Garmin 1000 vs Avidyne

Guest Discussion
#1

I have a couple of questions, so here we go:

  1. Which in your opinion is a better avionics suite the Garmin 1000 or Avidyne? Any pros or cons?
  2. Could you install the Garmin 1000 in a Cirrus and would it be compatible?
  3. The Avidyne was available before the G 1000 came out so would, has or will Cirrus Design consider using the G1000 in their future production planes?

I’m a student pilot and I have read a lot about flying safely and I am very excited about the features the G1000 has and what it would do to help me be the most efficient, proficient and safest pilot I can be. Because I have not seen any flight schools that train with any Cirrus airplanes anywhere or close to where I live, the Cirrus is my top favorite GA aircraft and I hope to train in and own one someday, then would come the Cessna 172 because of its heritage and reliability and because thats what most people learned to fly in and I will likely do the same. I like the DA 40 Diamond Star too, the new Skylanes come with G1000 installed and rumor has it they may be available in the the Skyhawk so I would consider buying one of these someday. I would feel really safe and confident knowing that I had the G1000 in the plane I would fly. CAPS & GARMIN 1000 in the same plane! My mouth is watering just thinking about it! Thanks in advance for your responses.

#2

Mr Lewis:
Glad you are learning to fly. It is a wonderful experience to be able to master control of an airplane and have the confidence to be the sole occupant of an airplane doing takeoffs and landings. That is what you need to learn first and learning it well will make all the rest of the “gadgetry” a second consideration.
Neither the GArmin 1000 nor the Avidyne is a “better” dispaly in my opinion. They both, like everything else, have their plus and minus features. I personally think it is better to learn to fly with neither device as the majority of planes in the GA fleet have neither device. Once you master flying the airplane without the need for these fancy distracting boxes, then there will be plenty of time consider which device is more to your liking.
The current Avidyne suite works just fine in the Cirrus. It has far more capability than any plane I have flown in the past. The moving map display makes situational awareness a “no-brainer” which, in the past, has been a significany problem for some pilots. Both the Avidyne and the G 1000 offer the same basic features. Cirrus currentl;y only offers the Avidyne. That could change in the future. The bottom line is that these are computer based devices that constantly change as upgrades and technology are added. What is the “perfect” device today may be obsolete tomorrow. So I would not become obsessed as to whether one unit is “better” than the other. It is more important to learn to fly proficiently exclusive of these boxes and then choose an airplane you really like and have it equipped with what is available.