FYI Garmin G3X - Tips on configuring the EIS side bar as well as top Data Bar

[Neal]

It's coming up on 4 years since taking delivery of my first CubCrafters Carbon Cub FX-3 in 2021 and I'm still tweaking the display configuration of my Garmin G3X. Some firmware changes have added capabilities such as changing labels among many other improvements I probably can't list. My plane is equipped with dual comms, the GNC 355 as COM1 and the GTR20 Remote as COM2. We'll get to that in a minute and how that affects the top Data Bar, but first let's discuss the side EIS panel.

It's interesting to see who puts the side strip on left or right but I think instrument rated pilots probably put it on the right side as we are trained to focus more on the instruments vs. the engine, and non-instrument rated pilots I think may focus more on the engine and put it on the left side. Trivial but I'm curious what people do, but that's moot, let's talk about configuring it. So I had the setup of your typical Manifold Pressure and RPM dials and then 4 slots of info, and then the CHT's at the bottom. My preference has been fuel flow, fuel pressure, oil temp and pressure.

@Tsquared sent me a pic of his panel one evening when he was flying as we sometimes do to each other showing our escape from life to enjoy some flying. I noticed he had FIVE items below his MP/RPM not including the CHT's. Hmmm I thought, I didn't know you could have that many so I realized I really wanted to know if my alternator was not charging so I added VOLTS 1 (starter battery) and then in sharing some feedback with @Tsquared we both had the light bulb twinkle and figured SHUNT 1 (amps) is the better option. Bingo, that's exactly what I want as I have seen this go negative once when my FLD breaker popped. The way to turn these on or off is going to the Configuration side of the G3X and then the Engine & Airframe section (near the bottom) which is effectively your GEA24 inputs. Many of these items are already likely set to SHOW in the EIS as both of my VOLTS 1 and 2 were. When I turned OFF Volts 2 then Volts 1 appeared. So it seems there is some priority order that if you turn everything to SHOW in the EIS side panel, some of them will show, some won't as it won't fit due to whatever the max allowed is. @Tsquared further tinkered to see what happens with the side bar width settings but also some settings that change the MP and RPM from full circles to half disks that also improve space usage for more information to show. I'm good with what I have now but that compressed display of engine information seems interesting and I may try that someday.

As to the top data bar, having dual comms limits the number of buckets you can have to custom display info, my setup was 4. But I wanted to explore the option of compressing my comm info so they are stacked and that gave me another bucket, and then I started experimenting with which side to show the comm controls, transponder, etc. As I typically interact with the GNC 355 directly that could work nicely for me, but we'll see as changing between primary/secondary freqs is not as seamless in the compressed mode requiring you to tap it, then hit the <-> txfr button, and then back to close the popup dialog. But with the GNC 355 I can easily swap primary/secondary freqs. What I like in the setup displayed though is an easier way for me to change com1 and com2 mic/speaker, etc. Previously it was a tap of the comm panel which brought the popup up and then make the changes and then back to close it. Didn't care for that. Using the arrows directly is so much easier with the only sacrifice of changing com2's primary/secondary freqs. I put the comm controls on the left side so I can keep the right hand on the stick and make radio changes with the left hand. Always cognizant of being able to interact with the G3X without removing my hand from the stick.

Fun fun...continuing to dial in the display setup.

 

[Neal]

Nice tip from Midwest Panel Builders just came out on this same topic. I think I'm going to try hiding COM1 as it's on the GNC 355 and that will open up more space.

 

[Neal]

Some of us discussed this, here's the 411 on it:

 

[Cubonaut875]

Neal! your posts are awesome, I like your layout much better! There goes another couple hours changing my display. I pick up my plane tomorrow or Saturday Wx depending. I need to do a thread on the brake fiasco.

 

[Neal]

Back to the plane for more tinkering tonight, and continuing my condition inspection. I went to the config side to "hide" COM1 which is done in the COM section but key note is that you must have master/av ON in order to see this feature. I'll use the control head on the GNC 355 to control COM1 so it's a waste of space on the G3X. I believe you can still load freqs to COM1 from the waypoints page and probably the audio panel, will have to see, but hiding COM1 just removes it from the data bar at the top.

I then went out of config back to the flying side and fiddled with the data bar moving COM2 to the right as it defaulted left, moved my audio panel to the right to keep all custom data bar items over the left PFD side of the house. I gained an additional data bar item. I explored the option of going back to the minimized audio controls like I've been using to date and that gives another data bar item but now I'm at the point of what would I show and can't think of anything that adds value so I went back to the easier to use COM arrows so I don't have to open a COM panel to make changes. So overall it seems like a nice setup now with more efficient use of space. I may move audio back to the left side for left hand ops, we'll see.

 

[Cactus Charlie]

I have the engine display on the right. I spent a lot of my career in MD-11 system development and I got used to PFD, ND, EIS so that how I configured my display. I am instrument rated and CFII so that blows that theory.

You don't need to have a prominent display of any parameter that triggers a CAS alert when it's abnormal. All the alerts can be customized by the builder/owner.

The most useful info I have on my top display (data bar) is ECO (current miles per gallon). Very useful in finding optimum altitude and power setting.

I wish Garmin displayed the active waypoint name on the HSI but no luck with that so far.

My FX-3 display layout is quite different from CC standard and I maintain an AFM supplement that describes the changes.

 

[Tsquared]

VFR guy,

EIS on left. Set to narrow display and combined display.

There is another presentation option.
From the flight side of the G3X, go into menu, display. find the PFD EIS/Engine page layout field. your options are Combined or Separate. I use combined, but this is what it looks like with Separate if anyone is interested. Same info, just different way of displaying the data

 

[Tsquared]

Neal! your posts are awesome, I like your layout much better! There goes another couple hours changing my display. I pick up my plane tomorrow or Saturday Wx depending. I need to do a thread on the brake fiasco.

@Cubonaut875 - very interested in hearing of your brake fiasco. I've been having some issues myself so interested in learning more about yours.

 

[Neal]

Thanks for the pics @Tsquared - it looks like with the "Separate" mode six items of data can show above the CHT's - interesting. I'll have to try that. The Fuel Calculator looks interesting but I think I like the "combined" data setup in the Main page of that detail. Guess can't have it all. Options options...have to explore, thankfully it can be explored all on the flying side so an easy quick change to see what I like.

One note on your top data bar. I see you have one radio vs. some of us with two and you have an AUDIO panel button on the far left. I'm not sure what value that adds and I'd probably hide it because doesn't that same panel appear if you tap the standby freq on the right?

Personal pref but I opted not to show the Emergency button for two reasons: 1) It's not my priority to squawk 7700 and go to 121.5 over "Maintain aircraft control, analyze the situation and take appropriate action, land at the nearest suitable airfield". If I have time I'll change the squawk and com but likely it will do nothing to help my situation. At an uncontrolled field, people on my unicom will be there to help me (or handle cleanup) vs going off freq and trying to spend 5 minutes explaining to someone what's going on, where I am, etc, and 2) I'd rather have the data bar space for something else that I'll use daily. Lastly (almost #3) - I can easily squawk 7700 if needed, changing to 121.5 maybe more difficult but I'm likely already talking to ATC if I'm in a scenario where that would offer any benefit. My $.02.

The brake issue @Cubonaut875 is referring to is he and I have dual caliper Beringers which I installed a year ago, he got as well and hasn't installed yet and his A&P that was to install them while he was at OSH discovered some issues with the install which we are sorting out. For another thread.

 

[Neal]

My combined and separate do not change the EIS engine items. Tried narrow wide and auto.

I’m incorrect that the standby freq does not show the audio panel. Seems that is required. I checked for any alternate ways of showing the audio panel and couldn’t find another way to show it.

As to the emergency option. Another way of getting there is holding direct to which engages the safe glide option which I think also sets the emergency data if desired.