Building on the success of more than 30,000 integrated flight decks—including the G1000, G1000NXi, G3X, G3000, and G5000—Garmin has now introduced its latest avionics suite, the G3000 PRIME. The G3000 PRIME incorporates Garmin’s latest technology, including Autoland and Runway Occupancy Awareness (ROA), which we featured in the October 2024 issue of Twin & Turbine.
Earlier this year, I previewed the G3000 PRIME avionics at Garmin’s Olathe facility before its public debut. Having used a wide variety of avionics platforms over the years, I can say this new offering is a significant leap forward—comparable to the upgrade from the G1000 to the G3000/G5000. They have leveraged the best design elements of these integrated flight decks and their individual units, such as the G3X, G500/600TXi, and the popular GTN series. Garmin has gone beyond all of them in integrating a suite of touch-sensitive units that are well integrated.
The flight deck consists of multiple 14-inch Primary Display Units (PDUs), with two serving as traditional primary flight displays (PFDs) but offering more capability and flexibility than any previous PFD. The third PDU functions as a Multi-Function Display (MFD), introducing new terminology to Garmin’s avionics suite.
The PDUs are coupled with two 7-inch Secondary Display Units (SDUs) that are essentially multi-function displays. The SDUs are designed to be the primary data entry and system control units. However, the flexibility of the PDU design allowed me to use them as well for virtually all of the same functions.
These displays are extremely bright, with virtually edge-to-edge, very high-resolution screens. High-resolution displays are nice; however, you need processor power, memory, and high bandwidth to drive them. Garmin achieves this with updated multi-core processors, quadrupled memory from previous systems, and a 1GB high-speed data bus, providing the fastest and smoothest data rendering I’ve seen.
You can’t directly compare the original G3000/5000 Garmin Touch Controller (GTC) to the new SDU. While the SDUs can provide all the functions of the GTCs, they can also accomplish a number of other functions in addition to being 40% larger than their GTC predecessors.
In the Cirrus Vision Jet, Cirrus worked with Garmin to utilize a GTC as the standby flight display instead of implementing a dedicated unit. With G3000 PRIME, Garmin also has included that capability by automatically using one of the SDUs as a standby display in certain aircraft applications.
Jason Hewes, a team leader in Human Factors at Garmin, guided me through a two-hour experience with the G3000 PRIME in a flight training device featuring an expansive, curvilinear video wall.
I remember using my first G1000 avionics suite and how impressive it was; twenty years later, I was sitting in a flight deck surrounded by high-resolution, touch-sensitive, finger-resistant displays with incredible features. I fly a variety of aircraft avionics regularly, in pistons, turboprops, and jets. When Garmin developed the G3000/5000 series, they embarked on a new design paradigm with the GTCs. The main displays were not touch-sensitive but ground-breaking at the time, with considerable flexibility.
Garmin has integrated multi-touch capabilities; this allows you to not only use one finger but also pinch and zoom across the various displays. Pilots and co-pilots could also touch the screen at the same time, performing multiple actions. At first, it appears that the multi-input would be confusing; however, it is very useful in practice. With a focus on touch actions, the oleophobic screen helps keep the fingerprints to a minimum.
Touch-sensitive avionics have had their detractors, especially in turbulence. I’ve used them in a number of aircraft, including a few with Rockwell Collins’ Pro Line Fusion. While sometimes it can be more of a challenge than traditional inputs, operationally, the advantages outweigh any issues. Garmin has taken its design a step further with on-screen stabilization, which is more beneficial as the display sizes increase.
For those applications that necessitate physical control devices, the Garmin G3000 PRIME provides support. I can envision their usage in larger cockpits where the distance from the pilot to the PDU precludes solely touch operations. Perhaps in those environments, the PDU functions are controlled primarily by physical controls (e.g., throttle, flight control yoke or stick, control head) and the SDUs by touch. This is similar to the hybrid model in Pro Line Fusion, a philosophy I’ve found very useful in those aircraft.
Garmin has also coined a new term – Primary Flight Window (PFW) and Multi-Function Window (MFW). This refers to the displayed information within a PDU. For example, when a pilot splits the view in the PFD, they now have two or more PFWs, one remaining as their ADI/HSI and the other(s) containing additional situational awareness capabilities.
Pilots can also edit the flight plan on the displays themselves, a feature I’ve found useful in other installations. It is in closer alignment with the EFB apps that most pilots utilize. Of course, you can also sync your flight plans with many EFB apps. On-screen flight plan editing is not the only cool feature on the displays. Garmin also incorporated the selector-wheel radial menu that is styled after their Garmin Pilot app. Using this menu, you can also access airport and airspace information, weather, and other options. With so many display options available, Garmin has also incorporated storage of multiple configurations, allowing pilots to quickly retrieve these presets through their Window Manager.
Flying the G3000 PRIME
After powering up the avionics, the pilot is surrounded with options. With Jason’s help, I was able to plan our flight quickly. I used the SDU to initialize the aircraft, similar to the G3000 process, but much easier – and more powerful. Unless uploaded via Connext, entering the flight plan is very intuitive, with progressive prompts for procedures, waypoints, and airways. In keeping with the design of the Garmin Pilot app, you can also see the progressive selection of various terminal procedures on the MFD PDU, which provides an excellent preview. I use this feature with Garmin Pilot to evaluate potential procedures, and incorporating this capability with PRIME is valuable.
A unique feature in flight planning is the capability for an emergency return after takeoff. Pilots should always brief takeoff and after-takeoff alternatives. Garmin’s PRIME goes a giant leap beyond that by providing return-to-airport speeds and allowing the pilot to enter a procedure. A highly visible SDU button to activate the return is active for takeoff.
PRIME also incorporates context-sensitive checklists associated with a CAS message; simply acknowledging the CAS message will also enable the pilot to bring up the appropriate checklist – no more fumbling trying to find the checklist. Further features that can help with an abnormal event include system synoptics integration and electronic circuit breakers (ECB), allowing the pilot to isolate systems quickly, if necessary. The Eclipse Jet was one of the first GA aircraft to incorporate ECBs, and after flying with them for 16 years, they are much more capable than traditional circuit breakers. Garmin is now bringing this advanced capability to other airframes.
After initialization and loading the flight plan, it was time to taxi. The avionics can propose a taxi route to your selected runway, and of course, the pilot can edit it when the taxi clearance is received. I will draw my taxi route on the taxi chart on my iPad at busy airports. PRIME does this for you, showing you the route to the departure runway. I selected Auto Route, and the proposed route was displayed, including runway hold short notations.
With everything ready and cleared to taxi, we headed to the runway with the incredible situational awareness provided by 3-D graphics on our displays – complete with proposed routes overlaid on the Safe-Taxi chart, highlighted taxi signs, highlighted departure runway and hold short indications. Coupled with Garmin’s ROA, runway incursions should never be an issue.
Lining up on runway 5 at Morristown, NJ (KMMU) for our flight to Boston, MA (KBOS) in the sim, the Safe Taxi transitioned to synthetic vision matching the external visuals, as expected. My takeoff roll was not my best showing; the simulator’s nose steering did not always match where I wanted to go! After smoothing that out, we were off into the skies towards Boston. The Garmin simulator also featured a live SiriusXM weather feed, enhancing the flight’s realism. We also used the onboard Garmin GWX 8000 radar with volumetric and threat assessment capabilities. Using both weather detection systems, which can be displayed on multiple windows, adds another safety tool for pilots. Pilots flying G1000 and G3000/5000 aircraft know the flight path profile view. PRIME has also incorporated a weather overlay on that profile so that you can see winds aloft and current weather returns from the GWX 8000 radar. I usually use the radar tilt control to determine the safest route descending from the flight levels. Now that is simplified and safer.
Enroute, we wanted to change the flight plan to bypass the weather. You can edit using the displays or simply touch the on-screen route and ‘rubber-band’ the routing by moving the route. When satisfied with the new routing, the pilot confirms the change. One feature that I’ve used with other avionics is a secondary flight plan; Garmin improves upon this by providing a side-by-side comparative display of your primary and secondary flight plan, which is very useful when evaluating options.
Our descent into Boston went smoothly since we could navigate around the weather. We used the procedure profiles on the MFD PDU to better understand the arrival, then loaded it into the FMS and displayed the chart on my PDU. We verified the weather and landing data, including runway condition values. PRIME provides you with landing performance values and displays a graphic of the runway with markings along the side to guide the pilot on required distances.
We were distracted, so I was a bit late slowing the jet down for a stabilized approach. In real life, I would have aborted the approach. In the sim, I extended speed brakes, then flaps and gear to reduce the speed to Vref just past the threshold. After landing, when we started taxiing, the PDU switched from synthetic vision to Safe Taxi with its enlarged taxi guidance signs. The resulting view was excellent in providing situational awareness. I recently completed one of my turbine 61.58s, and one of the tasks was taxiing in very low visibility at night. Garmin’s taxi visualization would have improved my safety margin by far.
For those aircraft owners with Garmin’s G3000 avionics, it doesn’t appear that a direct upgrade to PRIME will be possible. However, some of the capabilities, such as Runway Occupancy Awareness (ROA), may be available depending on the hardware versions of those systems.
First OEM Platform
The initial deployment goal is for Part 23 aircraft, with other platforms planned for the future. The first aircraft to use the new avionics will be the Textron Cessna Citation CJ4 Gen 3. Unveiled at NBAA’s BACE in Las Vegas in October, the CJ4 is a perfect fit to incorporate the Garmin 3000 PRIME. The CJ4 made its inaugural test flight just a few weeks before BACE, with production slated for 2026.
The Citation CJ4 Gen 3 will also feature Garmin’s auto throttles and Emergency Autoland capability, the first in its class to incorporate these enhancements. Having flown the Beechcraft King Air with these features to a full stop, it will be a game-changer for single-pilot-flown aircraft. This will also help in many other ways, including insurance coverage for single-pilot operations.
Textron Aviation’s incorporation of G3000 PRIME shows its confidence in this platform. Other aircraft manufacturers will undoubtedly follow suit. As demand dictates, I expect they will expand this offering to the Part 25 market.
Summary
Garmin has once again excelled, providing aviation with an innovative avionics suite that few could have imagined. It was evident that the Garmin team is excited about their new product and the future as they continue to expand the technology envelope.
