Garmin has received FAA certification of its long-awaited glass-panel retrofit for the general aviation fleet.
The G600 can now be installed in 785 kinds of aircraft—pistons and turboprops, singles and twins—under 12,500 pounds.
The two-screen G600 is meant to replace the traditional “six pack” electromechanical instruments, increase reliability and vastly improve pilot situational awareness. The G600 is a combination primary flight display (PFD) and multifunction display (MFD) that displays all flight data as well as traffic, terrain, and weather. It’s designed to integrate with the company’s other panel-mount, WAAS-enabled GPSs (GNS 430, 480, and 530).
The G600 will retail for just under $30,000, and Garmin officials estimate it will take between 70 and 100 shop hours to install.
Although designed as a retrofit, new aircraft manufacturers are also showing interest in the G600. Aviat Aircraft intends to offer G600s as an option on 2009 Husky A-1Cs.
Garmin announced the G600 in 2006 and expected to begin selling the units the following year. But the company decided to upgrade the screen, and that involved extensive re-engineering. The company said it plans to begin shipping units to customers immediately.
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