It’s a move intended to match a multitasking, space-saving backup instrument with the quick installation required to keep a busy aircraft flying.
Garmin introduced the GI 275 electronic display instrument in 2019 to take advantage of a common opening in instrument panels across the general aviation fleet—and it’s now close to acquiring the STC for its first application in Part 27 rotorcraft, starting in the Bell 206 series.
“We are thrilled to bring the popular and extraordinarily capable GI 275 to the helicopter market,” said Carl Wolf, Garmin vice president of aviation sales and marketing. “The GI 275 electronic flight instrument can provide helicopter owners and operators an impressive amount of information in a lightweight and compact design that’s easy to incorporate into a variety of panels. It’s an economical and scalable approach to upgrade your avionics, and we look forward to making this versatile touchscreen flight display available on even more rotorcraft soon.”
The GI 275 Brings Functionality to Light Helicopters
The GI 275 fits into a 3.125-inch-diameter hole typically vacated by the vacuum-driven instruments it will replace, such as the:
- primary attitude indicator
- course deviation indicator (CDI)
- horizontal situation indicator (HSI)
- multi-function display (MFD)
In the MFD application, the GI 275 offers weather, moving map, traffic, and obstacles, plus HTAWS (helicopter terrain awareness and warning system) with forward-looking terrain and obstacle avoidance (FLTA) capability to alert in advance where potential hazards may exist.
The GI 275 in its initial iteration will not have engine information system display capability. The first STC is expected to be completed later this month. Garmin will be working next on adding the AS350 and Robinson R22 and R44 to the STC list, projected by the end of 2022.
