Also Adds AOPA Database, Other New Capabilities

Garmin announced Monday that the G500/G600 will soon have new features and capabilities thanks to a software upgrade expected by the fourth quarter of 2010. The new features will include compatibility with Garmin’s GSR 56 Iridium voice and data service with worldwide weather capability, AOPA Airport Directory database support, a video input display option, third party radar interface, and display support for radar altimeter.

Garmin G600

“The G500 and G600 continue to be a favorite with aircraft owners who want a glass cockpit, as well as aircraft manufacturers that want to offer Garmin-glass but don’t have the panel real estate for a G1000,” said Gary Kelley, Garmin’s vice president of marketing. “We believe our new GSR 56 Iridium system will be one of the most popular upgrades to the G600 suite since it gives pilots the worldwide weather and voice and data connectivity that they often need for their operations.”

Garmin’s Iridium based transceiver, the GSR 56, has worldwide weather capability and informs pilots of METARs, TAFs, and winds aloft around the globe. In addition, radar and satellite imagery are available for the United States, Southern Canada and Western Europe. Additional regions are expected to receive radar and satellite imagery in the future.

The GSR 56 also offers Iridium voice and data service (subscription required) that lets pilots or passengers make worldwide Iridium-based calls from the airplane’s cockpit or cabin while in-flight or on the ground. From the cockpit, the dialing interface is provided through the multi-function display (MFD) side of the G500/G600 and incoming call messages are prioritized with other aural messages.

Several other new standard or optional features are expected to be available with the G500/G600’s new software:

• An electronic version of the AOPA Airport Directory will be available as an optional, subscription-based database download. AOPA’s popular U.S. pilot guide includes FBO listings, fuel and service information at over 7,400 U.S. airports.
• Customers will have the ability to display video from a third party forward looking infrared (FLIR) camera or other video sources for enhanced vision system (EVS) or live-cam video monitoring.
• Customers with select third-party radars will now have the option to interface their G500/G600 with ARINC 708 compliant radars including the Bendix/King RDR series ART 2000 antenna/receiver/transmitter units, as well as the RS-181A and RS-811A sensors used on the RDS 81/82 series. In addition, the G500/G600 will display select third-party radar altimeter readouts on the PFD.

Garmin G500 Chart Display

The G500/G600 will be available in right or left-side PFD configuration. The G500 and G600 show critical flight data on two six and a half inch diagonal flat-panel displays, which means the attitude display is over 50-percent larger than a traditional three-inch instrument.

The PFD and MFD screens are mounted side by side in a single bezel that fits neatly into the “six pack” slot of the instrument panel. The G600’s PFD shows attitude, airspeed, climb rate, altitude and course/heading information over a virtual terrain image, and the MFD displays detailed moving-map graphics of the aircraft’s current position in relation to ground features, chart data, navaids, flight plan routings and more.

The G600 has an Approved Model List Supplemental Type Certification (AML STC) that allows it to be installed on nearly 800 different makes and models of normal and utility category aircraft, which typically includes single and twin piston and turbine engine aircraft with a certification weight up to 12,500 lbs. The G500 also has an AML STC that allows it to be installed on over 500 different makes and models. The G500 is designed specifically for Part 23 Class I and Class II aircraft, which are defined as single and twin-engine piston and turbine engine aircraft under 6,000 pounds. Since the G600’s introduction in July 2007, Garmin has continued to upgrade the system so that customers have the advantages of flying with the latest technology without having to replace the original physical equipment. In July 2009, the G600 was upgraded with synthetic vision technology (SVT™), GAD 43 autopilot interface adapter, and support for the optional GWX 68. Garmin anticipates the new features – GSR 56, AOPA  airport.

Directory database support, a video input display option, third party radar interface, and display support for radar altimeter – to be available by the fourth quarter of 2010.

FMI: www.garmin.com