Glass Panel Longevity

The recent thread regarding the lack of parts for the Garmin 480 got me
to wondering just how long the G-1000's will "live"?
Steam gauges are forever, but integrated circuits are produced for a
given period, then production is ceased as newer chips come along.
Does Garmin mention anywhere how long they will support their products?
Their earliest GPS handhelds are coming up on 20 years.
We have seen Lowrence discontinue support for some of their products
that are less than 10 years old.

john smith wrote:
The recent thread regarding the lack of parts for the Garmin 480 got me
to wondering just how long the G-1000's will "live"?
Steam gauges are forever, but integrated circuits are produced for a
given period, then production is ceased as newer chips come along.
Does Garmin mention anywhere how long they will support their products?
Their earliest GPS handhelds are coming up on 20 years.
We have seen Lowrence discontinue support for some of their products
that are less than 10 years old.
I guess the more important question is how long will they support it. A
chip may go out of production but will they commit to coming out with a
new board to replace the old one containing a chip that is no longer
available. I think it all comes down to money. It's one thing to
obsolete a 200.00 handheld, it's another to do so to a 30,000 nav
system. I'm going to guess that they will come out for replacement
modules for a while because they can make enough money on the
service/parts to justify it.

It's not so much the chips as the software. Microsoft
ceases support for Windows 98 and previous versions as
most other companies who produce software (embedded or
otherwise).

They want (and need) to push you on to newer platforms
and the only way they can do it is to eventually cease
support for older systems.

john smith wrote:
The recent thread regarding the lack of parts for the Garmin 480 got me
to wondering just how long the G-1000's will "live"?
Steam gauges are forever, but integrated circuits are produced for a
given period, then production is ceased as newer chips come along.
Does Garmin mention anywhere how long they will support their products?
Their earliest GPS handhelds are coming up on 20 years.
We have seen Lowrence discontinue support for some of their products
that are less than 10 years old.

Typically avionics manufacturers stockpile components that go out of
production. Most IC manufacturers make end of live announcments, and
give the consumers of these parts the option to make a lifetime buy.
Garmin can buy up as many 1000's of each critical component as they
think they will need to support their products, and then eventually
redesign around the newer available components when they see fit.

The real question is "how committed is Garmin to supporting product X
after date Y".

Dean

john smith writes:

The recent thread regarding the lack of parts for the Garmin 480 got me
to wondering just how long the G-1000's will "live"?
Steam gauges are forever, but integrated circuits are produced for a
given period, then production is ceased as newer chips come along.
Does Garmin mention anywhere how long they will support their products?
Their earliest GPS handhelds are coming up on 20 years.
We have seen Lowrence discontinue support for some of their products
that are less than 10 years old.

It's best not to assume that any for-profit company will continue to
support a product that no longer generates substantial amounts of
revenue, unless it is required to do so by law.

I expect that glass cockpits will pretty much follow the past of PCs,
unless legislation prevents it.

--
Transpose mxsmanic and gmail to reach me by e-mail.

john smith wrote:
Steam gauges are forever,

They are?

Is the same model artificial horizon designed decades ago still
manufactured today?

Do people repair mechanical gauges or simply replace them when they stop
working?

Do people repair mechanical gauges or simply replace them when they stop
working?

It's a lot easier / cheaper to replace one mechanical gauge than an
entire instrument panel.

--
Guy

Guy Elden Jr writes:

It's a lot easier / cheaper to replace one mechanical gauge than an
entire instrument panel.

And it's a lot easier to survive in flight with one failing gauge than
with an entire failing panel.

--
Transpose mxsmanic and gmail to reach me by e-mail.

Mxsmanic wrote:
Guy Elden Jr writes:

It's a lot easier / cheaper to replace one mechanical gauge than an
entire instrument panel.

And it's a lot easier to survive in flight with one failing gauge than
with an entire failing panel.

I guess that's why they have 2 and redundant steam gauges.

Guy Elden Jr wrote:

Do people repair mechanical gauges or simply replace them when they stop
working?

It's a lot easier / cheaper to replace one mechanical gauge than an
entire instrument panel.

I don't know much about the G1000, but I am currently reading Max
Trescott's book on the subject; isn't the whole idea of this system
that it is made up of easily serviceable and replaceable (and
presumably upgradable) modules?

--Sylvain