Garmin International Inc., a unit of Garmin Ltd., today announced an expanded feature set, an enhanced user interface and additional wireless connectivity solutions for its popular GTN 650/750 touchscreen navigators.
GTN 750 pinch-to-zoom (Photo: Business Wire)
New GTN enhancements include pinch-to-zoom, Telligence Voice Command1 and more. Additional Connext®capabilities include Flight Stream 510 integration, which supports wireless Database Concierge between the GTN and the Garmin Pilot™ app on a mobile device. Flight plan transfer, as well as traffic, weather, GPS information and more also display on select mobile devices when paired with Flight Stream 510. Pilots can also utilize the Garmin Pilot app on Apple mobile devices to send text messages and initiate phone calls1. These new features bring advanced capabilities and even more functionality to new and existing GTN 650/750 touchscreen avionics.
“We continue to make major enhancements to the GTN that gives tens of thousands of customers access to new, industry-leading features and connectivity options, while also giving prospective customers flying behind older equipment even more reasons to upgrade their avionics,” said Carl Wolf, Garmin vice president of aviation sales and marketing. “With features like Telligence Voice Command, pilots will feel as though they have a virtual co-pilot sitting in the seat next to them as the GTN completes tasks via spoken commands. These features and more help pilots keep their eyes out of the cockpit by providing a more intuitive, natural user interface that assists them in completing the most important task - flying the aircraft.”
Control the GTN via spoken commands using Telligence
When installed with a separate push-to-command button, Telligence Voice Command can help reduce pilot workload by using automatic speech recognition technology within the GTN and GMA™ 35/GMA 350 audio panels to perform common tasks. Based on intuitive phraseology, Telligence now accepts hundreds of commands at the push of a button.
For example, when on approach to land, pilots can simply state, “Tune Destination Tower” to load the tower frequency into the standby position. While on a cross-country, pilots can state “Tune Nearest Center” to proactively load the closest center frequency that pilots can expect during the next hand-off from ATC. To view a specific page within the GTN at-a-glance, pilots can simply state “Show Flight Plan Page.” While flying over an interesting point, simply saying “Create Waypoint” will place a user waypoint at the aircraft’s current location. In the event ATC asks for distance information from the airport or a particular fix, stating “Show Distance” will display a pop-up box with distance information based on information entered in the flight plan. Alternatively, for a verbal readout of distance information, pilots can state, “Say distance to destination” and the GTN will verbally read out the distance to the destination airport through the audio panel.
Pinch-to-zoom user interface
The GTN 650/750 now features pinch-to-zoom capability on any map, traffic or terrain page, in addition to the dedicated zoom icons. Much like pinch-to-zoom on a smartphone or tablet, pilots can naturally use two-finger gestures on the GTN to zoom in and zoom out.
Database Concierge wireless database management
The new Flight Stream 510 is a small, patented Wi-Fi® and Bluetooth®-enabled MultiMediaCard (MMC) that enables wireless Database Concierge and communication between the GTN 650/750 series, select avionics and up to two compatible Apple or Android mobile devices operating Garmin Pilot. Wi-Fi connectivity is specifically for wireless database transfer, while Bluetooth enables a wide variety of additional capabilities, including flight plan transfer, the sharing of traffic, weather, GPS and more. Customers can easily incorporate wireless technology into their aircraft with the latest GTN software upgrade and Flight Stream 510 as no wiring changes or complex installation considerations are required. For customers with a G500/G600 glass flight display installed, back-up attitude information also wirelessly displays within a mobile device.
Database synchronization
Customers with any combination of GTNs or GTNs with G500/G600s receive additional benefits with database synchronization. Once customers complete the wireless database transfer to the GTN, the databases are automatically transferred to the G500/G600 and synced across both systems to ensure database information matches and is up-to-date. Chart streaming also allows pilots to view and utilize departure, approach and arrival charts immediately, even while the charts database is synchronizing between the two systems. Flight Stream improves the experience by adding Database Concierge wireless database transfer, which automates database management between Garmin avionics. Flight Stream 510 wirelessly transfers the following databases to compatible avionics: Jeppesen NavData or the Garmin Navigation Database, Airport Directory, Obstacle, Terrain, SafeTaxi®, FliteCharts®and Basemap.
Connext text and voice control via mobile devices
With Flight Stream 510, customers can pair an Apple mobile device operating Garmin Pilot to the GTN to access text and voice services enabled by a GSR 56 datalink1. While in-flight and on the ground, pilots can quickly send and receive messages with a mobile device using a familiar conversation format and conveniently utilize the phone’s existing contact database. Similarly, customers can initiate phone calls on an Apple mobile device using Garmin Pilot, so it’s easier to complete phone calls over a headset while in flight. The GSR 56 also supports the display of weather on compatible avionics.
European enhancements
Tailored specifically to European operators, the GTN series now includes the option to display Visual Reporting Points (VRPs) on the moving map. Often used as reporting points in controlled airspace, pilots can easily reference these points relative to their position on the map so its easy to navigate and help make accurate reports to air traffic control.