Certified avionics

[triple8s]

Although I am not an old crusty flown all my life person who really knows lots about aviation I just don't understand why these avionics companies don't see an obvious need. It's crystal clear the need for hardware and software alike to enable pilots and students to train and plan away from an aircraft without the Hobbs ticking. Why has Garmin not seen how much could be gained by making a device or even software the could be used at home to practice using the equipment that's permenantly on board, and also a way to build a flight plan AT home using weather info and your computer and then transfer the plan into the on board equipment! This could be done in many ways but the most explosive way would be if it was software that could be used on a tablet or portable device then the flight plan loaded via Bluetooth, WIFI or even a removable data card, and information transferred into the nav/com/gps. What would really good is if these avionics companies would think more about the GA pilot that was trying to learn and offer options that would teach and help simplify the use of their product. There are revenue streams that these guys are missing.

[SkyPilot]

I flew a Caravan on floats in the NT during the summer of 2006. The bird had dual slaved Garmin 430s, 3 axis autopilot, moving map, radar altimeter, and all kinds of junk I'd never seen before. The first thing the Chief Pilot did was give me a Garmin CD for the 430s. It was a laptop/computer radio simulator. So they so have it. Also, Micorsoft flight sim x had a lot of radios you could practice IFR on. I just got a copy of X-plane which is a super-good flight simulator. It takes 6.66 gigs of memory. I can't tell you how good it is because I need to buy a new laptop to run it. It will hopefully make practicing my IFR a hobby I can do in camp while in the jungle. Then, when I get home on days off I can have a much easier time gettting the rust out of the flying brain...

[rbridges]

I don't know if it was made by Garmin (I think it was), I downloaded a 430 sim for my laptop,  It was older b/c the approaches into my airport were wrong.  Maybe they stopped offering these with the newer hardware?  I agree that there should be a way to familiarize yourself with the equipment.  

[Cruiser]

Its called "Connected Panel" its made by Aspen. It works like you say............. do your planning at home on your iPad. Take it to the plane, link up wirelessly and transfer or input data from the iPad to the plane. 

 

Garmin makes a migration kit but you can't use it in the plane and you have to buy a lot of expensive stuff to make it work at home.

[Bob - S50]

Garmin does have a free simulator to learn how to use their GPS.  Download it from the intenet if you like.  Helped me figure out what I could not understand by reading the manual.  However, they do ...not... update the database.  It is for training, not planning a flight.  That said, the terrain does not change much so it works pretty well for looking at terrain clearance.

 

As for transferring data, I always let the engine idle until the oil temp comes up to 90F before I taxi.  While I'm waiting for that to happen, I program the radios.  Since we have the GTN650 and it knows airways it makes it pretty easy to set in a route.

 

Even so, I think your wish will eventually come true.

 

Bob

[Marauder]

Its called "Connected Panel" its made by Aspen. It works like you say............. do your planning at home on your iPad. Take it to the plane, link up wirelessly and transfer or input data from the iPad to the plane.

Garmin makes a migration kit but you can't use it in the plane and you have to buy a lot of expensive stuff to make it work at home.

The unfortunate part about Connected Pilot is that it won't work with the GTN series. Something about Garmin not sharing the communication protocol with Aspen to make it work.