Before everyone jumps all over Garmin keep in mind that what caused
this was the auxilary fuel tank! It created a condition that the Garmin
unit could not handle. But the stock Cessna setup would never create
this condition! I think the real blame here has to be on the auxilary
fuel design. There are LOTS of these Garmin units out there working
very well, very few complaints at all. ALL of the new Cessnas have them
and they are WORKING!

Also keep in mind that the backup systems did work here. He was able to
fly the aircraft on the instruments he had.

NW_Pilot wrote:


So when the Garmin system went down, other than HF Communications
provided by a portable transceiver, and the flight controls, the only
other functional instruments and operable systems you had were the OAT
thermometer, EGT, magnetic compass, attitude indicator, altimeter,
intermittent tachometer and airspeed indicator? No navigation
equipment, auto pilot, VHF communications, fuel gages, engine oil
pressure nor temperature gages? Have I finally got it right?


When the system went down the only things I had was My Portable GPS, HF Com,
Portable VHF Com, Steam Attitude Indicator, Steam Airspeed Indicator, Steam
Altimeter, Whiskey Compass! Every thing else was tied to the G1000 and was
useless or not to be trusted as accurate in that situation. They don't even
have a slip/skid ball in the thing when the G1000 goes blink that's
intergraded also!

I believe after this incident as we see the fleet of G1000 equipped aircraft
age in the next few years there will be many fatalities and/or class action
suite's and whole generation of pilots not prepared for this type of systems
loss!

I hope that this garmin problem never happens to another pilot (I have a
feeling it will and it makes me angry) I am glad I practice partial panel
and have been ferrying airplanes the last year and have gained the skills to
deal with problems such as this. I know it could have gone the opposite
direction really fast and I thank my lucky stars I was able to keep my cool,
work the problem, make the competent decisions and use the resources
available to me to make it in safe!

I like the Avidyne system a lot better at leased if the PFD & MFD fail you
have Comm's, Autopilot, And GPS Navigation all separate! But I only have 10
hours at the controls on a new Piper to make that opinion on the Avidyne
system witch is not enough!