G3X Touch databases

[frequent_flyer]

I'm normally quite happy to fly my G3X Touch system with expired charts and databases as I maintain current charts and databases on portable devices. I recently blew some of my retirement savings on a one year subscription and have a few questions for those who update regularly:

1. Does the GDU 4xx have provision for storing both the current cycle and the next cycle?
2. If the answer to 1) is yes then does the GDU automatically sequence to the next cycle the first time it is powered after the transition date?
3. If the answer to 1) is no then when will the GDU read the next cycle from the SD card?

Questions are based on this experience -

I loaded new databases to an SD card as soon as the next cycle became available at flyGarmin. I inserted this card in my GDU 465 but the system did not acknowledge that there were new databases available. I loaded the new cycle to a second SD card but have not yet attempted to boot with that card.

I had no problem loading new databases when the installed databases had expired. I just want to understand how to manage/load databases for the next cycle. I could not find these details in the user guide and hope to understand how this works before the current cycle expires.

Thanks

[stewartb]

You’re prompted to choose between current cycle and next cycle on the database manager page. Once selected and the files downloaded and that SD card inserted into the G3X it updates to what’s on the card. If you want to maintain a safety backup you can use two cards to maintain current version and next cycle separately. The G3X should load whichever card you choose. I think that’ll work but I’ve always installed next cycle and never looked back.

[frequent_flyer]

You’re prompted to choose between current cycle and next cycle on the database manager page. Once selected and the files downloaded and that SD card inserted into the G3X it updates to what’s on the card.

That didn't work for me so I assume there was something wrong with the data on that SD card. I'll try again with the other SD card next time I'm at the hangar.

Thanks.

[stewartb]

I’ve never had luck with SD cards >16gb capacity. Garmin recommends 8gb. That said the database manager usually fails to load the bigger cards. I’ve never had a loaded card rejected by the G3X. FWIW, the software update allows you to insert the SD card at any time. Database updates require the card to be inserted prior to powering the G3X on. It won’t see the card otherwise.

[stewartb]

When you do load an SD card with updated files, the G3X will present this screen, so you have another chance to disregard parts of the update. I never have, but it’s there.

[frequent_flyer]

I’ve never had luck with SD cards >16gb capacity. Garmin recommends 8gb. That said the database manager usually fails to load the bigger cards. I’ve never had a loaded card rejected by the G3X.

I'm using 8 GB SanDisk cards but they are the same cards that are in use for data logging, screen captures, and my checklists. Having the other files and directories on the SD card didn't stop earlier database loads but maybe I should change to reserving an SD card just for database loading.

FWIW, the software update allows you to insert the SD card at any time. Database updates require the card to be inserted prior to powering the G3X on. It won’t see the card otherwise.

Seems like an inconsistent design. All other SD card functionality seems to work if card is inserted after power up. However, pretty sure that I tried having the card inserted before power up and also inserting after power up.

Should be easy to resolve now that I know GDU stores only one cycle and it replaces current cycle with next.

[frequent_flyer]

When you do load an SD card with updated files, the G3X will present this screen, so you have another chance to disregard parts of the update.

First time i saw that screen I didn't know how to bypass it without changing any databases. I ended up accidentally replacing a current database with an expired one. I had the current database on another SD card so was able to recover.

I later learned that the database update screen can be bypassed by touching the engine display.

I'm sure this will all become routine but it isn't yet.

[hawgdrvr]

I'm normally quite happy to fly my G3X Touch system with expired charts and databases as I maintain current charts and databases on portable devices. I recently blew some of my retirement savings on a one year subscription and have a few questions for those who update regularly:

1. Does the GDU 4xx have provision for storing both the current cycle and the next cycle?
2. If the answer to 1) is yes then does the GDU automatically sequence to the next cycle the first time it is powered after the transition date?
3. If the answer to 1) is no then when will the GDU read the next cycle from the SD card?

Questions are based on this experience -

I loaded new databases to an SD card as soon as the next cycle became available at flyGarmin. I inserted this card in my GDU 465 but the system did not acknowledge that there were new databases available. I loaded the new cycle to a second SD card but have not yet attempted to boot with that card.

I had no problem loading new databases when the installed databases had expired. I just want to understand how to manage/load databases for the next cycle. I could not find these details in the user guide and hope to understand how this works before the current cycle expires.

Thanks

You can load the SD card when the updates become available prior to the next cycle starting. Insert into the G3X and power on, it will prompt you to install. It WILL auto sequence on the date required.

If you're updating your GNC, the routine is a little different, the G3X is much more intuitive, or it should be that is. The GNC you'll have to touch databases when loading them ahead of expiration of current cycle and preload them, it will sequence them at the proper date.

So to both - yes they will auto sequence preloaded to active automatically. The way you load them varies on the two devices.

[frequent_flyer]

You can load the SD card when the updates become available prior to the next cycle starting. Insert into the G3X and power on, it will prompt you to install. It WILL auto sequence on the date required.

So you are saying that the GDU can be loaded with both the current chart cycle and the next chart cycle. That is how I would have hoped it worked based on air transport Flight Management System experience but that didn't seem to be how Stewartb described it.

Hopefully the card will be recognized at my next attempt and I be be able to see first hand which cycle is being used.

[CubCruiser]

I've had good success calling Garmin Aviation Support while sitting in the cockpit. They've patiently walked me through any procedures step by step. They're pretty good at figuring out the problem, even when I slip into speaking Southernese.

Daryl

[mam90]

So you are saying that the GDU can be loaded with both the current chart cycle and the next chart cycle. That is how I would have hoped it worked based on air transport Flight Management System experience but that didn't seem to be how Stewartb described it.

Hopefully the card will be recognized at my next attempt and I be be able to see first hand which cycle is being used.

Did you work for Honeywell?

[stewartb]

My observation as a G3X user. If I haven’t flown for a while my G3X flashes a yellow message notification. If I tap on that I get a warning about databases being out of date. When I download the updates I always select the next cycle when available and load that into the G3X. Once installed there is no message, so it must be operating on the future chart version, not the current one that was never loaded. I’ve never thought anything of it. It just works.

[frequent_flyer]

Did you work for Honeywell?

I did, but why do you ask?

[mam90]

I did, but why do you ask?

Just curious based on some of your previous posts and then this one.. I have a lot of Honeywell FMS time and when you mentioned 2 databases being loaded and auto switching it just brought back memories of the Nav Ident page…. And you’re in Arizona….

[frequent_flyer]

Just curious based on some of your previous posts and then this one.. I have a lot of Honeywell FMS time and when you mentioned 2 databases being loaded and auto switching it just brought back memories of the Nav Ident page…. And you’re in Arizona….

The sad part about a long career in avionics systems development is that too many of the aircraft types I worked on are now retired like me. it made me feel really old when UK retired the Panavia Tornado.

[hawgdrvr]

So you are saying that the GDU can be loaded with both the current chart cycle and the next chart cycle. That is how I would have hoped it worked based on air transport Flight Management System experience but that didn't seem to be how Stewartb described it.

Hopefully the card will be recognized at my next attempt and I be be able to see first hand which cycle is being used.

Yes, think about it. Do they really want to set you up to have an opportunity that your data is expired and it can't switch to the next cycle automatically?

So once the garmin aviation website offers you updates you can load them to your card and install into the unit. The G3X handles this very well, the GNC is a bit awkward.

[stewartb]

From the user manual for the exp G3X Touch. The approved model may behave differently.

FLITECHARTS CYCLE NUMBER AND EXPIRATION DATE
FliteCharts data is revised every 28 days. FliteCharts do not expire and will remain viewable after the expiration date. The Power-up Page indicates any of four different possible criteria for chart availability. These indications are whether the databases are not configured, not available, current or out of date.

[frequent_flyer]

The second SD card that I loaded with the "next" cycle database was accepted today by my G3X Touch system. Here is what I learned:

1. The database card can be inserted after boot is complete. It will still be read and the GDU will display the database update screen. It may take up to about 30 seconds before the update screen is displayed.

2. There is no indication that the GDU 465 stores the current cycle and the just loaded next cycle. All the indications are that the current cycle is replaced by next cycle before the expiration of the current cycle.

Here are some supporting crops of screeen shots:

Database configuration before insertion of the update SD card; Database update screen; Database configuration after updates accepted:

[frequent_flyer]

To add to the potential for G3X Touch database update confusion -

Databases are available for download from flyGarmin before their effective date. However, the availablity lead time varies for different databases. It can be as much as 7 days for Airport Directory, Navigation Data, and Frequency Data and a little as 1 day for IFR/VFR charts.

Downloading new databases more than 1 day before expiration appears to only give a partial set and to require multiple download/update efforts to get all databases updated to the next cycle.

Database update schedule and availability lead times are shown here - https://fly.garmin.com/fly-garmin/de...pdate-schedule

Based on this I'm giving up any attempt at early update and will download from flyGarmin no sooner than 1 day before expiration of the current 28 day cycle.