Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 40; Flight Crew Total 7150; Flight Crew Type 3500
Human-Machine Interface; Situational Awareness
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Aircraft Automation Overrode Flight Crew; Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Human Factors; Aircraft
Maintain directional control during climbout to 6;000 FT departing MRY. After initially activating flight plan with MRY 9 procedure included; G1000 failed to track after liftoff. I immediately tried to reactivate the flight plan but could not get the GPS to track our course. At this point we were entering IMC (bases 1;500 FT and tops 2;500 FT) so I continued climbout on heading 330 while the student flew and I tried to debug the G1000. At 2;500 FT I reported the tops and clear of clouds. I tried to inform the Controller of the situation with the G1000; however; I do not believe I was successful in clearly communicating what was happening. The Controller unable to understand my problem with G1000 became agitated at repeated calls to adjust heading. Although approach plates were available for the entire route including a return to MRY if required; inability to activate the procedure became a focus and distracted me from attention to student. Although able to maintain situational awareness; workload impaired my timely response to ATC. Traffic avoidance was maintained at all times. This all occurred while in VMC as we were above 2;500 FT. In retrospect when the equipment malfunction occurred I should have immediately gone to the autopilot for heading control which would have reduced my workload significantly and improved my level of responsiveness to ATC. At no time was there any traffic conflict; airspace violation or altitude violation.
C172 instructor pilot reports difficulties with his G1000 departing MRY on the MRY9 departure with a student at the controls; resulting in track deviations.