I guess I have spent too much time at EuroGA. Last evening I just couldn’t resist taking a check ride in the C-172 SP (Full IFR G1000, autopilot etc) 
My club’s practice is to have a check ride in this aircraft because of the G1000 and autopilot. I have had a course about the G1000 a couple years ago, and decided never to use an aircraft with this “contraption”. I have used Dynon and consider(d) the G1000 to be more or less unusable in comparison (from a pure intuitive touch’n feel point of view). But – last night I just couldn’t resist (much thanks to EuroGA). The ride was simply getting used to using the G1000 and autopilot, changing headings and alts etc using the functionality and databases. Reluctantly I have to admit the G1000 (+ autopilot) is one hell of a “tool case”, a bit addictive actually, and rather easy to use once the idiosyncrasies are learned.
At the end I even took a couple of touch and goes using the ILS (well, the ILS was tuned in and it was definitely not IMC yesterday). Lots of fun for sure. NVFR rating next (but no, no plans for IFR even though it should be a piece of cake with this equipment)
What strike me though, is the amount of time spent “inside” the cockpit. With the Cub at least 90% of the time is spent “outside”. With the G1000 it is almost opposite. Also, pilots who have learned flying with a G1000 cannot have the slightest idea of what “true” VFR is. It must be a nightmare for them to fly anything without a G1000, at least to fly any longer distance. Or maybe not?
The time spent inside the cockpit is I versely proportional with your familiarity with the G1000. You need to make a conscious effort to look outside and eventually everything will fall into place.
I guess you are right. It’s still odd though, it’s no such urge to look inside using a Dynon.
LeSving wrote:
Reluctantly I have to admit the G1000 (+ autopilot) is one hell of a “tool case”, a bit addictive actually, and rather easy to use once the idiosyncrasies are learned.
Is the autopilot a GFC700 or a KAP140?
I don’t remember the name, but I don’t think it’s a Garmin? it was not 100% integration, the alt and vertical nav needed to be set on the autopilot itself. I can check later today, have to try it on a trip north along the coast to Rørvik and Namsos while the nice weather last
Was the A/P control panel between the two screens rather than a separate box somewhere on the panel (can’t really see in the picture above)? If yes, it’s the GFC700.
My first flight in a G1000 aircraft (C172SP) was preceeded by 10 minutes with an instructor on the ground, and off I was on my own. This was in 2006, maybe the EFIS endorsement requirements where not yet in place. I did fine despite having a grand total of about 70 flying hours. Prior to the next flight, however, I wondered for a few minutes what was wrong with that damned displays until I stumbled about those night dimming switches .
The company where I rented back then was not the most professional outfit, despite being a rather large business jet operator and even Cessna distributor. They went bust in the meantime.
Googled it. Definitely a KAP 140.
blueline wrote:
My first flight in a G1000 aircraft (C172SP) was preceeded by 10 minutes with an instructor on the ground, and off I was on my own.
Are there any endorsements? I thought it was just a club regulation because people were initially burning batteries and/or fuel trying to find out how the system worked. Some even had to taxi back from the runway due to misunderstanding the buttonology. My instructor did write EFIS/G1000 “rating” in my logbook though, so IF such an endorsement exist, at least I have it
LeSving wrote:
My instructor did write EFIS/G1000 “rating” in my logbook though, so IF such an endorsement exist, at least I have it
Yes, there is, so now you can fly any EFIS – not just G1000.
By coincidence, and with a similar lack of flat panel experience, I flew as safety pilot yesterday with a friend in his G1000 equipped DA40. I’ve done this a couple of times before, but this was perhaps a little longer flight (and I flew/pushed some knobs between practice approaches) so I got a bit more exposure this time. A slow check out, but it’s free…
The most impressive thing for me is having transponder equipped traffic on the screen, especially as we flew in on a VOR radial towards traffic coming head on at the same altitude. So much for the big sky theory. Otherwise, it doesn’t feel a lot like flying to me. It’s obviously a great and very valid tool, but for somebody else. Nice to have the chance to see and try it with a friend who is now IFR current and flying off on a trip with his wife today.
As others have said, when you get used to the kit, you fly VFR just like anybody else, and you just glimpse at the avionics here and there.
But to get to that “relaxed” stage you need to understand the kit. On a G1000 you need a serious ground course. Especially if you are not used to the user interface concepts which are in many ways weird and non-intuitive.
