Aftermarket STC upgrade includes King Air 200/300/350 aircraft models
Garmin has announced the receipt of European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) approval of the next generation integrated flight deck, the G1000 NXi, in the King Air 200/300/350 aircraft models. Boasting a modernized flight display design with significant performance enhancements, the G1000 NXi incorporates innovative capabilities into a state-of-the-art avionics platform. Features such as wireless cockpit connectivity, including wireless aviation database updates using Flight Stream 510, enhanced situational awareness with SurfaceWatch™, visual approaches, map overlay on the horizontal situation indicator (HSI) and more, are all available with the G1000 NXi.
The G1000 NXi integrated flight deck boasts modern processing power that supports faster map rendering and smoother panning. The flight displays initialize within seconds after start-up and provide quick access to frequencies, flight plan data and more. Contemporary animations, new LED back-lighting, enhanced display clarity and brightness, as well as reduced power consumption all offer significant improvements within the G1000 NXi integrated flight deck.
Connext® wireless cockpit connectivity unlocks more capabilities from within the G1000 NXi, offering unique features such as Database Concierge, wireless flight plan transfer and more. Available as an option, Flight Stream 510 supports the wireless transfer of aviation databases from the Garmin Pilot™ app on a mobile device to the G1000 NXi system. Flight Stream 510 also supports two-way flight plan transfer, the sharing of traffic, weather, GPS information, back-up attitude information and more, between the G1000 NXi and compatible mobile devices running Garmin Pilot or ForeFlight mobile. The D2™ Bravo and D2 Bravo Titanium aviator watches also sync with the Garmin Pilot app to ensure flight plan data matches throughout the cockpit.
Visual approaches integrated within the G1000 NXi system offer pilots safety-enhancing guidance in visual flight conditions based on a three-degree glideslope from the threshold of the runway. Pilots can select the runway for which they have been cleared to land, set customized minimums, select vectors or straight-in for the final approach intercept and fly a visual approach coupled with the autopilot. By utilizing visual approaches within the G1000 NXi, pilots are provided a more stable descent and precise flight path throughout the approach and landing phases of flight in visual conditions.
Geographical map overlay within the HSI is available on the primary flight display (PFD), which also supports the display of NEXRAD, weather radar, SafeTaxi® airport diagrams, traffic, terrain and more. For example, pilots can display SafeTaxi on the HSI map while preparing flight plan information on the multifunction display (MFD). Also aiding in situational awareness, optional SurfaceWatch runway monitoring technology provides visual and aural cues to help prevent pilots from taking off and landing on a taxiway, on a runway that is too short or on the wrong runway based on performance data entered during preflight. Visual and audible runway distance remaining annunciations are also available, which provides aural callouts beginning at 5,000 feet through 500 feet.
Equipped to meet future airspace modernization initiatives, G1000 NXi equipped-aircraft are rule compliant to meet EASA and FAA Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) requirements. Exclusive traffic features such as Garmin’s patented TargetTrend™ and TerminalTraffic™ further enhance the traffic picture. TargetTrend provides pilots with a more intuitive method of judging target trajectories and closure rates, while TerminalTraffic displays a comprehensive picture of ADS-B-equipped aircraft and ground vehicles throughout the airport environment.
The G1000 NXi integrated flight deck also supports additional features:
- Advanced Doppler weather radar capabilities, including ground clutter suppression and turbulence detection as options.
- COMM frequency identification displays the station ID, as well as frequency type.
- Display of sectional charts, as well as IFR low/high enroute charts on the MFD.
- NEXRAD weather radar imagery can be overlaid on the moving map and animated on the MFD, as well as the HSI map.
- Vertical Situation Display (VSD) incorporates terrain profile view on the MFD, taking into consideration the active flight plan, altitude constraints and winds aloft.
- Pilots can preview departure and arrival procedures on the MFD prior to loading and activating the procedures.
- Pilots can optionally overlay European Visual Reporting Points (VRPs) on the moving map, as VRPs are standard within the navigation database.
- Three-color terrain shading incorporates green, yellow and red contouring, which depicts the aircraft is 2,000, 1,000 and 100 feet above ground level (AGL) respectively.
- Aircraft maintenance personnel experience faster system software upgrades and streamlined equipment replacement.
For new retrofit installations, the G1000 NXi integrated flight deck is estimated to provide a weight savings of 113 kilograms (250 pounds) or more in King Air aircraft, allowing additional baggage, passenger and/or fuel load flexibility. New G1000 NXi retrofit installations also utilize a new, fully integrated and lightweight air data and attitude heading reference system (ADAHRS), streamlining the upgrade process. King Air owners and operators with an existing G1000 integrated flight deck can easily upgrade to the G1000 NXi with minimal aircraft downtime and disruption of the panel as the displays preserve the same footprint and connector so panel modifications are not required.
EASA has granted STC approval for the G1000 NXi integrated flight deck in the King Air 200/300/350 and is available from select Garmin Authorized Dealers. New G1000 NXi installations and display upgrades all come with a two-year warranty, which is supported by Garmin’s award-winning avionics product support team.
For additional information regarding the G1000 NXi upgrade for the King Air, contact Scott Frye at 1(913) 440-2412 or scott.frye@garmin.com. For additional details, visit: www.garmin.com/kingair.
Leave a Reply