Today is the opening day of Heli-Expo in Dallas, Texas, and Garmin came prepared with some exciting news for helicopter operators. Just this morning we unveiled the G5000H, a touchscreen-controlled integrated flight deck specifically designed for medium lift helicopters. Bell Helicopter is the first helicopter manufacturer to announce that they’ve selected the system, and it will be installed on the Bell 525 Relentless, a new super medium transport helicopter that was also introduced today at the show.   

The G5000H features widescreen, high resolution primary flight displays (PFD) and multi-function displays (MFD). The system supports multiple display sizes and is scalable to support a large number of display and touchscreen controller configurations. 

The touchscreen controllers give pilots rapid access to the flight information they want, and the growth-oriented architecture allows for future technologies to be accommodated via software updates.

The G5000H has a multitude of great features and capabilities designed to reduce workload and enhance situational awareness:

• Helicopter Synthetic Vision Technology (HSVT)
• Helicopter Terrain Awareness and Warning System (HTAWS)
• Worldwide datalink weather solutions
• Global connectivity options including the ability to make and receive phone calls
• 3D Audio
• Telligence Voice Command

If you're in Dallas attending Heli-Expo, you'll want to stop by the Garmin booth to check out this new system. And keep checking back to the blog for more updates from the show.

Source: Garmin
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Heli-Expo Day 1: Garmin enters medium lift helicopter market with G5000H

This has been going on for way too long. We’d like to know what our readers think about this issue. But very briefly here is what’s been going on:

LightSquared is trying to build a LTE network with about 40000 powerful ground transmitters. The frequency they are allocated sits right next to the frequency used by GPS receivers. GPS signals are much more weaker compared to LightSqaured signals. There’s going to be interference.

GPS industry is saying this is going to be devastating for GPS receivers used in aviation, cell phones, car and marine navigatoors, high precision devices used in agriculture, surveying, etc, and GPS Timing.

LightSquared is saying GPS interference tests are rigged, and the GPS receivers should be regulated so they won’t pickup signals from neighboring bands.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post’s poll.

Brought to you by your GPS navigation site NaviGadget.

Who do you believe? LightSquared or GPS industry?

Source: Navigadget
Read more here:Who do you believe? LightSquared or GPS industry?

We love to hear from customers who are putting our devices to the test while pushing their own endurance. Local cyclist David Conrad sent us a note after his recent competition at the Masters World Cyclocross Championships in Louisville, Kentucky. David has been riding and racing with Garmin Edge products since they first hit the shelves, though his racing career predates our product line. He used to race with John Vande Velde, father of Team Garmin-Barracuda leader Christian, as well as father and uncle of Team Garmin’s Peter Stetina. Bet he has some pretty impressive photo collections and memories from his career. Here’s what David had to say about his experience in Louisville:

My Edge 705 was with me and kept up to the muddy mess and the hosing off later. I still have some Louisville mud on my Edge and my bike (also my bags and more places to discover). The race on Friday, Jan. 13 was to determine starting spot on the starting grid. Sunday’s race was the actual championship. I let three guys pass me because Ned Overand passed me and I thought they were in second place chasing. I did not want to be "that guy" to affect the front of the race without being in the action for those places and realized the error as soon as they passed me. I crashed hard a couple of times on Sunday and was just in survival mode by the end.

Thanks to his Edge 705 and Garmin Connect, David is able to track every mile, minute and minutia of details about his rides. While he said his overall mileage for 2011 was down from typical years due to work demands and other events, he logged 5,822 miles for the year (compared to 8,417 in 2010). He continues to inspire many of us here at Garmin. After seeing his gritty pics from the Championships, one associate who recently got bit (hard) by the cycling bug, said “My bucket list now has a new picture to add to it. Though I love-love my nice clean road bike, I so want a reason to pick it up and run through something I'd yell at my kids for jumping into.” 

Source: Garmin
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David and his Edge 705 muddle through World Cyclocross Championships

TomTom announced in UK that it will work with Motaquote to lower down your insurance premium cost by tracking how you drive with their new TomTom PRO 3100. It’s a new policy called Fair Pay insurance which “reward good drivers with a lower bill but in return you’re giving up your privacy.

When you sign up you’ll get the LIVE services working on your GPS navigation device to warn you about speed cameras and accident hot spots and more. It can even warn you if there’s sudden breaking on your route. Of course the feedback is with the LINK tracking unit. This will inform Motaquote on your driving habits which you can also check yourself or get them in your email.

TomTom is trying to differentiate itself from others by providing services like this. In times when smartphones have a sharp 4.3″ screen, constant connectivity and free GPS navigation apps they really have to try hard.

Brought to you by your GPS navigation site NaviGadget.

TomTom PRO 3100 lowers your insurance premium

Source: Navigadget
Read more here:TomTom PRO 3100 lowers your insurance premium

I recently read an article about a pilot suing his airline for not having the option to carry his charts electronically on an iPad which led to a back injury.  Many pilots, including myself, have felt the pain of carrying several pounds worth of charts.  To battle this issue, many pilots are turning to electronic devices such as the iPad or Garmin’s aera 796. Whether you go with a dedicated device such as the aera or you go with the iPad, Garmin has you covered.  Pilot My-Cast for the iPad puts large amounts of information literally at your fingertips, and recently Pilot My-Cast has gotten even better.  Earlier this week Pilot My-Cast released Version 3.3, which improves on its already stellar list of features. 

The enhanced features include:
•    Integration with XM weather using the Baron Mobile Link (purchased separately), which with a subscription from XM will allow you to get XM satellite weather information on your iPad while in flight.
•    Enhanced Flight Plan and Direct-To features, which add the ability to insert departures and arrivals to the active flight plan and graphically edit the flight plan.
•    NavTrack, which is a valuable pre-flight planning tool, now locks to your current location while in-flight updating text products (METARs, TAFs, Winds, etc) and widgets with information closest to your location.
•    Improvements were made to make it even easier to download and access all the charts you need for your flight.

With this large amount of information packaged into an iPad weighing in at less than two pounds it’s a great value that won’t break your back.

Source: Garmin
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Victor’s Vectors: Pilot My-Cast now supports XM weather

“In the morning before getting out of bed, I spend a few moments setting mini goals for the day.  I decide what I intend to do and then try to live up to that. I fail on a regular basis for various reasons, but I also succeed some days. The practice of being intentional about how you want to live each day helps me stay focused and on track.” – Rebecca Rusch

Absolutely nothing seems impossible to new Garmin Sponsored Athlete Rebecca Rusch, in fact, that word doesn’t even exist in her vocabulary. Whether it’s paddling the always dangerous Molokai crossing with the famous Offshore Canoe Club women’s outrigger team, scaling high-peaks during epic ascents like Yosemite, or winning the past three Leadville Trail 100 mountain bike races (setting the course record as well), Rusch is always in search of her next challenge and adventure!

Rusch is excited to incorporate the power of Garmin’s GPS products into her training and racing and has already started using an Edge 500 on her handle bars and a Forerunner 910xt on her wrist while cross training. In addition to three 24-hour solo mountain bike World Champion rainbow jerseys, Rusch is the current World Champion for Master’s XC mountain biking, the 2011 National XC single-speed champion, and a three-time national champion in 24-hour team mountain biking. She has won Idaho’s Short Track state championship (twice), and a Cyclocross state title. An accomplished Nordic skier, she’s won the Masters Cross Country Skiing World Championship, in addition to taking the top prize at Raid Gauloises Adventure Racing World Championships.

 “Every night before falling asleep, I ask myself, ‘what was the best part of my day?’  Even if it was a horrible day, I find some little thing to appreciate. Believe me, sometimes I have to dig deep to find
something to feel good about, but I do it anyway.” – Rebecca Rusch

After all her mind boggling achievements and feats that seem un-human, it is Rusch’s down-to-earth and genuine personality that we are most excited about. Like Garmin, Rusch wants nothing more than to see a world of health conscious people who are actively living their lives searching for their next challenge. Welcome to the Garmin family, Rebecca!

Source: Garmin
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Garmin Welcomes World Class Mountain Biker and Endurance Athlete Extraordinaire Rebecca Rusch to the Family