The Garmin G1000 primary flight displays and multi-function displays form an integrated digital replacement for conventional flight instruments and avionics. Garmin is only allowing the G1000 to be installed in new general aviation aircraft, claiming that certifying and installing retrofitted cockpits would have cost and safety issues.
The G1000 competes with the Avidyne FlightMax glass cockpits, but is different in that it has the GPS, communication, and radio navigation components built directly into the system. Potentially more costly to repair or replace, it does make the cockpit far less cluttered and places all systems directly in front of the aviator.
The primary safety concern with glass cockpits is due to their integrated nature; if one component fails, it can affect the rest far more than a conventional system using individual instruments. To make up for this, and to counteract Murphy's law, the G1000 may be rebooted in midair as long as the aircraft remains straight and level.
