g900x system that never come, while the g3x/touch receives constant updates and improvements. I have also heard lots of strange things with Garmin radios. The un-certified G5 is suspiciously cheap, while the certified G5 is suspiciously expensive in comparison (more than twice the price), and it’s still full of bugs or whatever is wrong with it. What has happened with the G5 from the non-certified version to the certified one except doubling of the price?

The elephant is the circulation
ENVA ENOP ENMO, Norway

What upgrades are wanted for the G900X? I’ve never seen one personally in a kit aircraft. I know the current versions are WAAS-capable so at least that’s already better then some of the G1000 systems.

Avionics geek.
Somewhere remote in Devon, UK.

wigglyamp wrote:

You have to remember that the G5 and the Dynon equivalent have been approved via the new evidence-based route under an ASTM standard – they’re not TSO’d products and don’t have DO178B software etc.

Do you mean that no standards for software development are needed? That doesn’t bode well.

ESKC (Uppsala/Sundbro), Sweden
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