Hello

Got a glass cockpit question for those who are familiar. Just got a job flying a G1000 equipped airplane, I currently instruct in an airplane equipped with Avidyne R9 avionics.

The Avidyne system has a wind vector line overlay on the HSI (basically your track). It makes tracking the GPS or VOR really easy in winds. Does the G1000 have the same thing? I can't find any pictures with it on there, maybe it's an option you can turn on? If not, I'm gonna actually have to learn how to fly instruments...a doozie, I know.

Thanks!

Yes, it's a magenta diamond.

Thanks, thank god I thought I was gonna have to learn how to correct for crosswinds there...

I call it the "ground track diamond", it moves around the HSI depending on where your exact ground track is, but obviously is usually somewhere near the top given your forward speed component. The G1000 also displays an actual "wind vector" on the left of the HSI, which shows the direction of the wind as an arrow with a speed, it has a few options for display as well. The ground track diamond is what you use to match up your heading with the intended course. Extremely helpful for holding procedure wind correction too.

G1000 wind vector has two options. Wind direction (with an arrow) and speed. Or, current head/tailwind and crosswind components.
For example to can either say 220 @25 or with two different arrows (one being head or tailwind, other being left or right xwind) with a number that is the current component.

One of the PFD soft keys will get you to the little pop up window that allows you to change it.

Oh the misery of actual airmeanship

Every PFD/MFD combo I have flown does offer the three:

Actual Heading
Ground Track
Desired track

A separate option within the soft keys at the bottom you can have 3 options of how wind information is displayed. I prefer option #2 but that's me.

I haven't flown the R9, but have G1000/600/500, Avidyne Entegra, Chelton, and a few off brand gadgets. Most if not all will also give you your TAS, and as long as the plane has digital Fuel Flows hooked up you will get all the range information. The G1000 you will need to hit the "FOB"(fuel on board) to sync the tanks, or enter it manually if they aren't displayed as part of the system. It will then present a range ring, which when the tanks are full you have to zoom way out to see pending airframe.

So much more, but have fun. Remember the G1000 is just a 530 on steroids. All the nav menus are the same in basic operation, just more to show and room to do it in.