LAS VEGAS — At this week’s National Business Aviation Association convention Garmin unveiled new worldwide weather pricing plans, as well as a new position reporting service.
These services offer pilots seamless access to weather products around the world and supply position information to both owners and operators, ultimately increasing safety and situational awareness, Garmin officials said.
“The new, straightforward worldwide weather pricing plans offer owners and operators predictability of their month-to-month service charges and provides pilots confidence knowing they’ll have access to valuable weather information when they need it most,” said Carl Wolf, Garmin’s vice president of marketing and sales. “Customers told us they wanted a completely integrated position reporting service with the Garmin avionics they already have and we listened, delivering the capabilities they need for their operations in a completely integrated package.”
Customers may select from two worldwide weather plans based on their flying needs. For those with moderate flight activity, a package that offers a set number of weather requests for a single monthly price is available. For owners who fly more frequently, a larger package encompassing more weather requests offers pilots an additional option.
These plans also contain monthly fees, as well as any airtime charges associated with the weather requests for an easy-to-understand price, company officials said. All-inclusive plans start at $100 a month. Existing customers can continue to use their existing plan or rollover their account to either of the new, simplified plans at any time, officials noted.
Position reporting services offer owners information that may be important for business and personal purposes. Using their Garmin Flight Deck or avionics, pilots may choose how frequently they wish to send a position report, to be displayed by a provider such as FlightAware.com.
To take advantage of these new plans and service, as well as other global connectivity services, customers need a GSR 56 Iridium datalink transceiver and a compatible display using the latest software. The GSR 56 is currently compatible with the GTN series, G500, G600, G500H flight displays, select G1000/G950-equipped aircraft, and G900X flight decks for experimental aircraft, with future availability in select G2000, G3000, and G5000-equipped aircraft.
For more information: Garmin.com
Another clear indication of Garmin’s detachment from the real world of GA flight economics, and needed capabilities. At $100/month!!?? ….Compared to just using an iPhone/iPad, which does pretty much as well, and in some instances even better? They’d be much better off investing in RNP, GLS, and a low cost VDL Mode 2 data link, that would actually add value and capability to GA ops, instead of adding overpriced and limited value features, integrated with obsolete and difficult to use, and poorly human factors engineered NAV units.
Many decades, I am curious about your comments about the Garmin Nav units not being wel designed for human users – can you elaborate? We are looking at a G1000 Kingair but don;t want it to be difficult to use for GPS ops.