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GX Touch Upgrade - Too Easy Not To Do It!

Ironflight

VAF Moderator / Line Boy
Mentor
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So our RV-3 has been flying with one of the original G3X systems (non-touch) since its first flight. Our screen serial numbers were in the low double digits, and we had significant factory participation in the project. That was eleven years ago - and while the system continued operating flawlessly, “Tsamsiyu” (the RV-3) was getting annoyed that his older brother “Mikey” (the RV-6) had the fancy G3X Touch panel. Under our general rule of “never make an IKran angry”, I figured it was time to get a pair of the newer GDU 470 screens - specifically made to be plug-and-play compatible with the old GDU 37x’s. And boy, are they!

UPS came at 1130 yesterday, but I wasn’t home until 1330, when I unboxed the units in the shop. I swapped airplanes around so that the RV-3 was in the air conditioned shop, took out the old screens (two minutes) and looked at the mounting templates for the new ones. Same size holes (you have to grind out the corners a bit) mounting screw holes in slightly different places. It was about an hour job to cleco the templates in place, drill and grind (die grinders are great), install nutplates, and rivet the mounting rings in place. The new units hook up to the same connectors as the old ones - and it is nothing but software configuration from there.

I took a few breaks, but the hardware was done by 1600, software by 1800 (I broke for dinner), and I taxied out for a magnetometer calibration at sunset. Flew this morning at 0800, and everything works! Better screens, better software, excellent integration to my existing Tru Trak GX Pilot autopilot - easiest EFIS upgrade I have ever done!

Yes, there’ll be a complete Article in Kitplanes coming up, but for now - I’m going flying!

Paul
 
Also for additional information regarding this quick and easy upgrade, Section 37.2.1.5 of the current (Rev AP) G3X Touch Installation Manual has some helpful notes to ensure the retrofit goes smoothly.

Thanks Paul!

B/R,

Brad
 
Sounds like they're basically plug and play. Is there really that much more capability relative to the GDU370/375 units that's worth over 3 AMUs per screen? Is Garmin is no longer supporting the older screens if there is an issue? I replaced a GDU375 in October 2020 that went blank after 9 years and 900 hours for the $600 exchange price, at the time
 
I am excited!!

I am in the same situation and know there are several things that the "touch" offers. One is interface with Foreflight for wireless transfer of flight plans through to the 650.

Do you have this feature now?

EDIT: Paul, when you get some IFR practice experience controlling the AP with touch only, please let me know how you found it. I am reading the Pilots Guide on this interface, and extremely familiar with the 370 controls, pros and cons. They are not in the way of flight business. It appears the IAS control is now at your disposal. A nice climb feature. I am accustomed to button- knob functions, but not the touching- - -. like HDG -assume another box appears for entry. Well, some of the non-touch AP (GX Pilot) controls are a bit clunky but quite usable. Please let me know what you find referencing the panel w/o a GMC. Thanks.
 
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A couple noted benefits:

- Updated hardware, better screen, more processing power, faster operation.
- Flight plan transfers to and from mobile devices via Bluetooth. Please note that Apple compatibility will require an updated config module (located under the connector backshell). Contact [email protected] to verify your need and receive a new Apple-compatible config module.
- Continued software enhancements such as Garmin Emergency Smart Glide capability

B/R,

Brad
 
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I have a similar set up, How do you control your TT Auto Pilot through the g3X touch?
 
I have a similar set up, How do you control your TT Auto Pilot through the g3X touch?

How do you wire it, or how do you control it?

Wiring is through a serial line (search the Garmin G3X 900 page installation manual for “TruTrak” and you’ll find the drawings).

Control (if you don’t have a Garmin control head - I don’t) is via the touch screen - touch the Autopilot Mode bar (top of the PFD, and it will bring up the virtual autopilot panel - touch the necessary buttons to control, just as you would with the panel. It’s pretty intuitive to me - but I fly so many different types of avionics, I just start pushing what appears to be what I want, and guard the controls…. DO THIS VFR IN PRACTICE BEFORE EVEN THINKING OF DOING IT IFR!! :)

Paul
 
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Thanks for the reply, this is what I was asking.....


Control (if you don’t have a Garmin control head - I don’t) is via the touch screen - touch the Autopilot Mode bar (top of the PFD, and it will bring up the virtual autopilot panel - touch the necessary buttons to control, just as you would with the panel. It’s pretty intuitive to me - but I fly so many different types of avionics, I just start pushing what appears to be what I want, and guard the controls…. DO THIS VFR IN PRACTICE BEFORE EVEN THINKING OF DOING IT IFR!!
 
I can bluetooth transfer flight plans from Foreflight/Garmin Pilot through the GPS175 to the GDU375, which displays the flight plan as an external flight plan. The makes it legitimate IFR routing since it passes through the TSO'd GPS175. So, it seems mobile flight plan transfer is not really an advantage that the touch screens offers over the original G3X screens.

On the GDU375, I can also navigate using the internal flight plan for VFR flights. My Garmin Autopilot accepts navigation signals from either the GDU or the GPS175.

Another entry method is to generate a flight plan on a website like skyvector.com or FltPlan.com and save it to an SD card as a .fpl file for insertion into the GDU card slot on either the GDU or panel mounted gps unit.

The question remains: Will Garmin continue to support the GDU370/375 screens?
 
I can bluetooth transfer flight plans from Foreflight/Garmin Pilot through the GPS175 to the GDU375, which displays the flight plan as an external flight plan. The makes it legitimate IFR routing since it passes through the TSO'd GPS175. So, it seems mobile flight plan transfer is not really an advantage that the touch screens offers over the original G3X screens.

On the GDU375, I can also navigate using the internal flight plan for VFR flights. My Garmin Autopilot accepts navigation signals from either the GDU or the GPS175.

The question remains: Will Garmin continue to support the GDU370/375 screens?

My 650 does not have bluetooth, so it is an advantage for that configuration.
 
I flew the airplane with the new displays up to Burning Man and back this morning (didn’t land….didn’t have a $2,000+ ticket) and am really happy with the new capabilities. The virtual autopilot panel is much easier and more intuitive to use than the old five buttons on the bottom of the screen (on the 370’s), and I really like the “Emergency Glide” pointers that point at the airport/runway that the EFIS would pick if the engine quit. Of course, there is a LOT of desert between me and the Black Rock desert where there is nothing reachable…..except, of course, the desert….
 
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I currently have TIS traffic and XM weather on my non touch screen, If I go to touch, I believe I will have to add a GDL 52R, which will require additional wiring and antenna, is this correct or is there a work around?
 
SXM Data

I currently have TIS traffic and XM weather on my non touch screen, If I go to touch, I believe I will have to add a GDL 52R, which will require additional wiring and antenna, is this correct or is there a work around?

Good Afternoon Tim,

If you upgrade to a GDU 460, you can interface your existing TIS-A traffic source to the display, just the same as you have with your GDU 370. It sounds like you may have SXM built in to your current display, we do not manufacture that variant of GDU 460's any longer and rely on the GDL series for SXM capability. The GDL 51(R) is SXM only. If you chose the non-remote version you can connect the unit via Bluetooth and no additional wiring would be required. There are quality of life advantages to using the remote mount version however, such as never having to charge the unit, and relying on a permanent serial connection for SXM data.

One other thought, since you are using TIS-A, you could upgrade to ADS-B In data relatively easy by opting for the GDL 52, which is both an ADS-B Receiver and SXM receiver in one. It also comes in both a portable and remote mount version.

Please feel free to reach out to us with any questions at [email protected].

Thanks,

Justin
 
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