CIRRUS PERSPECTIVE^™  by Garmin

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See Part 2 of the Blog: Delivery and the Flight Home

Well it has finally happened, after years of speculation Cirrus has moved to a new panel option. In this post I will attempt to outline the changes in this new G3 TN22. This job is not easy since information is currently at a premium. Cirrus managed the Perspective™ program as a "black program" within the company. It is my impression information around this project has been held closer than around the jet project. So with limited materials at hand here is my understanding of the new offering. Where there are gaps in the information about the Garmin equipment I have filled in with resource material from other Garmin equipped aircraft POH's. I defer to anyone with more Garmin platform experience where I have gotten it wrong. This review is meant to be the beginning of a two way discussion.

Cirrus first shipped an Avidyne Entegra equipped airplane in February of 2003. At that time the Avidyne Entegra PFD/MFD was state of the art, but time marches on. I bought my first Cirrus in November of 2003, a Avidyne Entegra equipped SR22 Centennial. So I have had a front row seat watching the LCD display be a novelty in the Cirrus to the standard today in most new airplanes.

Cirrus has made a decision to offer an exclusive Garmin cockpit as an option for the SR22 line. They call it Cirrus Perspective™ by Garmin. Cirrus Perspective™ is really a new model SR22 with the option of a distinctive paint treatment.

Let's start with the airframe higlights. Big changes here. Cirrus Perspective™ has a new electrical system. Gone is the B&C 20 amp alternator. It has been replaced by a 70 amp belt driven alternator. The MCU has also been redesigned. When ALT1 fails now almost everything is still powered (see below). There is no bus tie like Cessna 350/400, Cirrus is still sticking with an essential bus running at a higher voltage than the main bus.

There is a new "electronic environment system" in the Cirrus Perspective™. The system has four fresh air outlets versus two in previous models of the SR22. The controls are all new. All actuators are now electronic - no more push pull cables.

The big change of course are the new Garmin panels. These panels are big, a full 1024x768 in pixel resolution. These 12" panels have 35% more screen than the old Avidyne Entegra 800x600 pixel, 10" screens. This system features two 12" panels, dual AHRS, synthetic vision, airway flight planning, GFC700 digital autopilot, full keyboard input and much more.

Cirrus Perspective™: A New Generation from Garmin

Many Cirrus owners preferred the comparatively simple, yet uncoordinated user interface offered in the Avidyne/STEC Cirrus airplanes. While most Cirrus pilots liked the previous implementations of Garmin G1000 technology, many did not like the bezel mounted sea of buttons and dials offered in the standard G1000 installations. Well Cirrus has been listening. The best way to illustrate the changes is by comparing the Perspective™ to the standard G1000 installation in the Cessna 350/400. Look very closely at the side by side images. (double click on image for bigger picture). In each case the Cessna 350/400 G1000 is on the top and the Cirrus Perspective™ is on the bottom. You can see that Cirrus Perspective™ is different from a human factors perspective. First note that the Cessna 350/400 panels while having the same pixel resolution are 10.4" diagonal versus 12" for Perspective™. More importantly, many buttons and dials have been moved off the panels down to an easy reach on the center console. Many of the MFD buttons and all intercom and autopilot functionality has been moved down to the center console.

Keyboard Differences

Because so many of the buttons have been moved from the PFD and MFD bezels on the Cirrus Perspective™ you will also notice a big difference in keyboard layouts Cessna 350/400 versus Cirrus.  The biggest difference between the two keyboards are the addition of the HDG, CRS, and ALT SEL dials to the Cirrus Perspective™ keyboard. Another important difference between Perspective and the Cessna 350/400 keyboard is the location of the CLR/ENT buttons. The Garmin FMS makes you use ENT a lot – and on the older keyboard you have to move to the bottom right of the keyword to find it. Anyone who has flown Avidyne or G1000 equipped airplanes in turbulence knows how hard it is to toggle bezel mounted buttons and knobs with an out stretched arm and hand. In Cirrus Perspective™ these most frequently used controls are very close to the pilots right hand.  Also as a veteran Avidyne user, I really appreciate having a separate knob for HDG, CRS, and ALT SEL. The Avidyne user interface for controlling these functions is an absolute nightmare particularly during times of heavy workload. How often have you thought you selected a new heading only to find out you selected a new altitude in an Avidyne airplane? Other keyboard functions are similar between the Cessna 350/400 G1000 and Cirrus Perspective™.

Autopilot Differences

Another big difference between the Cessna 350/400 G1000 and Cirrus Perspective™ is autopilot functionality. Both aircraft use the new Garmin GFC700 digital autopilot. This is a super autopilot. Difference between the two aircraft installations is that the Cirrus Perspective™ has a separate autopilot control head versus the MFD bezel mounted autopilot control in the Cessna

350/400 G1000. Even more important is the fact that the Cirrus Perspective™ has two AHRS, so in the event one AHRS goes down autopilot functionality is still maintained. All other G1000 single AHRS airplanes with the GFC700 will suffer the loss of both the PFD and the autopilot when the single AHRS unit (and some other hardware failures) goes down, but not the Perspective™. In the event of an AHRS 1 failure, the system will recognize the failure and change to AHRS 2 and a message will be displayed on the PFD. If AHRS 2 fails, a message will be displayed on the PFD. If the autopilot was engaged during the failure, it will remain engaged with no interruptions. Logic is also built into the system not allowing you to take off with one AHRS. But I really like the "all hell breaks loose button" aka the "Level" button that has been added to the GFC700 Cirrus Perspective™ autopilot control head. This button is a big addition to safety by acknowledging there are times when a pilot needs help fast. One push of this button and the airplane levels with altitude hold, giving the pilot some time figure out what is going on.

Cirrus Avidyne Entegra

Cirrus Perspective™ by Garmin

What's New, Interesting or Different from the View Point of an Avidyne Entegra Cirrus Pilot?

The following are my notes taken as I have read through some reference materials for the Cirrus Perspective™. Caution, this review was made by reviewing some draft documentation, there will likely be changes in some things by the time the first aircraft is delivered. These items are not listed in the order of importance, just the order I discovered them. Some of the features listed are standard for a the older G1000 based systems, but different from an Avidyne Entegra installation. I have written these notes from the view point of an experienced Cirrus Avidyne Entegra pilot considering a transition to a Cirrus Perspective™ and wanting to know what's different. To begin the review look closely at the image above. If you double click on the image you can view a large high resolution image comparing the Avidyne Entegra and Cirrus Perspective cockpits. The glareshield is more squared off in the Cirrus Perspective™ and the glove box is gone. The top of the center stack appears lower and the electronic heating controls take up much less space. The new 12" panels now sweep across most of the instrument panel.

R New Electrical System - Alternator 2 (the gear driven B&C 20 amp alternator) has been replaced with a 70 amp belt driven alternator. This alternator is located in the forward left front of the cowl and is belt driven .  Electrical system has been redesigned with a new MCU and three distribution buses: Main Bus 1, Main Bus 2 and Essential Bus. 

BAT2 has been increased in size from 7-amp-hour to 18-amp-hour.

There is a new circuit breaker panel with a different layout of the circuit breakers (see image above right).

ALT1, BAT1 and the starter are connected to Main Bus 1. Main Bus 2 is powered by the new ALT2. The Essential Bus is now isolated from Main Bus 1 and Main Bus 2 by two separate diodes. BAT2 is tied only to the Essential Bus. There is a third diode allowing current to flow from Main Bus 1 to Main Bus 2. So during normal operation Main Bus 2 and the Essential Bus will both be powered by ALT2 at a voltage above ALT1. If ALT1 fails three things go off line: BAT1 charging, the landing light and air conditioning. Everything else stays powered with an ALT1 failure, your only indication of an ALT1 failure will be annunciation of the event and a change in the Main Bus voltage and current. This this change together with the second AHRS unit provides a high degree of redundancy in this all electric airplane.

R Carbon Monoxide Detection System - When there are so many new features released at the same time in a new model it is easy for really important things to be left in the footnotes. I have confirmed that Cirrus Perspective™ will come with a Carbon Monoxide Detection System which will annunciate on the PFD and MFD.  Don't know for sure, but it appears that the Perspective will use the CO Guardian Remote CO Detector. This unit will detect CO down to 1 ppm. It also includes altitude compensation.  The unit is set up to alarm anytime CO levels reach 50 ppm for 5 minutes. Don't know what level will be annunciated as a warning in the Perspective PFD and MFD. Some G1000 installations display CO levels in ppm continuously on the MFD above a certain level based on CO Guardian web site.

R  Crew Alerting System (CAS)-  This is a major new advancement in the Cirrus Perspective. Cirrus brochures and associated documentation don't really talk much about this system. You really have to dig to put it all together. CAS is located in a window to the right of the altimeter and VSI display on the PFD. Aircraft annunciations are grouped by criticality and sorted by order of appearance with the most recent message on top. The color of the message text is based on its urgency and required action. Warning (RED), Caution (YELLOW), and Advisory (WHITE). In combination with the CAS Window, the system issues an audio alert when specific system conditions are met. Here are some of the CAS displays in the box on the right.

Cirrus Perspective loves to talk. Here are all of the aural warning you can get in the new airplane.

There are a several new  indicators now part of the Cirrus Perspective™. Oxygen and TKS levels are now displayed on the Engine page of the MFD.

R Barometric Minimum Descent Altitude - In Perspective™ using the TMR/REF softkey and the FMS knob you can set a minimum descent altitude for approaches. You can also enter Baro minimums when you select an approach (in fact you have to at least pass over it).

R Wind Data on PFD - There are two option for wind data display, total wind and direction (like the Avidyne PFD) or headwind and crosswind components. These settings are toggled by a softkey on the PFD.

R Engine Indication System Display (MFD) - The TN22 engine indication strip on the MFD is depicted on the near right. This is the strip that displays down the left side of the MFD. Note down in the lower right hand corner, as in the Cessna 350/400, it looks like there are now two TIT indicators (one for each turbo) in the display. Owing to bigger MFD screen and higher pixel resolution of the screen the Engine Indication System Display strip is always visible on the left side of the MFD display no matter what MFD page is being displayed. Important change from my Avidyne MFD experience.

R Engine Indication System as Shown in the Reversionary Mode (on either PFD or MFD) - With the loss of one panel the Perspective™ system will go into the Reversionary Mode, either automatically or manually by the pilot. Upon entering the mode all PFD and MFD information is reformatted to fit on to which ever screen is now active. When that happens the Engine Indication Strip will change format and look like the image on the far right. These displays do not see to be user configurable.

R Engine Page on the MFD -The engine page on the Perspective™ MFD looks similar to the engine page on the Avidyne, but with much more information. Two new additions to this page for those with Avidyne experience. Now we can see both TKS and Oxygen system quantities. In Cirrus Perspective™ the information in the upper right hand corner of the MFD has been reformatted to show trip information versus communication frequencies which occupy that space in standard G1000 applications. I am advised that there will be a way to download engine data from Cirrus Perspective. Those familiar with the standard G1000 installation know there is currently no provision to allow a pilot or owner to download engine data from the G1000. I have not seen any documentation, but I am told that Cirrus Perspective™ sends data (including engine data) to the data module located in the tail.  Cirrus has provided a way for an owner to down load engine data only from the data module. Initially special software in a portable PC and access to a plug in the tail will be required to get engine data. Cirrus is working on providing a plug in the center console to access engine data for download.

TN22 fuel flow annunciation has been added to the Engine Indication System Display. Look very closely at the left hand engine indication strip above. On the "FFlow GPH" indicator you will see just below the indicator "carrot" a vertical bar attached to a horizontal line. This is the computed TN22 fuel flow target to keep you LOP. TAT has amended their Supplement to eliminate the placard to "Avoid Continuous Operation between 18 & 30 GPH above 26" MAP in favor of the pilot setting fuel flow to the annunciated target on the engine strip in Cirrus Perspective airplanes.

R Transponder - Perspective uses the Garmin GTX 32 Mode A, C transponder. This transponder is mounted in the tail aft of the CAP's compartment. The transponder has a dedicated fan in the aft compartment. As with other G1000's transponder operation is done with smartkeys on the PFD. In revisionary mode the "XPDR" smartkey shows up on the MFD.

R Fans - Big change in avionics cooling in Perspective. Avionics cooling has been a lively subject on COPA over the years. We all know the avionics need cooling. The need increases in high flying airplanes as air density declines. Well Cirrus has been listening. Cirrus Perspective has four electric fans. One fan provides cooling to the Integrated Avionics units, one fan each blows on the heat sinks of the PFD and MFD and a fourth fan blows on the transponder located in the avionics bay in the empennage.

R Audio Panel - Cirrus Perspective™ includes a GMA347 audio panel mounted below the autopilot control head in the center console. The GMA347 is the newest model audio panel from Garmin and includes the "Play" feature to play back the last 10 seconds of audio feed as well as cell phone connectivity. Other G1000 applications typically mount the GMA1347 vertically between the PFD and MFD. Cirrus Perspective™ provides the same functionality at a different location.

Since this audio panel supports a cell phone input you will now find a 2.5 mm jack in the center console. This jack provides full-duplex telephone interface with intercom isolation and disable capability.

R XM Weather - Time to put the Garmin 396/496 into the back seat pocket for offline backup. All the weather offered by XM is now available on the Garmin MFD. With a fully redundant electrical system, dual AHRS and a first class implementation of XM weather on the Perspective™ MFD, my Garmin 396 will be retired from active service.

All the weather products offered by XM Weather are now available in Cirrus Perspective™. The presentation of those weather products is outstanding. As with the older G1000 installations, weather depiction can be found (depending) on weather product on both display panels. NexRad, lightning and cell movement can be depicted on a PFD inset. Cirrus Perspective™ includes Cloud Tops (IR satellite above 5,000'). There is even a page showing Cyclones.

Click here to view screen shots of all the weather pages offered by Cirrus Perspective XM weather.

R Automatic Flight Control System - This Cirrus Perspective™ is equipped with a GFC 700 - a two axis (three axis optional), fully digital, dual channel, fail passive Automatic Flight Control System (AFCS). The system consists of the GFC 705 AFCS Mode Controller, Flight Management System Keyboard, Roll Servo, Pitch Servo, Yaw Servo (optional), Integrated Avionics Units, Pitch Trim Adapter, Autopilot Disconnect Switch, Take Off / Go Around Button (see image to the right), Electric Pitch-Trim and Roll-Trim Hat Switch. The GFC 700 AFCS with optional Yaw Damper can be divided into three primary operating functions:

R Synthetic Vision - Synthetic Vision System ( SVS) functionality is offered in Perspective™ Integrated Avionics System. SVS is primarily comprised of a computer-generated forward-looking, attitude aligned view of the topography immediately in front of the aircraft from the pilot’s perspective. SVS information is shown on the primary flight display (PFD). In addition to SVS enhancement to the PFD, the following features have been added to the PFD: Pathways, Flight Path Marker, Horizon Heading Marks, Terrain and Obstacle Alerting, Three-dimensional Traffic, Airport Signs, and Runway Display.

SVS is a major advancement in IFR positional awareness. I have not flow SVS yet but after looking at the pictures, looking at the videos and talking to pilots who have flown SVS, I predict this technology will fundamentally change the relationship between a marginally current IFR pilot and their airplane. SVS not only tells where you are but presents a clear picture of where you are going and how to get there. Highway in the Sky (HITS) (depicted in the image on the right) gives you a fantastic picture of your 3 dimensional orientation but more importantly how to get on course if you are off course.

R TAWS -  Perspective includes a Garmin installation of TAWS-B. There is no separate box, such as the Honeywell KGP 560 found in Avidyne equipped airplanes. Instead TAWS-B appears to be implemented in software for Garmin Perspective.

R New Seats - The seats in Cirrus Perspective have been redesigned. Not many details here is a picture.

R ChartView - Cirrus Perspective comes standard with the NACO charts. ChartView by Jeppesen is a $3,950 option in Perspective (don't get me started). With ChartView you get charts in color, but more importantly the charts are georeferenced.

R Weight (Updated 7/07/08) - Well, things were sounding too good to be true with the Cirrus Perspective. With all of the new added functionality there will be a increase in empty weight. I just picked up my Perspective. My weight and balance information is included in the table below.

In the chart you can see a comparison between an Avidyne G2 TN22, an Avidyne G3 TN22 and my Perspective G3 TN22. All three aircraft are identically equipped except for the Avidyne and Garmin differences and additional features of the Perspective. My Perspective does not have SkyWatch. Cirrus now states the optional two tone paint my add up to 10lbs to an aircraft.

As you can see, adjusting for the added ballast now included in the Perspective empty weight, the Perspective has taken some of the weight savings of the G3 and added 4 pounds over the original Avidyne G2 TN22.  The good news is that after removing the ballast, the new Perspective CG is still .5" aft of the G3 TN22 without ballast. I see no reason to include ballast in the new TN22 Cirrus Perspective without air conditioning.

Service Bulletin SB 2X-95-11 "Aft Tie Down Ballast Installation" is a bulletin published in 2007 allowing the installation of ballast as an "owner option" service bulletin. I have depicted the weight differences minus ballast in these comparisons as it is now (by SB) an optional item (included on delivery but can be removed). Perspective has a more aft CG without ballast than the previous Avidyne/Garmin SR22's, so the ballast now included in Perspective is simply an owner option.

The new Perspective autopilot adds 2.3 lbs to the SR22 over the old STEC55X (see table to the right. The new Essential electrical system in Perspective adds 15 lbs to the SR22 which includes a new 70 amp alternator #2 (up from 20 amps) and a bigger 12 amp hour battery #2 (up from 7ah). Comparing all avionics components the Garmin Perspective avionics add 12.4 lbs to the SR22 over the previous Avidyne/Garmin SR22.The table to the right tabulates only those components that are different between the two aircraft.

Cirrus Perspective only uses about .53 amps more power than the current Avidyne Rev 7 SR22. The load numbers in the table to the right are given with both COM's in the transmit mode. So the new Perspective Essential Electrical system trades 15 lbs for the benefit of having everything continue to work after an ALT1 failure (except the landing light and air conditioning). 

SkyWatch has been relocated from under the pilot's seat in the Avidyne G3 to the aft baggage bulk head at FS 222 in Perspective. This change helped with the CG but added weight because of the large wire harness associated with SkyWatch. More good news is the space under the front seat is freed up for storage as it was in the G1 airplanes.

Looks like the added Garmin functionality and redundancy added around 18 pounds to the Perspective (avionics and new digital autopilot). This includes added weight associated with the additional autopilot servo since there is now a new roll servo in Perspective that was absent in the Avidyne/STEC airplanes. Perspective retains the roll trim servo in the wing, but as far as I can tell it does not seem to be connected to the autopilot. It is just there for manual trim.

R Options and Pricing - Base price of the Cirrus Perspective TN22 is $590,900. Base price of the Avidyne GTS TN22 is $543,900. Avidyne GTS TN22 includes Stormscope and the Cirrus Perspective does not, so there is around a $56,000 difference between the two aircraft. Diamond is selling SVT for around $10,000. Allowing $10,000 for electrical system improvement and $10,000 for #2 AHRS, there is around $26,000 to be accounted for with all the other new features accounted for above. When you look at the new feature set detailed above it is not hard to rationalize the price difference between the Avidyne Cirrus and Cirrus Perspective. From my standpoint I think the value is there to account for the $56,000 difference between the two aircraft.

R Other Stuff - New limitation in the POH "Use of auxiliary AUDIO IN entertainment input and the optionally installed XM Radio System is prohibited during takeoff and landing.

R Resources - As of the date of this posting Cirrus Perspective™ training materials are not available. For those who what a head start learning about the Garmin technology without the Perspective™ feature set here are some important links.

Flying the G1000 IFR like the Pros! by Jeff Moss - As usual Jeff Moss shows you how to really make the boxes work.

G1000 PC Trainer 8.10 for Cessna 350/400 - Full featured G1000 simulator that works with a joy stick across two screens. Easy way to get familiar with G1000. Button placement is different than Perspective™, but basic software is very similar.

G1000 Cessna 350/400 Pilots Guide - 500+ page guide to G1000 with all the details.

GFC700 Pilot Guide for Bonanza - Good guide to understand the GFC700 autopilot.