When Garmin showed up at the Sun 'n Fun Fly-in in April to show off its new Garmin G3X Touch touch-screen avionics systems, the reception was enthusiastic. The system is available to homebuilders now, and a few standout LSA makers announced at Sun 'n Fun that they were making the G3X Touch either standard or optional equipment. Van's Aircraft will put it in its RV-12, and CubCrafters will make it an option in several of its airplanes. Perhaps the most interesting announcement was by FlightDesign, which revealed that it would make G3X Touch the standard panel in its emerging C4 four-place Part 23 single. Because neither the G3X Touch system nor any of its components are certified products, that means that Flight Design will have to rely on a worldwide liberalization of certified aircraft regulations, known as the "Part 23 rewrite," to allow it to install the new Garmin system in its airplane. If things play out like this, it could mean cheaper avionics options for owners of many conventionally certified airplanes.
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