Garmin Pilot datalink unstable in G7 avionics

Guest Discussion
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Hi there, new to G7, I have issues maintaining a stable datalink between my iPad running Garmin Pilot and the GDL60 avionics. Connects fine on bluetooth and wifi, and works for a while then data goes “stale”: no flight data, no weather, no traffic, no location. Was working fine on G6 but have now tried two different G7 aircraft and same problem on both. Has anyone here experienced this? any solutions?

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Did you get this working? I was having some strange issues (ForeFlight) with flight stream 510 and I think it improved when I disconnected (unpaired) or turned off Bluetooth to iPhone. I also stopped using ForeFlight in flight for the most part so I’m not certain of stability impact of that. There is also a “compatibility” mode in the connect menu where the number of connected devices can be limited which is worth a try. In my case I suspected some “clever” handoff feature where IOS was deciding which device to connect to the Bluetooth accessory but that’s just a guess.

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There is a bug in the GDL 60 Bluetooth software stack. The workaround is to turn the GDL 60 Bluetooth off and back on again.

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Thanks Peter. Isn’t that what happens when I power down the avionics at the end of each flight? Or you mean I should turn off and then on again every time the iPad disconnects? If I may ask - how do you know?

Garmin has been unresponsive so far, and haven’t acknowledged this as a known issue. So I doubt they’ll be coming up with a software fix anytime soon…

thank you again,

Manos

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Thanks Lee. I had no issues with the 510 so I believe this is a GDL60 problem.

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On the Internal Network Settings page, you should be able to turn Bluetooth off then on again. Do this whenever your PED (Personal Electronic Device) spontaneously disconnects from the GDL60.

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A friend of mine found this solution through trial and error. I confirmed the underlying issue with Garmin. The timeline for a software fix would be controlled by Cirrus.

I haven’t tried this in an SR, so your mileage may vary.

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Thanks again Peter. Happened again today. I tried to turn GDL60 Bluetooth off but it turns right back on and I can’t seem to unpair or pair a device when that happens. I’ve had a ticket with Cirrus for a couple of weeks but no resolution yet. I will repost here if a solution or fix are found.

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