Flying in a 'lectronic World

A good two-dimensional representation on a moving map can be a huge asset during ground operations. This is where the new G1000's SafeTaxi™ feature really shines by providing a highly detailed airport diagram with taxiway designations that I find much easier to use than the Avidyne taxiway diagram and approach chart displays. Here's the taxiway diagram for Concord, California that you get on the Avidyne. It takes a few button pushes to access, but it shows your position on the map, which I've circled in red.



The G1000's NACO chart display is comparable to the electronic charts provided on the Cirrus' Avidyne, but frankly they aren't terribly useful. They certainly aren't a substitute for paper charts. I'm told there is a Jeppesen chart display that is similar to the CMax product on Avidyne, but it isn't installed in any of the G1000 planes I fly and I can't find any documentation on how it is supposed to work.



At major airports, the G1000 offers a really cool moving map feature - just zoom in and you'll see a detailed airport layout. The brilliant part of the design is that it's easy to access - no extra button pushes, just reach over and twist the zoom knob (which I've circled in red). Your position is shown on the moving diagram (also circled in red).



To better grasp how useful this feature is, imagine this scene with really poor visibility and rain.



At smaller airports, you won't see much if you zoom in. Then again, at smaller airports, you're less likely to get lost.



I wish that the G1000 and the Avidyne systems provided a complete, electronic Airport/Facility Directory that contained information on traffic pattern altitudes, which runways are right traffic, the local noise abatement, and data on runway slope. That should be high on the list of desired features and it will probably be offered in the future, especially since aircraft owners will have to pay to download that information. Just what we needed - another database subscription!