Garmin

Garmin International has announced new enhancements and features for its GTN touchscreen avionics.

Designed to support wireless flight plan transfer between the GTN 750/650 series navigators and Garmin Pilot, the new Connext cockpit connectivity feature has been designed to offer GPS position data from the GTN, along with an option to display weather, traffic and attitude information.

Other new features are database syncing capabilities, FastFind, airspace altitude overlay, wire-strike avoidance technology (WireAware), among others.

Garmin aviation marketing and sales vice president Carl Wolf said: "The GTN 750/650 series is designed with a growth-oriented architecture and we are excited to adapt it to our expanded Connext portfolio of solutions to provide connectivity between tablets and avionics.

"In addition to expanded connectivity, we’re introducing safety-enhancing WireAware, so it is easier than ever to see and avoid power lines with rich and comprehensive coverage."

The Connext cockpit connectivity allows pilots to transfer flight plans within Garmin Pilot to the GTN on arriving the airport.

Pilots will also be able to have up-to-date flight plan amendments from air traffic control (ATC) prior to takeoff.

"WireAware graphically overlays power line locations and altitude information on a moving map."

Once the proposed route notifications from ATC are available in Garmin Pilot, they may be transferred to the GTN, making the last-minute flight plan modifications quick and easy.

WireAware graphically overlays power line locations and altitude information on a moving map. It offers altitude display in both mean sea level (MSL) and above ground level (AGL).

FastFind uses a predictive logic to suggest airports and waypoints using current GPS location and makes flight planning faster and easier, according to Garmin.

Garmin said that WireAware, simplified database updates, FastFind, simple frequency entry, customizable checklists, and flight plan import capabilities are set to be available for Bell 206 and 407 series, Eurocopter AS 350B2/B3, EC 130B4, EC 130T2, and MD 369E/F/FF helicopter models by the year-end.

Image: The enhancements to GTN touchscreen avionics include the Connext cockpit connectivity. Photo: courtesy of Garmin Ltd.

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