Garmin unveils product upgrades, downloads
Garmin International announced a variety of product upgrades, retrofits, certification advances, and a website-and-app integration milestone in advance of the National Business Aviation Association's annual conference.
G1000 NXi upgrades
Garmin has added G1000-equipped Piper M500 aircraft to its portfolio of G1000 NXi integrated flight deck upgrades, noting significant performance enhancements to be realized when the upgrade becomes available on approval of a supplemental type certificate, expected in 2019.
The upgrade offers features unique to the Piper M500 package. SurfaceWatch runway monitoring technology provides visual and aural cues to help prevent pilots from taking off or landing on a taxiway or a runway that is too short or the wrong runway based on performance data entered during preflight. Enhanced guidance for visual approaches is offered, based on a three-degree glideslope from the threshold of the runway, allowing pilots to set customized minimums, select vectors or straight-in for intercepting the final approach, and fly an autopilot-coupled visual approach.
The G1000 NXi system supports optional display of various Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) In benefits via the GTX 345R transponder. Pilots can optionally overlay European Visual Reporting Points (VRPs) on the moving map; VRPs are standard within the navigation database. The multifunction display can present sectional charts and IFR low- and high-altitude en route charts. Smart Airspace highlights the airspace nearest to the aircraft’s current altitude and de-emphasizes non-pertinent airspace.
Communications frequencies are decoded and displayed on the primary flight display for easier interpretation, and decoded TAFs can be viewed on the MFD.
Current M500 owners and operators will see smoother panning throughout the displays and faster map rendering within the G1000 NXi. Flight displays initialize in seconds, saving time in the cockpit. Upgrades require minimal aircraft time out of service and panel disruption because the displays preserve the same footprint and connectors, making panel modifications unnecessary.
The upgraded components of the G1000 NXi come with a two-year warranty. For additional information, contact Scott Frye or visit the Garmin website.
G1000 NXi aircraft added
Garmin also announced Oct. 10 that aircraft soon eligible for G1000 NXi integrated flight deck upgrades include the Cessna Citation Mustang and the Embraer Phenom 100/300—joining a list of aircraft currently eligible including Daher TBM 850/900 and King Air 200/300/350 airplanes.
“The G1000 NXi takes the industry’s most trusted integrated flight deck to a new, unprecedented level of performance and capability,” said Carl Wolf, Garmin vice president of aviation sales and marketing. “From forward-fit to retrofit installations, we are thrilled yet humbled by the extensive adoption rate and tremendous success of the G1000 NXi and we look forward to delivering it to thousands of additional customers in the future.”
For more information visit the Garmin exhibit (2695) at the NBAA Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition in Orlando, Florida, Oct. 16 to 18, or Garmin’s website.
G5000 program advances
Garmin said it expects certification in early 2019 of the G5000 integrated flight deck for the Citation Excel and Citation XLS jets, noting that the recent addition of a second test aircraft will expedite development.
“After quickly selling out the initial 25 delivery positions, a second pre-STC incentive program has been created to allow owners and operators the opportunity to lock in a 2019 delivery,” Garmin said in an Oct. 10 announcement.
The G5000 integrated avionics suite modernizes the cockpit, increases aircraft utility, addresses airspace modernization requirements, and solves concerns related to parts obsolescence.
“With the G5000, aircraft owners receive similar to what’s in a brand new aircraft—a zero-time avionics suite that yields a substantially lower cost of operation, that also solves a broad range of global airspace modernization initiatives and ongoing maintenance challenges,” Garmin said.
Garmin’s new incentive program will provide up to 15 additional owners or operators who place a firm commitment with five years of comprehensive database coverage, a savings of almost $25,000.
The weight-saving G5000 integrated flight deck for the Citation Excel and Citation XLS features three landscape-oriented flight displays with multi-pane capability, allowing pilots to simultaneously view maps, charts, checklists, flight plan information, weather, and other data. The upgrade includes a fully integrated, FAA and European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) rule-compliant ADS-B Out solution and provides access to more airports and lower approach minimums throughout the world with its PBN/RNP 0.3 with LPV/APV approach capability.
For additional information, contact Dave Brown at 913-440-1714, visit the Garmin static display (SD 20) to see a Citation Excel equipped with the G5000 integrated flight deck, or visit the Garmin exhibit at the NBAA convention.
G700 TXi availability
Garmin announced that the G700 TXi touch-screen flight display will be available for select Cessna Citation II/SII and Citation V aircraft when an initial STC is approved. The G700 TXi is designed to meet certification requirements of Part 23 Class IV and Part 25 transport category aircraft.
“The G700 TXi series has redefined aircraft and helicopter cockpits and we’re excited to extend this modern upgrade to now include this class of business aircraft,” said Wolf, noting that it marks “the first public validation of the TXi series in this class of aircraft. Alongside JETTECH, we are excited to provide a dedicated upgrade path for some of the most popular business jets in the market.”
The G700 TXi is composed of a single or dual 10.6-inch flight display with a bright, LCD touch-screen design and dual concentric knobs for added interface convenience. It is paired with dual GTN 650/750 touch-screen navigators, giving pilots flight management system functionality through an intuitive touch-screen interface. The system “improves dispatch rates, reduces aircraft downtime, as well as overall life cycle costs,” Garmin said.
New features and optional capabilities include HSI mapping; customizable crew profiles; synthetic vision technology, standard; TCAS II Resolution Advisory (RA) display; terrain awareness and warning system options; various global datalink weather products when paired with the optional GSR 56; standard ADS-B In/Out display; and other features.
The G700 TXi flight display is available from JETTECH and select Garmin dealers and will be approved for the Cessna Citation II/SII and Citation V equipped with the Sperry SPZ 500 autopilot. Additional aircraft approvals are expected. For more information, visit the Garmin website, the Garmin static display (SD 20) to see a Citation II equipped with the G700 TXi touch-screen flight display system, and the Garmin exhibit at the NBAA convention.
Website, app integration
Following Garmin’s acquisition of FltPlan.com in August, the initial phase of integration between the Garmin Pilot app and the FltPlan.com web portal has been completed. Beginning in mid-October, “pilots will be able to use FltPlan.com for pre-flight planning and filing, and automatically view the same flight plan within the Garmin Pilot app on Apple mobile devices. This announcement represents the first of a series of cohesive enhancements between the FltPlan.com website and the Garmin product line,” Garmin said.
A seamless transition can be experienced by FltPlan.com and Garmin Pilot customers within the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America, Venezuela, and Colombia.
Within the app, customers can view recent and future trips that have been created on the website. “Once the flight plan populates in the app, pilots can transfer it wirelessly to compatible Garmin avionics or a Garmin integrated flight deck. Additionally, the popular navigation log found on the FltPlan.com website can also be viewed within Garmin Pilot under the NavLog tab in Trip Planning,” Garmin said.
Pilots can create a free FltPlan.com account to take advantage of web-based flight planning and flight management services, including access to weather, airport information, fuel prices, printable navigation logs, aircraft performance data, and more.
The latest release of the Garmin Pilot app, incorporating FltPlan.com integration on Apple mobile devices, was to become available during the NBAA convention.
Garmin ADS-B for the Gulfstream G280
Garmin continued its series of announcements Oct. 10, revealing that Gulfstream Aerospace has selected Garmin’s ADS-B In solution for the G280 business jet.
For new and existing G280 aircraft, the Garmin GDL 88 ADS-B datalink and Flight Stream 210 provide easy access to ADS-B In traffic and integrate with existing TCAS systems and cockpit displays, Garmin said.
The GDL 88 integrates with the aircraft’s existing GPS and AHRS, allowing pilots to display GPS position data, including velocity, attitude, and heading information, alongside ADS-B In traffic and weather utilizing the Garmin Pilot app on iOS or Android mobile devices. The app also offers worldwide features such as European IFR autorouting and filing, access to Jeppesen charts, as well as Leidos Flight Service ICAO flight plan filing.
As part of the ADS-B In upgrade, Gulfstream G280 customers receive a five-year subscription to Garmin Pilot U.S. IFR Premium. For more information, contact Garmin.
Beechjet G5000 installations
Garmin also announced that Clemens Aircraft of Benton, Kansas, has recently completed its eleventh G5000 integrated flight deck upgrade within its managed fleet of Beechjet 400A/Hawker 400XP aircraft.
Following the upgrades, “the G5000 in the Beechjet provides the best value when compared to other aircraft in its class,” said Clemens Aircraft owner Dwayne Clemens. “Additionally, these upgrades significantly expand our operational capability through a combination of benefits such as lower approach minimums because of access to WAAS/LPV approaches, an increase in useful load of over 300 pounds and an overall reduction in operational costs.”
For new customers, Garmin Pilot is available from the Apple App Store as a free download for the first 30 days. After the 30-day trial period, customers may purchase an annual subscription of Garmin Pilot starting at $74.99. For more information, visit the Garmin website.
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