Learning Garmin’s TXi

You just dropped a bundle of money on your panel upgrade that includes Garmin’s G500 TXi full EFIS complete with engine monitoring. Know how to use it?

Frank Bowlin

Monday, November 20, 2023 at 08:00 AM ET

Verified

Most lessons start with a brief intro by the talking head, then a split screen where the talking head walks through some big-picture information.

Key Takeaways:

Thorough training beyond basic familiarity is essential for confidently operating a new Garmin TXi system, especially under marginal conditions.
Mastering the TXi involves using the free Garmin TXi Trainer application, extensive practice in the actual aircraft with ground power, and completing the valuable Garmin TXi Essentials eLearning Course.
The author recommends prioritizing the eLearning course (often complimentary with purchase but with an expiry) as it significantly enhances understanding and user proficiency, even if taken after initial flights.
Pilots upgrading to GTN Xi navigators should also undertake specific training for these units, as their functionality differs significantly from previous Garmin systems and familiarity cannot be assumed.

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Having undertaken a major panel upgrade that I justified to myself as being for the most redundancy—not just backup—I could get, maximizing the offered safety demanded that I study the systems carefully. Garmin has that covered with both a desktop trainer and an eLearning course, specifically on their TXi system. Here’s how I undertook to transform myself from getting by to a confident user under marginal conditions.

Oh, and don’t kid yourself. If you have any experience flying behind an EFIS of any type, you can probably fly with Garmin’s TXi right after installation. But, “can probably” doesn’t mean “should” and definitely isn’t the same as “can expertly.”