Victor’s Vectors: Portable GPS mounting options
I remember a few years ago when I decided to get my tail wheel endorsement in a Piper Super Cub. Climbing into the pilot seat was the first of many new learning experiences, and flying the Super Cub was a great experience that I remember well. The reason for the nostalgia is because I was recently asked by a Cub owner for a recommendation on how to mount his new portable GPS that came with a yoke mount. If you have ever sat in a Cub then you can see the dilemma. Garmin portables come with several different mounting accessories but these accessories don’t work in all applications. You’ll want to consider all of your options before making an accessory purchase, but a few of the companies I recommend for optional mounting accessories are Air Gizmos, G Force, Garhawk and Ram Mount.
Source: Garmin
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Victor’s Vectors: Portable GPS mounting options
Victor’s Vectors: Spring-clean before you fly
Spring is here! The days are getting longer, the birds are chirping, plants are popping out of the ground, and the flying season is upon us. As my Grandma also said, “There is a time and a season for all things.” So, it’s time to dust off that GPS system you’ve been storing since the fall. Time to get those databases current through flyGarmin. Time to check with your Garmin Dealer about software updates. Time to renew that subscription to XM or Pilot MyCast. Time to check out our free simulators and brush up on those flying skills. It’s time to fly those boundless skies, and remember that Garmin’s right there with you.
Source: Garmin
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Victor’s Vectors: Spring-clean before you fly
Victor’s Vectors: Updating a 696 while it’s in the plane
I wonder! When you turn off the GPSMAP 696 at night and put it to bed in its carrying case after a hard days work, does it dream of being a Multi-Function Display? Probably not, but the engineers that designed the 696 keep finding ways to make that dream closer to a reality.
Following that vision, you can now add the Aviation NavData, Obstacle and SafeTaxi databases to the 696 simultaneously with the FliteCharts database when using a 1 GB or 2 GB SD card. (A SD card larger than 2 GB is not supported.) We told you about the FliteCharts database update in an earlier blog post, but that was just the beginning. This means that you don’t need to take the 696 out of the aircraft to update any of these four databases! The process is fairly easy but I have included some instructions below to help you through the right steps.
1. Review this instructional video to help you set up an account and add your GPS to our website at www.fly.garmin.com
2. After the GPS is added and the databases are purchased the downloading can begin – as mentioned above, you’ll need a 1 GB or 2 GB SD card to download them onto.
3. Click on the database you wish to update and then click on “Install Database”
4. Click on “Download and install databases manually” on the right on the page.
5. On the next page there will be an option to download the database file to you computer. Click on it and save it to your computer. (I recommend saving it to the desktop so that you can easily delete it after the process is complete.) This file is a wizard that will load the database to the SD card.
6. On the same page you will see an unlock code that the wizard will ask for. I recommend copying it or writing it down.
7. Run the wizard and follow the on screen prompts to load the data to the card. The wizard will ask for the drive letter you are programming to, the unit ID of the GPS (this is on flyGarmin on the overview screen), and the unlock code from step 6.
8. Repeat these steps for each database you are updating.
9. Once the information is loaded to the SD card, simply take the card to the plane with you next time you go flying and plug it in with the 696 while it is turned on. This will bring up an Update Database screen on the 696. Press “enter” to start the update.
Source: Garmin
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Victor’s Vectors: Updating a 696 while it’s in the plane
20-year stories: Preserving pieces of Garmin history
In celebration of Garmin’s 20-year anniversary in 2009, we’re reaching back to the past to bring you stories from our younger years. Today you’ll get a peek inside a garage-turned-Garmin museum. The caretaker and archivist is Frank, a long-time Garmin employee who “likes to collect history he can hold in his hands.” He started collecting antique radios in the mid-70s. Before he started his job in aviation engineering for Garmin in October 1995, Frank worked for another avionics manufacturer where he shared a lab with Garmin co-founders Gary Burrell, Min Kao and two of their business partners.
Frank’s passion for preservation sent him digging through dumpsters in his early days at Garmin. “When we moved from Lenexa, there was a lot of stuff thrown away and my collecting instincts just took over. Over the years, people have given me stuff that they wanted to get rid of, so I had a lot of help,” Frank said.
From prototype units to tradeshow displays, signs, photos, employee cards and even a couple of interoffice mail envelopes with the co-founders’ signatures — Frank has a lot of little pieces of Garmin history. All artfully displayed and carefully catalogued in a climate-controlled room, which used to serve as an attached garage for his home. Frank doesn’t know exactly how much time he puts into maintaining his Garmin collection and library, but he did say he spends a lot of time in this 525 square-foot room. As you step into the space, it’s obvious this guy has been doing what he loves for nearly 14 years. He probably doesn’t even call Garmin his “job” or “work.” More like the means to the end he ultimately enjoys — creating products that improve customers’ lives today and then become history he can hold in his hands later.
If you didn’t get a chance to see the first story and video in our 20-year anniversary series, check out this piece, “Garmin goes to the Gulf.”
Source: Garmin
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20-year stories: Preserving pieces of Garmin history
Victor’s Vectors: Turn Your PC Into a SVT Simulator
With the increasing number of aircraft in the air with Synthetic Vision Technology (SVT), I have had several customers ask about the upgrade availability for their G1000 equipped aircraft. Diamond and Mooney are two of the manufacturers that offer the SVT upgrade today, and the Cirrus Perspective comes with SVT as standard. Garmin is working with many other aircraft manufactures to complete SVT certification on their specific airframes and you’ll hear more about these announcements soon. With this new technology hitting the market, I understand why some customers are excited about learning more about SVT. One thing I recommend to customers who are interested in seeing SVT is to check out Garmin’s PC G1000 trainers. The Cirrus Perspective and Diamond DA40 version 9.01 trainers are available now, and are currently the only Garmin trainers with SVT. More trainers with SVT will become available as the aircraft certifications are completed. Having the trainer gives customers a good tool for learning the in’s and out’s of the G1000, and it gives a feel for SVT before leaving the ground.
Note: Before purchasing the trainer I highly recommend looking at the PC requirements. The minimum requirements are listed but I recommend a 256 MB independent video card for single screen operation and 512 MB video card for dual screen operation.
Source: Garmin
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Victor’s Vectors: Turn Your PC Into a SVT Simulator
Victor’s Vectors: FlyGarmin 101
The flyGarmin website is a big improvement to the way Garmin has provided aviation database updates in the past, but we still get calls asking about how to update an aviation handheld’s database. One of our aviation dealers decided to create a YouTube video that I think is worthy of passing on. If you have any other questions that this video did not cover, comment to this post or contact Garmin’s Aviation Support line at 1-866-739-5687 which is open Monday to Friday, 7 am to 7 pm (CT).
Source: Garmin
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Victor’s Vectors: FlyGarmin 101
