Garmin Pilot

I loaded Garmin's new Android App on my relatively new quad core Asus Transformer Prime tablet. So far the App looks to be pretty cool. One of the options for the base map is current sectional chart views. With the Asus' 600 nit display it could very well replace my My Pilot Store sectional subscriptions. Flight planning seems to be pretty close to what I have been looking for. Now all that is needed is an easy way to get a flight plan loaded into both my G3X GDU 370 and GPSMap 696. I haven't found an option, in Garmin Pilot, to export a flight plan in Garmin format.

Real time weather display on the base map while you are developing a flight plan is another pretty cool feature. Now if we could just get a reliable wifi link at 8,000 feet.

I have been upgrading my panel as I could afford it. First came the GPSMap 696, then the G3X and now the Asus Android tablet with Garmin Pilot software. If I were to make a guess, the three Garmin products are from three separate Garmin profit centers. You can get a bulk database update rate for all of your panel mounted products. Unfortunately that does not include the 696 or the Garmin Pilot. It sure would be nice if I could just license my airplane for Garmin software and pay a single yearly license fee.



The Asus Transformer Prime tablet is just sitting on the throttle and mixture controls so it could be included in the picture.

Review vs Wing X and Foreflight

Sure would appreciate reviews from the group comparing the new Garmin Pilot software with Foreflight and/or Wing X...

Thanx in advance.

Victor

Garmin Pilot vs Foreflight

I've been a Foreflight user for 2 years or so. Great product. A game changer in terms of reduced cockpit clutter, ease of flight planning, and situational awareness.

I've tried Garmin Pilot for a few hours. I think it's a great first effort. Logically arranged, some nice features. One clear advantage of Garmin Pilot over Foreflight is Garmin's fuel price data. I found it was updated sooner than Foreflight when prices changed, and Garmin provides fuel price info at some places that Foreflight doesn't. Garmin Pilot automatically arranges approach plates into departure and arrival airport "binders" - quite handy.

However, when I began to run low on memory I deleted Garmin Pilot and kept Foreflight for these reasons:
- Stability - the Garmin product crashes
- Speed - the Garmin product can be VERY slow to load a map in flight, displaying the message "failed to load base map" for quite a while (yes, all the maps were verified to have been downloaded to the iPad prior to flight).
- Flight plan interface is better on Foreflight (time displayed in user's time zone, for example). Foreflight handles SFRA flight plans especially well.
- A/FD data (minor point) - Foreflight provides quick and easy A/FD access. I couldn't find all that data on the Garmin product.

Also, note that Foreflight is integrated with Sporty's new ADS-B weather receiver.

I'll be keeping an eye on Garmin's product improvements. If Garmin addresses the speed and stability issues, and integrates A/FD data, I could be convinced to switch, particularly if Garmin continues to have better fuel price data.

Tim,

Very good review... Thanx.

Victor

When I saw that Garmin had an app, I hoped it would essentially duplicate my Aera on the iPad/iPhone screen. Unfortunately, not only is it only a meager imitation of their usual GPS offerings, it suffers from the same fatal flaw of every iOS flying app to date: lack of Canadian VFR support.

Garmin could certainly make an app that's every bit as good as a 696 or 796. But if they do, they'll cannibalize sales of their standalone units.

Tablet vs Ipad?

How does it compare to an iPad for readability?