G1000 - how to update DB

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Keith M
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Re: G1000 - how to update DB

Post by Keith M »

Thanks, Rick.

I only discovered the PilotPak by reading this thread and it seems a good deal compared with buying individual databases. However, I'm annoyed that Garmin are not playing fair with currency conversions. For example, the International Lite PilotPak is priced at $700 USD or £550 GBP, whereas a fair conversion would be £415 GBP. I'm not sure if the GB price includes VAT at 20%, but even adding that should only make it £500. They must be charging per bit crossing the Atlantic by fibre optic cable!
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Tim M
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Re: G1000 - how to update DB

Post by Tim M »

There is a recent Garmin Service Advisory titled, Spare Supplemental Data Cards. Has anyone bought one?
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Re: G1000 - how to update DB

Post by haykinson »

Is there a reason you can't purchase normal SD cards from Amazon or the like? I'm certain it'll be cheaper.
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Re: G1000 - how to update DB

Post by CFIDave »

Regular (non-Garmin) SDCards will usually work just fine. But they're not TSO'ed (i.e. certified for aviation use) if you care about that.

FYI, for G1000 NXi flight decks, SDCards can be removed before flight because NXi stores all databases in internal memory after loading. So Garmin no longer says you must use their SDCards for G1000 NXi, but instead recommends SanDisk.

I'm guessing that Garmin's SD Cards are really made by SanDisk with Garmin labels applied.
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Re: G1000 - how to update DB

Post by Pehu »

I have been using Sandisk cards on my G1000 (software version V15.X)

Here is a sample that I have been using

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/ ... 0mb_s.html

Both 16GB and 8GB work fine. And as Dave pointed out, Garmin has been labeling these Sandisk cards effectively these being the same ones they use. Important is that they are these older ones, not sure how the faster and more modern cards work.
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Re: G1000 - how to update DB

Post by CBeak »

Hi folks. Just switched from a 1979 C172 (steam gauges and a Garmin 250 XL ,so I used JSUM for that)) to a 2005 DA40 with the older G1000 Non WAAS, non SVT, etc. There are several long manuals out there, but I figured you folks would have the answers pretty quickly. I'll try not to make this too long.....but. BTW, I'm just a VFR pilot right now, but may finally take the plunge and get IFR certified.

What data goes on what cards? For the bottom cards, I did get the Jeppesen NavData subscription, and seem to have successfully loaded that. I do have an email into Jeppesen support because I was under the impression BOTH cards need all the data, and JSUM still only wants to allow 1 transfer. It would seem that a G1000 subscription would have to include two?

The top card is currently a bit of a mystery to me.

Terrain, obstacles, etc are still showing a March 2016 date. How often does that need to be updated, and how?

Haven't worried about charts at this point since I'm a VFR pilot. I also use Foreflight or WingX.

Finally, what about SVT? I've heard it is available, but it sounds like Diamond and Garmin may have been in a pissing match over that? Is it available for the older G1000 in a DA40? How and at what price? I can't find any comments newer than about 2011 on that topic.

ADSb upgrade may be a topic for another area, but that is obviously going to come up pretty soon. My home airport is closed for 4 months next summer, so that's probably the time.
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Re: G1000 - how to update DB

Post by Rick »

Hi Mike, welcome to the forum, and congratulations on your new DA40!

There is a lot of good information on dealing with the SD cards in this thread, which may answer the questions you have. I think there are also a couple of other threads that talk about the SD cards and how to manage them. If you can't find the answers you are looking for there, post again and we'll help you figure it out.
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Re: G1000 - how to update DB

Post by CBeak »

OK, it appears I went about this incorrectly. I downloaded navigation data onto the supplemental cards. How serious of a problem have I created, and what’s my fix?
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Re: G1000 - how to update DB

Post by Rick »

So you removed the lower cards from the PFD and MFD, took them home, and then went to the Jepp site and downloaded the next cycle of the nav data to one of them? Is that correct?

If so, you may be able to recover from this. You need a third empty SD card to use for loading the nav data. Look on the card you loaded the nav data to already - you will find a file called "airframe_info.xml" and a folder called "ldr_sys". Copy that file and the "ldr_sys" folder to your new empty card. Delete the "lds_sys" folder from the original card, but NOT the airframe_info.sys file. Put the original cards back into the lower slots of the PFD and MFD. Boot up your G1000 and check the database information on the MFD welcome screen to make sure everything is still there (the nav data will be obsolete, but that's ok). If it looks like it did before, you are in good shape!

Power off the G1000, then put the new SD card in the UPPER slot of the PFD and turn the G1000 back on. Hopefully, it will say it wants to load the new nav data from the card. Say Yes and let it finish (15 seconds or so). Power off. Move the new card to the upper slot of the MFD and turn on again. Say Yes, wait, power off. Remove the new card and take it home for the next nav data update. You should be ok now.

There are two places things could go wrong. On the first boot, if you no longer see any of your original databases, then you have a problem (the original 'airframe_info.xml' was overwritten by the Jepp upload procedure). Garmin will need to help you here, I think. The other potential problem is when you put the new card in the upper slot, and the G1000 doesn't recognize it as an update card. In this case, just call Jepp and they will re-enable the download of the latest cycle. Do the upload again (onto the NEW card, of course!) and then it will work in the upper slot for sure.

Good luck!
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Re: G1000 - how to update DB

Post by CBeak »

Thanks. I got pretty much the same instructions from Garmin, and think I have successfully fixed the card issue. Hard to tell, as there is suddenly a problem with the airplane. "Flew" the G1000 in the hangar yesterday while connected to power. All good. Shut everything down, pulled the airplane out to go flying, and when we turned on the battery---we got the PFD but not the MFD. Also got no fuel pump, cooling fans, or KAP140. Mechanic came over from the other side of the field, along with his new employee who was once a Diamond Dealer. No body seems to have seen this before. We pulled and reset breakers, etc to no avail. Basically have power to 1/2 of the airplane only. So now it's over in his shop to be troubleshooted.
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