GARMIN 1000 Suite Available, Except on Skyhawks

Cessna Aircraft Company announced yesterday at NBAA in Orlando (FL) that Garmin's new G1000 all-glass integrated avionics system will debut on all new Skylanes, Turbo Skylanes, Stationairs (shown) and Turbo Stationairs as a factory installed NAV III option beginning in the second quarter of 2004.

The company says the "G1000 avionics package is the most advanced flight deck package to fly on a single engine piston aircraft. It integrates all primary flight, navigation, communication, terrain, traffic, weather and engine sensor data on two large 10.4 inch glass, high-resolution, XGA technology display units. The system will ease pilot workload and offer a new level of safety and situational awareness during all phases of flight."

Jack Pelton, Cessna' Senior Vice President, Product Engineering said at yesterday's NBAA press conference, that this new avionics package is "the largest upgrade in the piston single line since the 1996 restart."

Some of the features of the G1000 include:

• Highest display resolution in its class - 1024 x 768 (XGA) 10.4 inch displays providing high contrast, wide viewing angle on both the PFD and MFD in all ambient light conditions
• Solid State Attitude Heading & Reference System (AHRS)
• Dual integrated avionics systems with dual com radios, dual VOR/LOC/ILS receivers, and dual GPS receivers
• System based on Garmin's proven GNS 430/530 design architecture and hardware
• Mode S Transponder with Traffic Information System (TIS)
• WX-500 Stormscope displayed on PFD / MFD
• Next generation, high bandwidth data-link weather system including NEXRAD, METARs, TAFs, lightning, and up to 14 other weather services. The system provides reception at all altitudes throughout the Continental US on the XM Radio satellite network.
• Digital audio panel/intercom with ATC playback recording as standard
• XM Satellite Radio entertainment system as standard equipment
• New Turbine-class switch panels with electro-luminescent (EL) lighting
• Simplified line replaceable units (LRU) system architecture to minimize down time
• Solid State Digital Air Data Computer to constantly calculate and display TAS, CAS, Wind Direction, VSI and TAT

The heart of the system is a solid state Attitude Heading & Reference System (AHRS) with the unique capability to align while moving, including in-flight dynamic restarts. The digital audio panel located between the PFD and MFD is matched with a dual integrated avionics system with 16-watt VHF communications radios, VOR/LOC/ILS receivers, as well as dual GPS receivers with future WAAS upgrade capability. This fully integrated system leverages Garmin's GNS 430/530 design architecture and hardware to provide pilots with identical operating logic on both PFD and MFD and eliminating confusing embedded menus.

The Skylane and Stationair will maintain their traditional and safe non-electric airspeed indicator, attitude gyro, altimeter and magnetic compass as stand by back up systems. These instruments will be located in the center of the newly designed instrument console immediately below the PFD and MFD.

Pricing? The news is good -- all good:

The introductory pricing for the G1000 NAV III equipped Skylane has been set at $297,500, a 12% savings over similarly equipped Skylanes with less advanced avionics. The 2004 Turbo Skylane NAV III, including a turbocharged Lycoming TSIO-540 engine, integrated oxygen system and heated propeller, now for only a $25,000 premium.

In other words, a new Skylane with opt-of-the-line electronics (shown) will cost a few dollars less than the older "nav-2" configuration. Pelton told us that the night the option was announced, 300 customers signed up for it.

FMI: www.cessna.com