Garmin Panel Update

Out with the old panel, in with Garmin.

We’d been using the Blue Mountain Avionics system for over ten years, and as time went on it was apparent that Blue Mountain were more interested in developing new bits and pieces than in perfecting their original EFIS/1. We were kind of lucky that we got the gold box version of the EFIS/1, which was a little bit newer than the original plastic box version. But eventually it got to the point where all we could see was new development.

Then Blue Mountain went bankrupt and folded, and we were left on our own. There was a builders’ group set up, and we could get a little bit of data for a while, but eventually we couldn’t get any database updates for the maps. That meant flying with supplemental charts, with old data on the screen in front of you.

The other nail in the coffin was that the autopilot sucked. It basically couldn’t hold a track. It went up and down, and it just S-curved its way through everything. Flying an approach was an impossibility: it would almost have crossed the other approach path. Not a good scenario.

So we got to the point where it was time to bite the bullet and switch over to something more reputable. The two obvious contenders were Garmin and Dynon. They’re both very capable, and Dynon has made some pretty good headway in the experimental market, but Garmin had decided to do a G3X system for experimental installs. On top of that, Garmin were doing a special deal: 50% off the GTN 625 when you bought a G3X. So we went with Garmin, and I’ve never looked back. It was tough to install, find homes for all the bits and pieces, and lay out a good plan, but the system is nothing short of amazing.

Here are a few images to show what we did, the general build and the panel upgrade.

The plan

I used the underlying old panel as a substrate for the new modular panel, and I made the old glove box work as well. It worked pretty well.

What went in

The diary