Cessna aircraft with G1000 series avionics

[TW]

Considering the purchase of a new (2005, 2006,) C182.
I would prefer not to have the Glass cockpit as I have heard some
fairly strong evidence that the software is still two years behind the
hardware and the system is problematic.
Specifically, I understand that there have been numerous events where
the DU's go blank in flight and require a hard reboot to get them back
online. Additionally I have been told that sometimes they will do this
at start up and flights have been delayed or cancelled due to this
problem.
There is also a suggestion that the overall quality of the hardware is
suspect as the DU lense covers are delaminating and control knobs and
switches have a high failure rate.

If there are any operators out there that could comment on these issues
I would appreciate it very much.

Thanks,
Terry

[jsmith]

TW wrote:
> Considering the purchase of a new (2005, 2006,) C182.
> I would prefer not to have the Glass cockpit as I have heard some
> fairly strong evidence that the software is still two years behind the
> hardware and the system is problematic.
> Specifically, I understand that there have been numerous events where
> the DU's go blank in flight and require a hard reboot to get them back
> online. Additionally I have been told that sometimes they will do this
> at start up and flights have been delayed or cancelled due to this
> problem.
> There is also a suggestion that the overall quality of the hardware is
> suspect as the DU lense covers are delaminating and control knobs and
> switches have a high failure rate.

OH NO!!!
Garmin is buying their G1000's from AirBus!

[Vaughn Simon]

"TW" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> If there are any operators out there that could comment on these issues
> I would appreciate it very much.

Where I rent, the old "steam guage" 172's are disappearing at an alarming
rate and being replaced with new Cessnas with G1000. They wouldn't be doing it
if they were a problem. (I don't fly them because they are simply worth too
much and I don't want to buy that much hull insurance.)

Vaughn

[Peter R.]

Vaughn Simon > wrote:

> They wouldn't be doing it if they were a problem. (I don't fly
> them because they are simply worth too much and I don't want to
> buy that much hull insurance.)

Au contraire, mon ami. The flight school where I obtained my pp
certificate and instrument rating is trying to buy a new 172 to retain
their Cessna Pilot Center status. For CPC status, Cessna requires a flight
school to have at least one Cessna aircraft on the line less than two years
old. In my school's case, their newest aircraft is a 2002.

My local flight school wants to purchase a new aircraft but only wants one
equipped with "steam gauges" due to the current clientele/local market.
The manager of the school was told by his dealer that there are no more new
172s with steam gauges available for purchase and that Cessna is heavily
concentrating on producing 172s with the G1000 in it.

Thus, for good or bad it seems that Cessna is forcing the G1000-equipped
aircraft on the market.

FWIW...

--
Peter

[Doug]

I've flown one, and experienced no problems. Other pilots report the
same. Great system.

[Peter Clark]

On Tue, 7 Mar 2006 08:40:40 -0500, "Peter R." >
wrote:

>Vaughn Simon > wrote:
>
>> They wouldn't be doing it if they were a problem. (I don't fly
>> them because they are simply worth too much and I don't want to
>> buy that much hull insurance.)
>
>Au contraire, mon ami. The flight school where I obtained my pp
>certificate and instrument rating is trying to buy a new 172 to retain
>their Cessna Pilot Center status. For CPC status, Cessna requires a flight
>school to have at least one Cessna aircraft on the line less than two years
>old. In my school's case, their newest aircraft is a 2002.
>
>My local flight school wants to purchase a new aircraft but only wants one
>equipped with "steam gauges" due to the current clientele/local market.
>The manager of the school was told by his dealer that there are no more new
>172s with steam gauges available for purchase and that Cessna is heavily
>concentrating on producing 172s with the G1000 in it.
>
>Thus, for good or bad it seems that Cessna is forcing the G1000-equipped
>aircraft on the market.

From what I heard, they have decided to stop accepting orders to make
any more NAV II Skyhawks. Nav III only from here on out.

[Fuzz]

Hello, I own a '04 T182T with G1000. It has been a fantastic aircraft. I am
looking for Partners in ownership. I will tell you what I can from 150+
G1000 logged hours.

"TW" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> Considering the purchase of a new (2005, 2006,) C182.
> I would prefer not to have the Glass cockpit as I have heard some
> fairly strong evidence that the software is still two years behind the
> hardware and the system is problematic.
> Specifically, I understand that there have been numerous events where
> the DU's go blank in flight and require a hard reboot to get them back
> online.

Have never heard this before, and have not seen anything but perfect
performance.


Additionally I have been told that sometimes they will do this
> at start up and flights have been delayed or cancelled due to this
> problem.

Only "problems" I have seen are error messages at Main bus power-up in
temperatures below 25 f. The error messages can be reset within a couple of
minutes after avionics begin to warm up, by cycling the main bus. This
doesn't seem unreasonable as self tests are being run, and circuit
temperatures are changeing. I have no knowledge of the problems you relate.

> There is also a suggestion that the overall quality of the hardware is
> suspect as the DU lense covers are delaminating and control knobs and
> switches have a high failure rate.

There was an AD issued for some GDUs (a limited number of early production
units) having delamination problems. The delaminations manifested themselves
as the appearance of bubbles in the display glass. They are not a safety of
flight issue and anyone experiencing a delamination issue is covered under
warrenty, and the replacement of a GDU takes only minutes. I'm very
satisfied with the quality of the hardware, more so than my previous '99
172S with Bendix/King avionics.
Have not heard of any switch failures, nor have I seen any OAs or ADs on
this issue.
IMHO the G1000 is the most reliable system for a small piston aircraft. The
"back-up" vacume system is more prone to safety of flight failures than the
main avionics system by orders of magnitude.

>
> If there are any operators out there that could comment on these issues
> I would appreciate it very much.
>
> Thanks,
> Terry
>