G1000, ADF, DME and dual ILS display
The topic of ADF and DME integration in the G1000 seems to be a source of misunderstanding, so I will try to make the situation a bit more clear for anybody.
At first, you must know that ADF and DME are not part of the standard G1000, but are options. One bad consequence of this is the way they are integrated. At audio box level, there are keys for turning their audio on or off, but all the rest goes through soft-keys and the FMS knobs.
Typically, tuning and ADF frequency needs the following steps:
1) Press the ADF / DME softkey
2) Go in the frequency box
3) Change the frequency with the FMS knobs
4) Press enter to validate the new frequency
5) Press enter to activate the new frequency (flip-flop)
6) If needed, use the FMS knobs to adjust the audio volume
Not exactly simple, isn’it ?
The same kind of procedure is needed to switch DME from NAV1 to NAV2 receivers. Because of this, the school where I trained decided to always fly with the DME coupled to NAV1, to avoid too complex and lengthy manipulation in flight.
Something else that is not possible with the G1000 is to have two simultaneous display of the ILS. I know many people tuning NAV1 and NAV2 on the ILS while flying with classical instrumentation, so as to be able to continue in case of receiver failure during the approach. As the G1000 has only one HSI, this is not possible. Nevertheless, you can tune the ILS on the two NAV boxes, and in one fail it is possible to switch the HSI source with one soft-key click.
6 Comments, Comment or Ping
Peter Bremer
2 ILS receivers tuned to the same frequency?
In most cases I use the second receiver tuned to an VOR for missed approach procedures, in case the VOR is part of the procedure of course. Setting the frequency of the VOR (or toggle it from standby) during a missed approach is not a good idea.
The G1000 has the very nice feature of enabling a bearing pointer to a VOR (RMI like).
Aug 29th, 2007
Peter Bremer
Can you please tell me more of the ADF and DME options to the G1000 system. I only know about the Columbia and there these options are (not yet?) available.
- Are it standard receivers visible on the instrument panel (like with the G1000 in the Piper Saratoga) or are the receivers hidden in the avionics bay and interfacing is via the G1000?
- Are indications and interfacing on the PFD or MFD ( MFD is mentioned on the Piper website)? I would expect PFD.
- Can the ADF be selected as one of the bearing pointers on the HSI?
- Is a second ADF receiver also an option?
- Is it possible to select the DME frequency independant of NAV1/NAV2?
Aug 29th, 2007
PlasticPilot
Hi Peter,
I agree with you, but I also know many pilots and instructor using the double ILS setting. This practice comes from airlines, where there is one pilot flying, and the other one managing the rest, including the radios. So in case of go-around, the flying pilot just gets the nose up and applies power, and the non-flying pilot will set the radios for the missed-approach. People being trained in an airline context will do the same.
But I agree that when flying single pilot, it makes the go-arround much simple to manage if your go-arround navaid is already tuned in.
The other point where tuning the second NAV to the ILS can be interesting is if the receiver itself fails close to the minimum. If you don’t have the ILS on the second receiver, you will have to go-around, as it would be too risky to continue descent while you tune it on the NAV2.
Once again, and to be synthetic, I think that dual ILS tuning is fine when working multi-crew, but not for single pilot operation, where the go-around actions shall be limited to a strict minimum.
About the VOR on RMI, this already existed with non-glass cockpits. The bonanza I flew was equipped with a dual needl RMI. The yellow needle was always the ADF, but the green one could be coupled to NAV1, NAV2 or GPS.
I will need a bit more time to answer your second comment, as I’ll have to go back to the G1000 manual for some details.
Aug 29th, 2007
PlasticPilot
Hi Peter, here are the answers to your second post, with the help of the Garmin documentation.
The ADF and DME receivers are options for the G1000. If you buy them, they’re completely “hidden”, you interact with them via the PFD. The audio panel has an “ADF” and a “DME” buttons for beacon identification.
All indications are on the PFD. The will drive one of the pointers in the RMI depicted around the HSI, and the DME is displayed in a window at the bottom left side of the HSI.
There is no direct way to tune a DME frequency in, but you can select the “HOLD” mode, in which case the DME receiver will stay on the frequency it was last coupled with, even if you change the corresponding NAV receiver. As I already mentioned, changing the DME mode is so complex that I won’t use such a function. Even on classical panel planes, I usually flies with NAV1, DME on 1, and NAV2 is set with the next NAVAID or a crosscheck.
As far as I know, there is no possibility to integrate a second ADF.
I hope this answer your questions.
Aug 29th, 2007
Peter Bremer
Hi PlasticPilot,
Thank you very much for diving in to my questions. Your answers are very helpfull. The hold-mode of the DME is a good enough solution. In most cases the situation is what you describe (DME=NAV1).
Aug 31st, 2007
Hashim
I have tried to do many ILS approaches but never ever got DME on the display. If I use VORs they do show the DME. I have verified with other airline pilots that the ILS do have the DME on it.
Apr 19th, 2009
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