Page 27 - July19TNT

The Beech Bonanza is in its 72nd year of continuous production – an all-time record for aircraft – while the Baron celebrates its 58th year of production this year. Supremely designed and proven aircraft, they are nonetheless continu- ally refined and updated even today. I’ve personally flown and taught in these fine aircraft for nearly 30 years, so I asked Tina and Alex, “What’s new for the Bonanza and Baron?” Here’s what I learned.
Avionics
The latest feature for both the Bo- nanza and the Baron is the enhanced Garmin G1000 NXi, which adds full- time, automatic envelope protection to the fully integrated GFC700 autopilot. According to the Garmin website, the Electronic Stability and Protection (ESP) system is a safeguard that assists the pilot in maintaining safe, stable f light when hand-f lying the aircraft. It con- stantly monitors the aircraft’s f light condition, even when the autopilot is not engaged, and applies a control force toward stable f light whenever pitch or
roll deviations exceed recommended limits. ESP also recognizes when the air- plane is flying more slowly (underspeed) or faster (overspeed) than under normal conditions – such as a stall or spiral – and it makes appropriate adjustments to the controls. If the pilot does not respond sufficiently over time and ESP has been activated for a specified period of time – such as in the event of pilot distrac- tion or incapacitation – the autopilot will engage with the flight director in “level” mode to return the aircraft to wings-level flight without overstressing the aircraft. ESP can be disabled by the pilot who wishes to intentionally exceed activation parameters.
I haven’t yet had the opportunity to fly the new G1000 NXi, but I do fly an A36 Bonanza with Garmin’s GFC 600 autopilot with ESP. It activates when the bank angle exceeds 35 degrees, the pitch exceeds 20 degrees up or 15 degrees down, or the airspeed nears VSO or VNE. If I try to fly a steep turn, for example, the controls grow increasingly heavier as I enter the turn, nudging me back
Turbines, Inc.
July 2019 / TWIN & TURBINE • 25
Upgrading the G-Models
The G36 and G58 introduced the popular Garmin G1000 flight deck to Beechcraft in 2005. Very soon after- ward, the GFC700 digital autopilot was added for an extremely smooth and accurate integrated autoflight function. Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) navigation was introduced a few years later, and Hawker Beechcraft Corporation (now part of Textron Avia- tion) made WAAS available as a retro- fit kit for earlier G1000 airplanes. Instal- lation of the second-generation G1000 NXi that includes fully integrated ADS- B In and Out began in July 2017. As of this writing in April of 2019, FAA approval of an STC to upgrade all G1000s to NXi, and a simpler kit to provide WAAS-capable non-NXi G1000 and low-cost ADS-B Out solution, are both imminent.