Terrain alerting with Garmin SVT is a real attention-getter. It’s standard on G600; optional on G500. Potential terrain conflict areas are indicated by a color overlay on the topography: Yellow for caution. Red for WARNING.

When visibility is low, it’s reassuring to have Garmin’s Towers and Obstacles database looking out for non-terrain structural hazards. Color-coded 3-D symbols are depicted with SVT to indicate relative proximity of vertical obstruction.

Using familiar TCAS/TAS/TIS symbology in a 3-D format, optional Garmin SVT makes it easier to spot moving traffic. You can see if they’re above or below your altitude. And as intruders get closer, the symbols get larger.

Garmin SVT™ adds a new dimension.

The available SVT synthetic vision feature uses sophisticated graphics modeling to create a virtual topographic landscape from the G600/G500’s terrain-alerting database. This enables the PFD to display a clear 3-D depiction of ground and water features, airports, obstacles and traffic – all shown in relative proximity to your aircraft. Instead of a flat blue-over-brown flight display, you’ll see an in-depth perspective view of realistic terrain features rising into the sky. So, rather than looking at the PFD, you’ll have a sense of looking through it – to “see” what lies beyond the nose of the aircraft. Fact is, the Garmin SVT presentation looks so real, it’s almost like having a clear-day out-the-window view of your flight situation – even in solid IFR, nighttime VFR, or other low visibility conditions.

The AHRS advantage.

You can see that a lot of forward thinking went into the design of the new G600/G500 glass cockpit displays. But we didn’t stop there. At every level of technology and system architecture, Garmin engineering has yielded gamechanging advances in reliability, innovation and performance. In place of less reliable gyro instruments, the system uses Garmin’s proven GRS 77 Attitude and Heading Reference System (AHRS). The GRS 77 is the same AHRS installed in thousands of G1000-equipped aircraft, with accumulated flight hours in the millions. Using additional comparative inputs from GPS, magnetometer and air data computer, the Garmin AHRS achieves unprecedented levels of spatial-sensing precision and dependability. What’s more, unlike some competitive attitude/heading sensors, it’s even able to restart and fully realign itself while the aircraft is moving. The G600/G500 can function as a selection hub for available navigation sensors on the aircraft. The unit will provide course deviation, vertical deviation, heading bug, course pointer and ARINC 429 GPS roll-steering information to select autopilots, as appropriate. In addition, if the autopilot does not support ARINC 429 roll steering, the G600/G500 can act like a roll steering converter via the heading input. Flight director display is supported for select autopilots. And with the GAD 43 adapter unit (standard on G600; optional on G500), an enhanced autopilot interface is available – allowing AHRS to drive your autopilot in place of a gyro-mechanical ADI (such as the familiar KI-256). The GAD 43 can emulate the many existing gyro interfaces, using far more reliable AHRS data to provide the required attitude, heading, yaw input, baro correction, and alerting information to the autopilot. This typically enables the system’s costly ADI and/or other remote gyros to be replaced with a far more affordable (and space-saving) attitude indicator as one’s backup instrumentation. To further simplify the system interface for retrofit, the aircraft’s existing fuel gauges and engine monitoring displays are retained – along with such other panel displays as marker beacons, altitude alerts and DME indicator, if installed. Navigation inputs are provided byWAAS-enabled versions of Garmin’s popular GNS 430W/530W or 480 systems (sold separately), with VOR/Localizer/Glideslope inputs also usable from the Slimline SL30 TSO’d nav/comm transceiver.

Databases, datalinks, data-everything.

By referencing built-in terrain and mapping databases, the Garmin G600/G500 MFD provides a clear, concise picture of where you are and where you’re heading. At a glance the Garmin basemap helps identify cities, roads, rivers, lakes, and other ground features along your flight path. Added safety is provided by a built-in terrain elevation database that uses color coding to alert you as you approach rising terrain. (Class B TAWS alerting is also available as an option with the G600 only.) On the ground, built-in Garmin SafeTaxi™ airport diagrams help pilots navigate over 900 U.S. airports with confidence – as their aircraft’s exact location is graphically highlighted on the field. Garmin FliteCharts®, which feature electronic versions of NACO terminal procedures charts for U.S. airports, come standard with the system¹. As an alternative, pilots can select optional ChartView™ instrument approach plates and airport surface charts for the G600/G500 (Jeppesen JeppView™ for MFD subscription required). ChartView is unique in its ability to overlay a geo-referenced aircraft symbol on the electronic approach chart, providing a visual crosscheck of your progress inbound. Then, when you land, ChartView will automatically display the destination airport’s surface diagram.

Front-loading SD card slots on the G600/G500 bezel make updating of charts and software a simple plug-in procedure.What’s more, for data access beyond the cockpit itself, it’s easy to combine the G600/G500 with a variety of optional sensors and data links. For example, to help keep an eye on other planes in your vicinity, you can access Traffic Information Service (TIS) alerts on your G600/G500, simply by adding a GTX 330 Mode S transponder. Or, you can select from available TAS and TCAS I systems such as Garmin’s GTS 800/820/850 series. Want digital on-board weather radar capability? Just add the versatile Garmin GWX 68. (Interface enabling card is required for G500; standard interface included for the G600). Also, you can opt for Garmin’s GDL 69/69A™ data link receiver, which provides graphical U.S. weather alerting via XM Satellite Radio.(XM subscription required.)With this option, graphical depictions of NEXRAD weather, METARs, TAFs, TFRs, winds aloft, echo tops, surface precipitation, lightning strikes, storm cell data, and more, can be received and displayed anywhere in the U.S., regardless of altitude. You can pan and zoom in on weather anywhere in the country. Or even extend the NEXRAD screen range out to 2,000 nm for nationwide monitoring of current weather.What’s more, for the best in enroute entertainment, there’s also a user interface offering over 170 channels of XM digital audio programming, when installed with the GDL 69A receiver.

Weather datalink capability, via XM™ WX Satellite Weather service, can provide color NEXRAD, METARs, TAFs, lightning, and other U.S. data displays.

With its built-in elevation database, the G600/G500 system provides an extra margin of safety in recognizing terrain/obstacle conflict situations. Available terrain alerts are supported with optional TAWS-B (G600 only).