My wife and I visited Bell Helicopter in Texas recently for recurrent training in the Bell 407. The day following completion of our training, we had the opportunity to make a 90-minute flight in the new Garmin G1000-equipped Bell 407GX.
I have extensive Garmin experience, and have flown G1000-equipped fixed-wing aircraft since Cessna first offered it in the piston product line. I presently fly a two-display G1000 installation in a T206 and a three-tube installation in a Caravan. While I love the G1000/GFC 700 autopilot installation in IFR-equipped fixed-wing aircraft, I had mixed feelings about how useful G1000 would be in a VFR helicopter. In particular, I was concerned about whether the new panel would obstruct the pilot’s view in off-airport operations, if the engine power gauges would be hard to use, and since helicopters need to be actively controlled at all times, often with two hands, how much “heads down” button pushing would be required. Having followed the G500H certification program in the 407, and being thrilled by how that turned out, I frankly wondered whether the G1000 would be a step forward or backward.
