We get a lot of requests from our Genesys Aerosystems friends and customers to share insights into how to get the most from today’s avionics and cockpit displays. And like seemingly everything in our modern lives, a lot of that information revolves around software and software updates.
I’ve asked our Lead Trainer and Pilot Documentation Specialist, Greg Schmidt, to share a bit of the information he passes along to customers in a typical Genesys Aerosystems training class on this important subject.
Greg Schmidt, Trainer / Pilot Documentation Specialist:
Genesys Aerosystems has grown in the past several years with our EFIS product family growing from two IDUs (Integrated Display Units) to four. We now support the IDU-I, IDU-III, IDU-450, and IDU-680. If you update your database regularly – and you should – this family of units requires different software formats delivered from Jeppesen every 28 days.
Our website (http://genesys-aerosystems.com) is home for the best information to locate which database is currently appropriate for your particular Genesys Aerosystems EFIS unit. The key point to remember is the version number of the software operating in your EFIS.
Jeppesen lists these as 7.0C and earlier, 7.0D to 8.0C, and 8.0D and later. The simplest way is to give this information to Jeppesen, along with the region of service you require, and they will know what you need.
Ordering the NavData and Obstruction databases is a simple process, but it is worthy to note that if for some reason the wrong format database is loaded, your IDU will continually reboot to reflect its displeasure at the wrong data.
The only corrective action is to upload the correct format database. The first step in the process of loading new databases is the automatic erasure of the old databases. This is the reason you always want to retain a backup copy in case you have deleted the only good copy of data available. For this reason, I highly recommend everyone store a copy of your latest databases on your computer’s hard drive.
The Genesys Aerosystems YouTube channel has a video of the correct software updating process for our IDU-450 and IDU-680 EFIS displays.
Always remember to update each IDU installed in the system and verify the successful uploading of new NavData and Obstruction databases.
Thank you, Greg. If you have any questions about the procedures Greg explained, please contact our support team at: Support@genesys-aerosystems.com.
Until next time, fly safely,
Jamie