Garmin Revolutionizes Aviation Charting with SmartCharts

[donkaye, MCFI]

Thanks, that worked.  Usually just going to the App Store and typing in an app you already have will indicate an update is available.  Not so this time.  Tapping on the App icon handles that situation this time.

[1980Mooney]

I wonder if Thoma Bravo was aware that this was in the Garmin pipeline.  This can't be good for ForeFlight.  They will have to play catch up if they are able or just forfeit market share and price.

Just one more step in which Garmin seamlessly integrates hardware and software to ease use and pilot load.  But remember - this will just make us more dependent upon Garmin.  I am sure it is a calculated step in Garmin's strategy towards creating a GA avionics monopoly at the end of the day.  

[midlifeflyer]

44 minutes ago, 1980Mooney said:

I wonder if Thoma Bravo was aware that this was in the Garmin pipeline.  This can't be good for ForeFlight.  They will have to play catch up if they are able or just forfeit market share and price.

Just one more step in which Garmin seamlessly integrates hardware and software to ease use and pilot load.  But remember - this will just make us more dependent upon Garmin.  I am sure it is a calculated step in Garmin's strategy towards creating a GA avionics monopoly at the end of the day.  

It may have some impact but I really don’t think it’s going to have a huge effect. By far most of the differences are feel and flow.

[larryb]

I was able to update the app itself but have been stuck here for an hour

Took a full re-install to get past this hang

[NickG]

5 hours ago, donkaye, MCFI said:

I was just about to call Garmin and ask why they would announce and not have a user able to upgrade to the new version.  Then I see everyone else seems be able to do it.  I still can't update my older version of GP to the new version.  Is anyone else having this issue or is there some magic that needs to be done to update?

Go to the app store, search for Garmin Pilot and choose "Update"

[toto]

I noticed in the release notes that anyone with a standard subscription to GP will get a free three-month upgrade to premium to check out the SmartCharts features. 

This useful for me, since my OnePak just expired about a week ago … but also for anyone who wants to explore the full feature set for the $100 cost of the standard edition. 

[dkkim73]

Lots of good info above. 

Two summary points:

• You would expect it to offer an update or "just work" on Apple, but it doesn't. Try the body English described above
• It was implied that prior users would get a new trial. I had the Premium upgrade from my DB package. I simply emailed Garmin Aviation Support and they gave me a trial. They're quite reasonable in my experience. Also, I test new vendors by calling or emailing a naive question. Garmin always passes. 

Looks great at first blush. Will try it out soon. 

Wonder what will trickle into panel units and Aera...

[Oscar Avalle]

Amazing...just watched the videos and downloaded the update. this is really a gamechanger. I am looking forward to the global rollout!!!

[midlifeflyer]

BTW, in addition to all the requests for additional feature, there is actually one thing missing. I would have never noticed it if someone else didn't point it out. There is no timing table for approaches which require timing. As a complete alternative to traditional charts, that's a bit of a surprise. 

Perhaps it's an assumption that everyone has certified RNAV equipment in the cockpit or will calculate it themselves

[kortopates]

2 hours ago, midlifeflyer said:

BTW, in addition to all the requests for additional feature, there is actually one thing missing. I would have never noticed it if someone else didn't point it out. There is no timing table for approaches which require timing. As a complete alternative to traditional charts, that's a bit of a surprise. 

Perhaps it's an assumption that everyone has certified RNAV equipment in the cockpit or will calculate it themselves

Good point, but rather than adding a table they could do much better. For instance, for a static view of the plate give the time for selected the max speed category, but for a dynamic view use actual ground speed give a remaining time to the MAWP and even better add  required FPM/VSR rate to get to min's by the MAWP.

But if they give me back my track pointer that will work also, although not as well. 

[Pinecone]

On 5/29/2025 at 2:54 PM, PeteMc said:

And I heard the installation of the latest version with SmartCharts required a new download of the database(s).  So if that's the case and you would have to wait for the new download anyway, you could always delete your current version and reinstall the new one.  

It downloads the SmartCharts, which is MUCH faster than the full database.

On my phone, the SmartCharts database DL was very quick.  My iPad required a full download for some reason.

[PeteMc]

42 minutes ago, Pinecone said:

It downloads the SmartCharts, which is MUCH faster than the full database.

I guess that makes sense.  The post I had read somewhere else was unclear and it sounded like a full download.

 

[Garmin Aviation Team]

Hi everyone,

We are grateful for all your feedback about SmartCharts! To get a more in-depth look at the SmartCharts technology, check out this new video tutorial that walks through a scenario flight:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCYZNTRX8bU

This video has chapters for each chart type, making it easy to view the sections you want to learn more about.

To answer some frequently asked questions about SmartCharts:

Are SmartCharts legal charts?

Yes, SmartCharts are legal charts that provide pilots with the required aeronautical information for flight. They provide the same information as traditional government charts, just in a different format. 

What version of Garmin Pilot will I need?

Version 25.5.0

If I don’t see SmartCharts, what do I need to do?

1.      Update to Garmin Pilot 25.5.0 by going to the app store > search Garmin Pilot > click on the Garmin Pilot app > click on the blue update button

2.      Confirm that the Garmin Navigation Database is current and active in the downloads page

3.      Toggle SmartCharts on in the top left corner of the airports page > charts section or the charts page> binders section.

 

MooneySpace answers:

Rick Junkin, exM20K, and LANCECASPER

Garmin shares your interest in having SmartCharts on flight displays and portables, though we do not have a plan for this today. The team is focused on getting this into as many hands as possible with the Garmin Pilot app. We appreciate your interest in SmartCharts!

kortopates

Currently there is not an option to overlay Track Vector Mode and Traffic on SmartCharts, although there is an option in the menu button in the top right to have a split screen of the SmartChart and the map. I have passed your request along to the team.

 

Thank you all for your comments and questions, and hope you are enjoying this new feature.  

Joe Megna - Garmin Aviation 

 

[midlifeflyer]

6 hours ago, kortopates said:

Good point, but rather than adding a table they could do much better. For instance, for a static view of the plate give the time for selected the max speed category, but for a dynamic view use actual ground speed give a remaining time to the MAWP and even better add  required FPM/VSR rate to get to min's by the MAWP.

But if they give me back my track pointer that will work also, although not as well. 

I can see them tying a static timing item, perhaps a short range,  based on user-selected airspeeds.
 

Time to the MAWP is already available; has been since way before SmartCharts. It’s just the next waypoint in the sequence, but doesn’t take the place of a timing table when timing is necessary.

[donkaye, MCFI]

I ran the ILS into Stockton, California this morning, picked up the phone a little late, but did get the plane coming down the glidslope.  The plane was on AP and I believe the GS is the nose of the plane where the beam is pulsing.  It was right on slope.

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/hh022n5arvgzpgq0i6nw2/IMG_3850.MOV?rlkey=hg6d9kky7ql4mjg4m4fasyje7&st=z4xqn4gy&dl=0

[hammdo]

I’ve been chair flying GP Smart Charts. I created a flight and, using demo mode with flight plan, I’ve been comparing with ForeFlight.

Setup flight plan, click the … upper right, select demo mode, setup options, fly! Gives me a great chance to try it out…

 

 

[hammdo]

You can setup synth vision to view your flight. Very similar to what I do in ForeFlight when going to new places. I do really like ForeFlight’s 3D mode but this works.

You can do direct to, add waypoints or procedures to the flight plan, etc. Really helps to learn the product outside of the plane.

procedure loaded and profile…

 

-Don

[midlifeflyer]

48 minutes ago, hammdo said:

I’ve been chair flying GP Smart Charts. I created a flight and, using demo mode with flight plan, I’ve been comparing with ForeFlight.

Setup flight plan, click the … upper right, select demo mode, setup options, fly! Gives me a great chance to try it out…

 

I did a few demo flights using X-Plane.

If you have been flying with a GTN navigator, you should find the flight plan setup very familiar.

[toto]

Flew a couple of hours today, playing with SmartCharts under VFR. The presentation is really pretty clear and easy to follow, much less busy than traditional NOS or Jepp charts. It’s going to take a little time to get used to these before I’d be comfortable using as my primary chart reference for an IFR flight, but not much time. For the most part, I think these are all gain, no pain. Feels like a 21st century improvement over a mid-20th century product. 

[kortopates]

On 5/30/2025 at 7:00 PM, midlifeflyer said:

Time to the MAWP is already available; has been since way before SmartCharts. It’s just the next waypoint in the sequence, but doesn’t take the place of a timing table when timing is necessary.

Good point, wasn't remembering we have ETE to next waypoint. But then again timing is only really necessary if we're not using GPS nor DME and only VOR's - maybe that's why they didn't include it. But your right, the app can't substitute for the need to time when necessary.

[RideOrFly]

I had never tried Garmin Pilot until I saw this the other day—downloaded it and messed around in demo for a bit, then used it for a flight this morning. The smart charts are awesome. I intentionally pulled up the wrong approach initially and it was easy to switch to another without ever leaving the map screen (in split screen mode). I also noticed that the performance numbers for the plane appear to be right out of the AFM, as are the checklists. Nice touch. I think the GP premium is a bit less expensive than the top-tier ForeFlight subscription, and with smart charts I think I could do without my Jeppesen subscription. Very excited about this overall. 

[Pinecone]

FYI, if you have a Garmin panel, GP Premium is included with a One Pack subscription.  For some odd reason, you still have to pay for the Basic level.

[exM20K]

2 hours ago, Pinecone said:

FYI, if you have a Garmin panel, GP Premium is included with a One Pack subscription.  For some odd reason, you still have to pay for the Basic level.

I thought this was the case, but it wasn’t obvious to me how to activate it.  I guess I need to look harder.

-dan

[dkkim73]

2 hours ago, exM20K said:

I thought this was the case, but it wasn’t obvious to me how to activate it.  I guess I need to look harder.

-dan

There is some verbiage in the announcement about giving people who've already used a trial a new trial to check out SmartCharts. I emailed Garmin Aviation Support and they kindly gave me a 30-day trial of Basic (which then automatically benefits from the Premium upgrade which I had from (e.g.) a G1000 subscription). They are pretty reasonable and seem to err on the side of generosity. In a way, I am also trialing Garmin Support here

I tried these on my most recent flight. It's very clever and definitely declutters the approach. It's actually kind of weird, and I found myself flipping to the govt chart view to do my familiar brief process (tried both ways). I flew a less-familiar approach and it was a bit fast, which distracted from the eval. But still an impressive start. I am planning to play more with Garmin Pilot to get some familiarity and give it more of a chance vs. ForeFlight (which feels reasonably fluid at this point). 

It also seems that the W&B and performance profiles are not as well fleshed-out in GP vs. Foreflight. 

[PeteMc]

4 hours ago, Pinecone said:

FYI, if you have a Garmin panel, GP Premium is included with a One Pack subscription.  For some odd reason, you still have to pay for the Basic level.

I always thought they should include the Basic in the OnePak and then have you pay for the Premium.  But I guess their Marketing people think it's working that way.

I also thought there should be a Pilot Lite for those that just want to use Pilot to update their DBs.  Though I'd probably still use the SD Card for speed and consistency.