Garmin Unveils Three Clean-Sheet Touchscreen Displays

Calling them the TXi series, Garmin says its new family of touchscreen flight and engine information displays announced this week, the G500 TXi, G600TXi and the G700TXi will deliver vibrant presentations while incorporating new situational awareness tools. TXi offers customers three display options — one large 10.6-inch display and two seven-inch versions. These translate into flexible panel configurations with either portrait or landscape orientations. Garmin says the user interface is “harmonious with multiple Garmin products such as the GTN 650/750 touchscreen navigators.” The three display formats support 26-approved cockpit configurations and over 600 aircraft makes/models.

The TXi family can create a geographical map overlay within the HSI on the primary flight display to support sources such as NEXRAD, FIS-B, SafeTaxi, terrain, traffic and more. In reversionary mode, any display is capable of showing anything from the other displays the pilot chooses. A backup GPS antenna is also built into each display should the primary GPS navigator fail.

Carl Wolf, Garmin vice president of aviation sales and marketing said, “From a single display to a full suite installation comprised of four displays, the modular, building block design of the TXi system supports an impressive array of PFD/MFD/EIS functions and formats. With TXi, we’re excited to bring a suite of scalable flight displays that fit the panel and mission of a wide range of aircraft on the market today.” The G500 TXi and the G600 TXi offer pilots an option to view or even alternate between Garmin FliteCharts or Jeppesen charts. Synthetic vision is standard on the G600 TXi as is a 3D depiction of terrain, obstacles and traffic.

When the TXi series is paired with a GTN 650/750 touchscreen navigator, Connext wireless connectivity offers additional capabilities like the Flight Stream 510 that enables Database Concierge, the wireless transfer of aviation databases from the Garmin Pilot app on a mobile device to a GTN and the TXi system. Flight Stream 510 also supports the sharing of a breadth of information with compatible mobile devices running Garmin Pilot or ForeFlight Mobile, including two-way flight plan transfer, traffic, weather, GPS information and back-up attitude information as available.

Integration continues with the TXi engine information system support for features including lean assist mode, pilot-configurable advisories and more, providing pilots with the opportunity to achieve improved engine efficiency. Compatible with single-engine and twin-engine normally aspirated or turbo-charged aircraft, the EIS TXi system supports Lycoming or Continental 4/6-cylinder engines over a broad range of aircraft compatibility.

Link the EIS TXi system to a GTN 650/750 and Flight Stream 510, Connext automatically downloads engine and other flight information to the Garmin Pilot app on an Apple mobile device, which is then synced to flyGarmin.com. The flyGarmin website allows pilots to view information such as track logs, cylinder head temperatures (CHT), exhaust gas temperatures (EGT), oil temperatures and more. Pilots can also see altitude and airspeed alongside an interactive moving map on the website. In addition to wireless engine and flight data downloads to Garmin Pilot, data can also be logged and stored on an SD card within EIS TXi.

The G500 TXi system is intended for Part 23 Class I/II aircraft under 6,000 lbs. and the G600 TXi flight displays are intended for Class III aircraft that weigh up to 12,500 lbs. The G700 TXi is exclusively for Part 23 Class IV and Part 25 aircraft that weigh greater than 12,500 lbs.

Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) for the G500 TXi/G600 TXi and EIS TXi systems are targeted for approval in Q4 2017, that will feature a comprehensive approved model list (AML) containing over 600 single-engine piston, twin-engine piston and turboprop aircraft makes and models, offering the most configurable, state-of-the-art glass flight display solution in the market.

The G500 TXi seven-inch display starts at $11,995 with the 10.6-inch display retailing for $15,995. Attaching an EIS to the G500 display runs an additional $4,995. On the G600 TXi, the seven inch display starts at $18,995 and the 10.6 at $24,995. A standalone EIS for a twin six cylinder aircraft begins at $17,935. Garmin will occupy booth C12412 at the NBAA Convention in Las Vegas.