From: Chris Alberti [mailto:starliteaviation@yahoo.com]
Sent: Friday, February 24, 2012 4:37 PM
To: lml@lancaironline.net
Subject: All G900X Users

We have a G900X with a TruTrak Sorcerer auto pilot in our Lancair 4P TSIO 550B. We have had Advantage Avionics in Chino, California install and update the G900X and they have done a great job. However, the updates we receive from Garmin are the most perplexing software we have ever encountered. For some reason Garmin has never sent out any information on any revision and what the updates contain or how the revision will change or affect the aircraft. We started with software version 5, then 8, and are now running 10. None of the software is user configurable which is a real problem. We have had numerous conversations with Tim Larberg who has always been very helpful in every way he can but here is the real problem. Every suggestion we make to improve the software falls on deaf ears. 

We started with a fuel flow annunciator and alarm that was set to high so every time you reduced power it would alarm usually while taxing and of course when ground or tower was trying to talk to you. Garmin fixed that problem but not without some resistance. We just upgraded from version 8 to 10 to take advantage of a fully integrated auto pilot, a profile flight view, and some other upgrades. But now we have other problems. First we have a pathway error Garmin can't figure out and has no idea where it came from. Advantage Avionics had to reload version 10 several times before it started to work correctly but with the pathway error still present. Second, the altitude entered into the G900X is always plus one foot in the Sorcerer. Example 7000 in G900X 7001 in Sorcerer. After talking to Lucas at TruTrak he indicated that it was a side effect of the information that comes over the ARINC data lines to the Sorcerer from the G900X. Basically it is a rounded up bit. TruTrak was going to fix it but then decided it was a good indicator that altitude data was being received from an external source. Third, the first time I went to LOP using the GAMI big pull and fuel flow indicator the engine quit. Yes, I said quit. There is a big lag in the indicated and real fuel flow creating a safety issue. I knew immediately something was changed in the software. After talking to Garmin about the problem Garmin admitted they changed the software filter on the fuel flow but again didn’t let anyone know. We have put up with the fuel quantity being defaulted at 110 gallons when we have a 90 gallon total but now Garmin has said the future updates will be defaulted to 200 gallons. 

So what has Garmin to say about this? "It is what it is". What kind of attitude is this to take? This is no way to treat loyal customers who have paid top dollar for an operating system. So for now we will be returning to version 8, losing out on an integrated auto pilot, profile flight view, and other good upgrades with some not so good. Garmin had the right idea when they came up with the G900X for the experimental market but have become so user unfriendly we question whether we will be installing them in our next experimental.

Suggestions:

1.    Don’t delete user settings every time we do a software update. This can create an unsafe environment not to mention all the work of re-entering settings.

MFD USER SETTINGS.

Map Setup page. There are thirteen items on this page alone.

Soft Keys. Need to enter traffic, Nexrad or terrain, etc.

Navigation status bar has four configurable fields. 

Any scheduled events such as switching fuel tanks, oil changes, etc.

        PFD USER SETTINGS

Tim/Ref. There are six items here.

Soft Keys. There are ten items here.

Don't forget all Com/Nav volumes default to 9.6%.

2. A/P altitude delay from the G900X to the Sorcerer. Seems there is a 3-5 second delay of information. Would have helped if we knew about this in a revision letter. 

3. TSIO 550E is only “550” series engine to choose from. Covers most of the engines similarities but doesn’t cover the slight differences.

4. Should be able to configure all engine parameters per aircraft. This only makes sense. 

5. List of software revisions. Let us know what we are to expect before we load new software using Installation bulletins/advisory memos. 

6. Configurable airframe specs (fuel quantity, airspeeds, etc.)

7. Splash Screen for Lancair.

8. Fuel Flow lags. This is just plain dangerous. The instrument should be accurate as it was in version 8. 

9. A/P altitude is one foot high on Sorcerer readout. This is a TruTrac error/indicator of information being transferred. 

We would appreciate any positive or negative input from anyone who uses a G900X. Please include your type of aircraft, auto pilot and engine type. Send it to the email address below and we will add it to our letter to Garmin.