A Round-Dial Replacement, Really

If you’re in love with the look of the traditional six-pack in your airplane—or don’t want to spend the cash on a new instrument panel—but want to incorporate the latest in glass multifunction capability into your cockpit, a new solution just dropped that answers that desire.

Garmin has debuted on January 15, 2020, an electronic flight instrument, the GI 275, that offers a drop-in replacement unit for standard 3.125-inch round-panel installations in legacy aircraft. The GI 275 features multiple functions, including attitude and navigational data, and engine indications. The instrument can be installed singly or in sets.

We did a double-take when we first saw the photos, with 4 digital displays taking the place of the attitude indicator, airspeed indicator, altimeter, and heading indicator, in a Cessna 172. In addition to the regular data it replaces, the GI 275 also delivers traffic, weather, terrain, and synthetic vision features as well. Built-in wi-fi connects the pilot with Garmin’s Database Concierge, allowing for database transfer with the Garmin Pilot, and wireless transfer of flight plans when the unit is paired with a GPS 175, GNC 355, or GNX 375.

Garmin already has FAA approval on the GI 275 for more than 1,000 single- and multiengine aircraft models. It’s available immediately through the company’s dealer network, with pricing for various configurations available on Garmin’s website starting at $3,995.