Instrumentation the Digital Way
Garmin is taking flight instrumentation digital with the release of the GI 275 – an electronic flight instrument that directly replaces legacy primary flight instruments in the cockpit.
“The GI 275 was designed based on a need in the industry for a product that was easy to install and could serve multiple roles in the cockpit. We designed the GI 275 as a scalable upgrade for thousands of aircraft. Unlike larger glass panel installations, a pilot can choose to install two GI 275’s this year and perhaps two more next year as his or her budget allows and not feel as though the installation needs to take place all at once. The scalable nature of the GI 275 makes it attractive option for many pilots and their budgets,” said Jessica Koss, aviation media relations, Garmin International.
The GI 275 fits a standard 3.125-inch flight instrument and is a suitable replacement for a direct variety of instruments, such as an attitude indicator, attitude directional indicator (ADI), course deviation indicator (CDI), horizontal situation indicator (HSI) and engine indication system (EIS).
“Capable of serving as a 4-in-1 flight instrument, the GI 275 can also be installed as a standby to a number of glass flight displays and is available with a 60-minute back-up battery. It’s also compatible with a variety of third-party autopilots and does not require a separate interface adapter, further reducing installation labor,” Koss added. “The GI 275 is a modern flight instrument with greater capabilities beyond a traditional flight instrument. It also offers greater reliability over many aging gyro-based attitude indicators on the market. Aircraft owners and operators also realize a lower cost of installation and aircraft downtime.”
Koss notes that the installation process for the GI 275 will vary depending on the instrumentation it is replacing, but is compatible with a range of third-party autopilots and does not require a separate interface adapter, reducing installation labor.
“The GI 275 flight instrument is also approved for installation as a dedicated standby flight instrument to Garmin glass flight displays and is capable of serving as a back-up to a variety of third-party flight displays on the market. It’s also capable of serving as a multifunction display (MFD) with a moving map can display terrain, obstacles, traffic, weather, airspace information, airways and more. The GI 275 is compatible with the GFC 600 autopilot, as well as an array of third-party autopilots and can replace the primary attitude indicator installed with these autopilots. GFC 500 compatibility is expected later this year,” Koss said.
The GI 275 has received Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approval and is available for installation in more than 1,000 single-engine and multi-engine aircraft models.
“Reception of the GI 275 has been great, aircraft owners and operators realize the GI 275 can fill a variety of functions in their panels,” Koss said. “They appreciate they don’t have to perform the upgrade all at once and can pursue it in stages as their budget allows. More importantly, they realize the benefits of a modern flight instrument that brings greater reliability, potential weight savings and reduces maintenance compared to older generation flight instruments.”
