Need G1000 database refresher

[CBeak]

Hi all. Just got my 2005 DA40 with legacy G1000 last year at this time. I was just figuring it out when I was grounded for 8 months by some issues, including the closure of my local airport for 4 months. Now I've got myself ADSb compliant, and I'm needing a refresher on what goes where on the SD cards.
My Jeppesen database subscription ran out so I'm trying the Garmin onepack. The items listed for install are: (I'm just VFR at this point)

Navigation
Airport Directory
Obstacles
Safe Taxi
Basemap
Terrain

What gets loaded where? I have two 2GB Suppl Data Cards, a another 1GB card with no labels whatsoever.

I know this probably seems basic to you folks but I'm graduating up from steam gauges and a very simple GPS. There seem to be a lot of different answers out there, so I'm trying to avaoid putting things in the wrong spot and then spending 5 times longer fixing it. I appreciate your help in advance.

[ZAV]

There are various threads on this forum with some input. You can search and see what you can find that might be helpful. I’ll try and get you started though.

Go to the flygarmin website and select the databases you need to update (probably all of them). The Garmin windows program will open when you’re updating the databases from the flygarmin website. The program will tell you insert a card (navigation) first. That is probably the 1GB card you have. Insert it into your SD reader and the Navigation file should load. The application will then tell you to load the MFD card. Do that and all the other databases will load onto that. You can repeat the process without selecting the Navigation update and get all the other databases on the PFD card.

Take the cards to the plane and follow these steps, copied from another post:

1. All power off
2. Place updated Garmin PFD and MFD cards in their respective slots
3. Put NAV card in the top PFD slot
4. Master "On"
5. You will get a prompt to update the database. Press the button below "Yes"
6. When finished, power off
7. Remove NAV card from top PFD slot and move to top MFD slot
8. Master "On"
9. Same prompt to update database, but on the MFD this time. Select "Yes"
10. Once complete, verify that the databases are up to date on the MFD splash screen
11. The cards stay where you have placed them (1 in the PFD lower, and 2 in the MFD)

The top MFD slot will record flight data on that NAV card.

[CBeak]

Thanks. I have reviewed some other threads and they often go into deep detail about one part of the process. The high level overview was just what I was looking for. Now I just have to hope the prior Jeppesen Nav data file doesn't try to cannibalize the Garmin one. But it's computer data, so I'm sure there will be a little indigestion involved.

[CFIDave]

To keep it simple, just remember -- in a Legacy G1000:

1. All of the databases EXCEPT NavData get loaded onto your 2 higher-capacity cards, which must always reside in the bottom slots of PFD and MFD when flying. Think of these 2 bottom slot cards as your "hard drives" for the G1000.

2. The single NavData file gets downloaded onto your small-capacity SDcard, and then must be loaded into G1000 internal memory (both PFD and MFD). A way to do this is to place this SDcard into the top slot of your PFD with the G1000 turned off, then boot it up to load the file. Shut down the G1000, remove the card from the PFD, and then repeat the process with this same SDcard inserted into the top slot of your MFD.

You don't have to fly with this NavData SDcard inserted in a G1000 MFD top slot (i.e., you can remove it once the NavData file has been transferred to internal G1000 PFD and MFD memory). However by leaving the SDcard in the top MFD slot, newer G1000 software will create a log file for each flight that can later be uploaded to a website to see where and how you flew (not all G1000s will do this).


Also you don't need to load FliteCharts files (if you subscribe to approach charts) on the bottom PFD card, but the process described above will work for any Legacy G1000. I find it easier to just put all the files (except NavData) on both bottom SDcards.

[Rich]

It's also possible to botch the nav data card updates in the GNS units. Some years back I was out of the country when the updates came due and so I delegated swapping out the data cards to my CFI. Somehow one unit wound up with 2 terrain data cards and the other with 2 nav data cards - or something like that. Suffice it to say neither unit worked correctly until I got back and remedied the problem.