The form factor is the same, but lots of improvements under the hood. AOPA article.
Nice read. We have a G1000 in our B200 and I really like it. It can be a bit of information overload though…particularly for low time, non-proficient pilot. There is a point at which the mass of information crosses over the point of being a crutch and instead actually inhibits performance. There is something to be said for a straight-forward autopilot with some green needles (which you CAN do with a G1000) and taking it down to the basics. Personally, I like the G1000 because I’m lazy - I can pull up plates, look at XM METAR and TAF forecasts, see the entire country NEXRAD, and never have to turn on the iPad or look at a WX printout. It is a great tool for information related to your flight…but it is easy to see how people get buried in and forget to fly the airplane. Even professionals forget to fly the airplane. I’ve had occasions to just tell someone: grab the yoke, click off the autopilot - and make the airplane go where you want… Most often this is after a bad turn on to an ILS or inbound RNAV approach and the pilot is just letting it shoot through when just a bit more turn rate will do it.
The coupled missed approach feature of that new version of software is really nice…
Unfortunately, our other King Air is a standard Collins EFIS-84 system…and we have to go to the sim in that variant (because there are no G1000 B200 sims out there), so while I think we’d all love to upgrade the second aircraft to a G1000, I doubt it is going to happen. Which is a bummer.
2 Likes