Garmin has introduced integrated weight and balance calculations, as well as aircraft performance tables and calculations within the Garmin Pilot app on Apple mobile devices.
Also new to Garmin Pilot, Freehand flight planning allows for flight plan editing from the moving map page.
Pilot-configurable checklists are also integrated within Garmin Pilot, providing pilots the option to create custom checklists.
These new features and more are available as a free update for existing customers.
Integrated weight & balance
Garmin Pilot now incorporates weight and balance calculations into a flight plan or a saved trip, taking into account fuel burn and more for a comprehensive look at weight and balance characteristics throughout an entire flight, according to company officials.
Pilots can take advantage of pre-loaded aircraft types or enter aircraft weight and balance figures manually, noting the arm, moment and station of each point from the Pilot’s Operating Handbook (POH).
Figures such as center of gravity (CG) are referenced in the application relative to an active flight plan. In the event CG limits entered within the app are exceeded, pilots receive a visual alert.
Customized weight and balance profiles can be shared across multiple Garmin Pilot accounts. For example, pilots that operate a single airplane in a club can share the same weight and balance profile across different Garmin Pilot accounts.
Enhanced performance calculation
New performance tables calculate climb, cruise and descent profiles so pilots can reference performance characteristics specific to their aircraft within Garmin Pilot.
Pilots can input figures that calculate aircraft performance, including variables such as power setting, fuel and distance to climb and cruise.
All aircraft performance calculations also take into account pertinent factors such as outside air temperature (OAT) and altitude.
Several of the most popular fixed-wing aircraft models among Garmin Pilot users are pre-populated within the app, however, similar to weight and balance data, aircraft performance tables that are manually created may be shared across multiple Garmin Pilot accounts. Additional aircraft types are expected to be added to the aircraft library in upcoming Garmin Pilot releases.
Additional flyGarmin integration
Enhanced flyGarmin integration provides customers with more opportunities to customize and save data within the Garmin Pilot app. Pilots now have the option to input and save their own aircraft performance characteristics manually within the flyGarmin website, which can be shared across individualized aircraft profiles with other pilots across different accounts. Customized checklists can also be created within flyGarmin and synced to the Garmin Pilot app on a mobile device.
Freehand
With a single tap pilots can utilize new Freehand flight plan editing, which can be accessed via the radial menu within Garmin Pilot. Freehand allows pilots to plan or fly around weather, airspace, terrain or other pertinent features without leaving the moving map.
Access Freehand by long-pressing over an active flight plan route on the map. By selecting the graphically edit icon within the radial menu, pilots can either tap individual waypoints or utilize Freehand mode to draw a route, which uses a combination of NavAids, intersections and airports to generate a new flight plan with a simple finger swipe across the map.
Customized Checklists
Checklists can now be created and displayed within the Garmin Pilot app. Similar to an aircraft POH, these checklists can be categorized by normal, abnormal and emergency and then sorted even further by phase of flight, such as preflight, before takeoff and before landing.
Customized checklists are also interactive, allowing pilots to select each individual checklist item. When selected, the checklist item turns green and a green checkmark confirms the step has been completed.
Additional features
- Pilots can import multiple user-defined waypoints into Garmin Pilot using a CSV file format from a computer.
- Flight plans can now be created online using AOPA’s Flight Planner or SkyVector on a computer and sent to Garmin Pilot on a mobile device.
- Pilots can configure home screen icons to suit their flight planning preferences.
Garmin Pilot 8.5 for Apple mobile devices is available immediately as a free update, providing existing customers access to these latest features. For new customers, Garmin Pilot is available in 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 for the U.S. starting at $74.99.