Garmin Aviation Smartwatches: Tools for Flying — and More

Not long after the first pilots earned their wings did the first aviator watches find their way onto their wrists. In those early years of aviation, pilots demanded timepieces that were accurate, easy to see and easy to use. And while aviation has come a long way in nearly 120 years of powered flight, a trusted watch remains essential for flight.

We’ve built on this tradition by creating three smartwatches purpose-built for your flying — each tailored to your desires and budget. All can help you show your pride in your pilot lifestyle, with vivid displays and iconic aviation-themed design, but they’re way more than just stylish. They put advanced tools for flying, fitness and connectivity right at your wrist. With that in mind, here are five ways our aviation smartwatches can help you get the most out of your time in the air — and every other moment of your life too.

1. Put weather at your fingertips.

Foremost, an aviation watch should help a pilot execute a safe flight. That starts with planning. Get a clear view of weather conditions during preflight by accessing aviation weather, including METARs and TAFs, to show winds, visibility, barometric pressure and more¹. Our D2 Mach 1 even adds MOS forecasts and meteogram projections for U.S. airports¹ — plus customizable notifications for changing conditions. And both D2 Mach 1 and our luxury MARQ® Aviator feature NEXRAD radar overlaid on a full-color moving map when you sync your flight plan wirelessly from the Garmin Pilot app on your compatible smartphone.

2. Navigate from your wrist.

As a pilot, you know the importance of having a Plan B, Plan C or even Plan D. With our aviation smartwatches, you’ll have backup navigation to keep you on course. Fly Direct-to a location or waypoint in the built-in worldwide aeronautical database — or choose the Nearest function to activate a path to a nearby airport. Follow the instrument-like HSI course needle to easily see if you’re left or right of your desired flight path. And view runway orientation, lengths and airport frequencies so you’re prepared when you reach your destination.

3. Be aware at altitude.

You can monitor yourself while en route too. Check your Pulse Ox² to gain awareness of how well your body’s oxygen levels are adjusting to the thinner air at higher altitudes. Use the barometric altimeter to know when you’ve reached your desired altitude — or get a vibration alert when you reach an altitude where supplemental oxygen may be required. And manually set other alerts to remind you when it’s time to switch fuel tanks or perform other time-critical tasks. Keeping your logbook up to date is always a pain. Our D2 aviation smartwatches make it easier. You can automatically log your flights on the watch and sync them to the Garmin Pilot app, then automatically transfer date, duration, total flight time and route to your flyGarmin.com account¹ for easier currency tracking and logging. How’s that for keeping your logbook up to date?

4. Make time for fitness.

Between flights, our aviation smartwatches allow you to track your health. Use the Health Snapshot feature to show heart rate³, heart rate variability, Pulse Ox², respiration and stress. See your body’s energy levels so you can find the best times for activity and rest.Use preloaded profiles for more than 25 activities, including trail running, swimming, running, biking, hiking and more. And get a score for your sleep quality plus insights on how you can do better. All provide extended battery life of more than 7 days in smartwatch mode so you can you get an uninterrupted picture of your wellness to stay in top flying form.

5. Stay connected from anywhere.

Lastly, our smartwatches keep you in tune with your life. Receive emails, texts and alerts right on your watch when paired with your compatible smartphone. D2 Air X10 even allows you to make calls from your wrist, plus create or respond to text messages hands-free, courtesy of your paired compatible smartphone’s voice assistant. You can also download songs and playlists from your Spotify®, Deezer or Amazon Music accounts (subscription may be required) and use your wireless headphones for phone-free listening. Plus, you can breeze through checkout lines and select transit systems with the Garmin Pay contactless payment solution through participating providers.

With a modern, impressive set of features, our aviation smartwatches provide capabilities that early pilots could hardly imagine. But they’re just the tools you’ll want to help you fly, keep active and stay connected. That kind of smart will look good on you.

¹ When paired with a compatible smartphone, with a data connection, and in range of BLUETOOTH® technology

²This is not a medical device and is not intended for use in the diagnosis or monitoring of any medical condition; see Garmin.com/ataccuracy. Pulse Ox not available in all countries.

³Activity tracking accuracy

SPOTIFY and the Spotify logo are among the registered trademarks of Spotify AB.

Amazon Music and all related logos are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.

The Bluetooth word mark and logos are registered trademarks owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and any use of such marks by Garmin is under license.     

The post Garmin Aviation Smartwatches: Tools for Flying — and More appeared first on Garmin Blog.

https://www.garmin.com/en-US/blog/aviation/garmin-aviation-smartwatches-tools-for-flying-and-more/

Welcome to Oshkosh: Garmin’s Guide to the World’s Biggest Aviation Event

“Welcome to Oshkosh.” These are words that pilots have heard from controllers since the inaugural EAA Fly-in in Oshkosh in 1970. And ever since, pilots, aviation enthusiasts and families from around the globe have convened at Wittman Regional Airport the last week of July to celebrate everything that is aviation. 

Heading to Oshkosh for the first time this year? We can help. Take a look at a few of our top tips and tricks on how to make your Wisconsin adventure the best it can be.

Flying in? Review the FAA notice for the event.

Every year EAA and FAA officials collaborate on the annual NOTAM for pilots to reference while flying into Oshkosh and other area airports. The EAA has also compiled an arrival video to showcase landmarks and other waypoints to use while on the Fisk VFR arrival or any other VFR or IFR route to the show. You can find the newly renamed FAA notice as well as a detailed video on the Fisk VFR arrival here.

Create new traditions

Oshkosh is a magical place — an event that seemingly rises out of the Wisconsin dirt into the Wisconsin sky for a week a year. Everyone experiences Oshkosh differently, which makes for an endless list of traditions. Take your annual family photo in front of the Brown Arch and tag it on social with #OSH22, camp under the wing of your airplane, catch a night airshow, meet an aviation hero or favorite aviation social media ambassador, or simply take in the 12,000 aircraft that descend into Wittman Regional Airport during the week and take home a lifetime of memories. Oshkosh is a special place that you’ll never forget.

Learn from the best

The annual EAA fly-in, now known as AirVenture Oshkosh, has always been a great place to learn about latest and greatest aviation products and findings and keep up your pilot proficiency. Garmin hosts many educational seminars about our products and offerings during the event. EAA and other aviation entities host almost a thousand more forums and presentations, and that full list can be found here.

Pre-plan your trip with Garmin

Flying with Garmin avionics or the Garmin Pilot app? Take a look at the FAA notice and load the Fisk VFR arrival waypoints into your flight plan with ease. 

Are you as excited for AirVenture as we are? Check out the Garmin Oshkosh website here to see our latest announcements, show seminar schedule and learn more about how Garmin can help you at the show. Hope to see you stop by our exhibit on Celebration Way!

The post Welcome to Oshkosh: Garmin’s Guide to the World’s Biggest Aviation Event appeared first on Garmin Blog.

https://www.garmin.com/en-US/blog/aviation/welcome-to-oshkosh-garmins-guide-to-the-worlds-biggest-aviation-event/

Five Benefits of Flying with Smart Rudder Bias in Your Twin

One of the advantages of operating a twin-engine aircraft is enhanced peace of mind from engine redundancy. Yet an engine failure in these aircraft can present a safety risk of its own. When that happens, you must act quickly to correct the potentially hazardous aerodynamic effects of flying with only one operating engine.

Garmin Smart Rudder Bias provides assistance in these situations. It’s available in select aircraft equipped with a GFC 600 autopilot with the yaw option and G500 TXi or G600 TXi primary flight displays with engine indications. And it automatically does several things that help give you time to react and remain in control.

1. It’s available soon after takeoff.

Engine failures are particularly critical on climbout. That’s why Smart Rudder Bias is available as soon as the airplane reaches minimum controllable airspeed. But it also constantly monitors the aircraft throughout the entire flight, because failures can happen at any time. And it offers protection whether your autopilot is on or off.

2. It identifies the failing engine.

The system determines a one-engine inoperative condition by using the engine indication system. It compares power output between the two engines, and if it detects that a power difference exceeds a predetermined threshold, it indicates which engine is failing. That helps you more quickly confirm the failure.

3. It applies rudder to correct yaw.

Once it recognizes the failure, Smart Rudder Bias activates to help counteract the aerodynamic changes that occur because of the failure. It immediately provides rudder force to help you overcome the yaw tendency from the loss of power and added drag so you have time to complete procedures and maintain control of the aircraft. 

4. It adds elevator and pitch inputs to maintain control.

When necessary, the system applies modified Electronic Stability and Protection control inputs. If your bank angle exceeds preset limits because of the roll tendency, it adds aileron inputs to help you increase or decrease bank — even in turns. It also provides elevator inputs to help you pitch for safe airspeed and avoid a stall.

5. It’s easily disengaged once you’re in control.

Once you’ve reestablished stable flight, you can deactivate Smart Rudder Bias with a panel-mounted switch and fly to a suitable airport for an emergency landing. If you’re able to restore power to the failed engine, you can also rearm Smart Rudder Bias to provide continued protection during two-engine flight.

Are you ready to add Smart Rudder Bias to your twin? Just contact your local Garmin authorized dealer to discuss how to equip your aircraft. You can also visit our GFC 600 page to learn more about how it can help during a one-engine inoperative condition.

The post Five Benefits of Flying with Smart Rudder Bias in Your Twin appeared first on Garmin Blog.

https://www.garmin.com/en-US/blog/aviation/five-benefits-of-flying-with-smart-rudder-bias-in-your-twin/

What Should You Think About When Upgrading Your Panel?

Whether you’ve just purchased your first aircraft, or your older panel needs some upgrades, deciding exactly what to buy isn’t always as simple as hitting “add to cart.” Luckily, our Garmin sales team has been around the block a few times, and they have some considerations to keep in mind when you’re mulling over your options. Need further help? Click here to ask an expert.

1. Your aircraft’s mission and necessary capabilities.

Do you fly for a $100 hamburger every weekend? Introduce friends to aviation on a ride around town? Or do you fly serious cross-country trips in all types of weather, day and night? What you use your aircraft for will help you to determine what avionics are best for your mission. Our sales team recommends asking yourself the following questions:

• Is this aircraft for personal use, for work, or for a combination of work and personal needs?
• What type of weather do you plan on flying in?
• How frequently will you fly your aircraft?

Once you’ve identified your mission — and the base capabilities your aircraft will need to accomplish it — it’s time to move on to the second consideration.

2. Budget.

In a perfect world, money wouldn’t be an issue — but life’s not always perfect. When thinking about the budget for your upgrades, there are a couple facets to think about.  Hardware and labor costs are important pieces of the puzzle.

Did a legacy system, like the vacuum system, fail on your airplane, causing an unexpected expense? You can not only replace that legacy system, but also gain capability in many instances as well. That’s money well spent. 

Think about how much you’re comfortable spending and then we can help you to figure out how to get the most bang for your buck.

3. Timeline.

Many panel upgrades take weeks if not months to complete. If you’re using your aircraft for business purposes, you may want to plan your install during a slower time of year. Talk with your local dealer to see what their schedule is like, and work with them to establish what you’re wanting to do to lock in your installation slot. And we do recommend finding a local dealer — for any ongoing work, you’ll want to have a relationship with that installer. Not sure where to find one? Click here.

Ready to start planning your dream panel? We recommend checking out the most comprehensive lineup of avionics upgrades in the industry.

The post What Should You Think About When Upgrading Your Panel? appeared first on Garmin Blog.

https://www.garmin.com/en-US/blog/aviation/what-should-you-think-about-when-upgrading-your-panel/

Flying from California to Hawaii in a Garmin-equipped Cessna 210

Jim Barrett set a goal early in his career: relocate to Hawaii. After years of traveling the country as an advertising photographer and cinematographer for the aviation, marine and auto industries, the time had finally arrived to fulfill his dream. But one big hurdle stood between him and his goal — he needed to figure out how to get “Elizabeth” to Hawaii. “Elizabeth” is a 1962 Cessna 210B; she served him as a “pickup truck” for work, hauling him and his camera gear around the country throughout his career.

As Barrett put it, “I wasn’t gonna box [Elizabeth] up and ship her, and I wasn’t gonna hire a ferry pilot to do it.” There was only one option: to tackle the 2,500-mile transpacific flight himself.

After upgrading the aircraft with required equipment, along with modern Garmin avionics including dual Garmin G3X Touch flight displays, a GTN 750 navigator and more, Barrett was ready to embark on the journey.

Adding peace of mind in the cockpit with Garmin G3X Touch and GTN 750

Weather is a primary consideration for any flight. The unpredictability and unforgiving nature of oceanic weather can make transoceanic flights much more challenging. A clear forecast and favorable winds would be key for Barrett in his single-engine piston aircraft. In early June, promising weather finally emerged, providing a window for him to launch from Watsonville, California, on a direct route to Oahu, Hawaii.

“I saw a forecast with a front that would give me about an average of 27 knots [tailwind] at 10,000’,” Barrett said.

The modern Garmin tech he invested in before the trip delivered valuable flight information throughout the flight. The fuel data displayed on the G3X Touch and GTN series navigator provided an added level of confidence.

“I had the computing power of the G3X Touch and the GTN 750 … they provided fuel range rings that showed where my range ultimately extended and my 45-minute reserve.”

Communicating and position reporting in-flight with Garmin inReach®

Prior to the transpacific flight, Barrett was required to equip his Cessna 210 with a high frequency (HF) radio to provide position reports for air traffic control. In addition to the HF radio, he carried a satellite phone in the cockpit, but his Garmin inReach satellite communicator¹ proved to be the most effective tool for communicating. Leading up to the trip, he had coordinated with air traffic control (ATC) and a friend to ensure his position reports would reach not only ATC, but also his loved ones if his HF radio did not work properly.

“Ten minutes before my hourly check-in I would ping my friend with the inReach, which would give him my position, and I would tell him what my time is to the next fix, my fuel remaining … then he would physically call San Francisco Radio ATC and make the check-in for me.”

As he predicted, the HF radio was often ineffective for making position reports, and there was too much noise in the cockpit to use the satellite phone. The inReach was his best option.

“In the end, I used the inReach for every position report and every compulsory report required during the 15-hour flight … there is no way that I would fly in Hawaii or make that [transpacific] trip without the inReach,” Barrett noted.

Since settling into Hawaii, the inReach has continued to be useful outside of the cockpit.

“We love to hike, so I take the inReach with me when I’m hiking in areas where there is no cellular coverage,” he added.

Learn more about our inReach series, including the new inReach® Mini 2, along with our GTN Xi series navigators and G3X Touch flight displays available for select type-certified and experimental aircraft by visiting Garmin.com. To learn more about Barrett’s expanding photography business, visit JimBarrettPhotography.com.

¹Active satellite subscription required. Some jurisdictions regulate or prohibit the use of satellite communication devices. It is the responsibility of the user to know and follow all applicable laws in the jurisdictions where the device is intended to be used.

The post Flying from California to Hawaii in a Garmin-equipped Cessna 210 appeared first on Garmin Blog.

https://www.garmin.com/en-US/blog/aviation/flying-from-california-to-hawaii-in-a-garmin-equipped-cessna-210/

Garmin Women of Aviation: Who We Are and What We Do

Women Of Aviation Worldwide Week is a celebration of women who fly, recognized annually on the anniversary of the world’s first issuing of a female pilot’s license. This year it runs March 7-13, and at Garmin we’re celebrating by taking a behind-the-scenes look at some of the women associates who make our aviation segment the soaring success that it is. (Sorry, we couldn’t resist.)

From women who learned to fly a plane even before they could drive a car to those who came to a career in aviation engineering by way of a natural attraction to “tinkering,” the Garmin women of aviation improve the industry daily just by being a part of it. Watch the video below to hear their stories.

The post Garmin Women of Aviation: Who We Are and What We Do appeared first on Garmin Blog.

https://www.garmin.com/en-US/blog/aviation/garmin-women-of-aviation-who-we-are-and-what-we-do/

Phoenix Heli-Flight Upgrades Fleet of Airbus Helicopters with Appareo’s New 4K Ultra HD Flight Data Recorder

FARGO, North Dakota (March 8, 2022) — Phoenix Heli-Flight, a charter helicopter company based in Alberta, Canada, today announced plans to upgrade the Flight Data Monitoring (FDM) systems on its fleet of Airbus Helicopters aircraft to Appareo’s recently-certified AIRS-400 4K Ultra HD flight data recorder. The announcement was made today at the HAI HELI-EXPO conference in Dallas, Texas.

“When I first met the Appareo team at HELI-EXPO in 2007, I had no idea how essential their products would be to the future success of our company. Following a fatal and easily preventable crash that year, Phoenix Heli-Flight installed Appareo GAU 2000 flight data recorders in all company helicopters, and subsequently upgraded to the Vision 1000. Appareo’s hardware and software have been the cornerstone of our Flight Operations Quality Assurance (FOQA) program for 15 years. Appareo’s commitment to upgrading their product offering with the AIRS-400 aligns with Phoenix’s commitment to safety and we are eager to install these units,” said Paul Spring, President & CEO, Phoenix Heli-Flight Inc.

In January, Appareo was granted Part 27 STC AML for AIRS-400, its 4K ultra-high-definition Airborne Image Recording System (AIRS). In addition to recording 4K Ultra HD video, AIRS-400 captures pilot intercom system audio, ambient audio, and detailed flight data. With its inertial measurement units, AIRS-400 captures WAAS GPS (altitude, latitude, longitude, ground speed, vertical speed), attitude data (pitch, roll, yaw), rates of rotation, and acceleration data (G forces) — all in a unit that weighs 11 ounces. It is equipped for cellular data offload and comes with options for ARINC 429 input, ED-155 audio output, and RS-422 output, making it the most versatile and flexible lightweight flight data recorder on the market.

Phoenix Heli-Flight Inc. is a privately owned company that has been in operation for 30 years, and is a regional leader concentrating on providing the most modern types and models of aircraft possible. Since starting the business in 1991 with one leased AStar, Phoenix has grown its fleet of helicopters to be the most modern in Canada, including both single and twin turbine engine light helicopters. [Source: phoenixheliflight.com]

“Phoenix Heli-Flight has always been committed to safety,” said Kris Garberg, Appareo Aviation President. “Paul Spring and his team recognize the value of accurate flight data, and for more than 15 years they’ve been successfully using that information to advance safety and reduce risk as part of their FOQA program. We are pleased to continue our partnership as they upgrade their fleet with AIRS-400,” Garberg said.

The initial STC AML for AIRS-400 includes Airbus AS350, Bell 206, and Bell 407. Appareo’s AIRS-400 is one of the easiest FDM devices to install because it is a small, self-contained system requiring only aircraft power, ground, and GPS antenna connections. The simple installation makes it easy to obtain aircraft field approvals. Appareo plans to add to the STC AML in the future. AIRS-400 is now shipping. Read the original original product announcement for more information.

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https://appareo.com/2022/03/08/phoenix-heli-flight-upgrades-fleet-of-airbus-helicopters-with-appareos-new-4k-ultra-hd-flight-data-recorder/

Garmin D2 Air X10: A Smartwatch Purpose-built for Pilots

The Garmin D2 Air X10 is designed with aviators in mind.

It probably comes as no surprise that at Garmin we believe everybody can benefit from a smartwatch, but a pilot’s needs are a bit more specific than someone who stays primarily on solid ground. Enter the D2 Air X10, a smartwatch designed to meet an aviator’s every need from takeoff to touchdown — and all the time spent away from the aircraft too.

Why are pilots loving the Garmin D2 Air X10? Read below for just a sample of all the features that come packaged in this sleek smartwatch, complete with an AMOLED display, a stainless-steel bezel, Corning® Gorilla Glass® 3 and a battery life of up to 7 days in smartwatch mode. Oh, and did we mention the new phone call and voice assistant functionality¹? We understand if you want to add it to the cart before making it the bottom of this post.

Preflight, In-flight and Postflight Tools

The D2 Air X10 boasts a comprehensive package of aviation-specific tools built to help you proceed on course, including:

• Worldwide Direct-to navigation
• Weather reports, including METARS and TAFS²
• Airport runways and frequencies
• Automatic flight logging with your flyGarmin.com® account²
• Pulse Ox monitoring³
• Garmin Pilot app connectivity²
• An HSI for navigation
• A barometric altimeter
• Alerts and timers for fuel tank reminders or other time-critical tasks
• UTC and time zones

Health and Fitness Data

The comprehensive picture the D2 Air X10 provides isn’t limited to your surroundings — it also comes equipped with extensive health⁴ and fitness features to help you take a more precise approach to your wellness. These include:

• Body Battery energy monitoring
• Stress tracking
• The Health Snapshot feature
• Hydration tracking
• Respiration tracking
• Sleep score and advanced sleep monitoring
• Wrist-based heart rate
• Women’s health tracking
• Fitness age
• Built-in sports apps
• Animated, on-screen workouts
• And more

Smart Features

We know how important it is to stay connected, whether on the go or between flights. Make the most of your day with tools that include:

• Smart notifications²
• Safety and tracking features⁵
• Music from Spotify, Deezer or Amazon Music accounts⁶
• Garmin Pay contactless payments
• Access to watches, data fields and apps from the Connect IQ Store app on your compatible smartphone
• The Garmin Connect app on your compatible smartphone

Garmin D2 Air X10 is compatible with both iOS and Android phones and, like all Garmin smartwatches, comes equipped with free workouts and free access to Garmin Connect, as well as all your personal data. Ready to fly through your day? Purchase your Garmin D2 Air X10 here.

¹Certain smartphones are not compatible with voice functionality features; see Garmin.com/VoiceFunctionality

²When paired with a compatible smartphone and in range of BLUETOOTH® technology

³This is not a medical device and is not intended for use in the diagnosis or monitoring of any medical condition; see Garmin.com/ataccuracy. Pulse Ox not available in all countries.

⁴See Garmin.com/ataccuracy

⁵When paired with a compatible smartphone; see Garmin.com/ble. For safety and tracking feature requirements and limitations, see Garmin.com/safety.

⁶Premium subscription may be required

The Bluetooth word mark and logos are registered trademarks owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and any use of such marks by Garmin is under license. SPOTIFY and the Spotify logo are among the registered trademarks of Spotify AB. Amazon Music and all related logos are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. iOS is a trademark licensed to Apple, Inc. Android is a trademark of Google LLC.

The post Garmin D2 Air X10: A Smartwatch Purpose-built for Pilots appeared first on Garmin Blog.

https://www.garmin.com/en-US/blog/aviation/garmin-d2-air-x10-a-smartwatch-purpose-built-for-pilots/

Appareo Granted Part 27 STC AML for New 4K Ultra HD Flight Data Recorder

FARGO, North Dakota (January 26, 2022) — Appareo today announced the certification of AIRS-400, its 4K ultra-high-definition Airborne Image Recording System. AIRS-400 has received a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), for Airbus AS350, Bell 206, and Bell 407. AIRS-400 is one of the easiest FDM devices to install because it is a small, self-contained system requiring only aircraft power, ground, and GPS antenna connections. The simple installation makes it easy to obtain aircraft field approvals. Appareo plans to add to the STC AML in the future. AIRS-400 is now shipping.

In addition to recording 4K Ultra HD video, AIRS-400 captures pilot intercom system audio, ambient audio, and detailed flight data. With its inertial measurement units, AIRS-400 captures WAAS GPS (altitude, latitude, longitude, ground speed, vertical speed), attitude data (pitch, roll, yaw), rates of rotation, and acceleration data (G forces) — all in a unit that weighs 11 ounces. It is equipped for cellular data offload and comes with options for ARINC 429 input, ED-155 audio output, and RS-422 output, making it the most versatile and flexible lightweight flight data recorder on the market. 

To learn more about AIRS-400, read the original product announcement, and contact Appareo for pricing information. 

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https://appareo.com/2022/01/26/appareo-granted-part-27-stc-aml-for-new-4k-ultra-hd-flight-data-recorder/

AGCO to Acquire Appareo

Increases engineering and manufacturing capabilities as well as capacity in software development and related hardware to deliver end-to-end enhanced technology solutions

AGCO, Your Agriculture Company, (NYSE:AGCO), a worldwide manufacturer and distributor of agricultural machinery and precision ag technology, announced an agreement to acquire Appareo Systems, LLC (“Appareo”), a leader in software engineering, hardware development and electronic manufacturing. The acquisition is expected to close in January 2022.

Read full news release on AGCO website: https://news.agcocorp.com/news/agco-agrees-to-acquire-appareo-systems

https://appareo.com/2021/12/21/agco-to-acquire-appareo/