Garmin avionics of many shapes, sizes, and capabilities are lighting up the cockpits of many of the rotorcraft flown to Heli-Expo for display on the show floor and static area as well as Garmin’s exhibit (Booth B5020).
In addition to the GI 275 electronic flight instrument, recently certified in the Airbus Helicopters AStar, Garmin is highlighting its GFC 600H autopilot, G500 TXi touchscreen display, GTN Xi touchscreen GPS/com navigator, and the Garmin Pilot iPad and Android electronic flight bag app.
Helicopter pilots can use Garmin Pilot for preflight planning including weight and balance calculations and flight planning and filing (VFR anywhere in the world and IFR in the U.S., Canada, and Europe). Garmin Pilot is also fully integrated with the free FltPlan.com app, which can also be used for flight plan filing and importing flight plans to Garmin Pilot.
For en route moving-map navigation, Garmin Pilot provides a moving-map with own-ship position when paired with a compatible GPS receiver. Also available is ADS-B In weather and traffic using Garmin’s GDL 52 portable ADS-B receiver (or a compatible receiver). Garmin’s SafeTaxi diagrams can be overlaid on the moving-map to help pilots with situational awareness in the airport environment.
Earlier this year, Garmin announced that it received FAA supplemental type certificate (STC) approval for the installation of its GI 275 electronic flight instrument in Airbus AStar helicopters, including the AS350BA, B2, B3, and B3E variants.
The GI 275 is a direct replacement for legacy instruments such as the primary attitude indicator, course deviation indicator (CDI), horizontal situation indicator (HSI), or multifunction display (MFD). Sized to fit standard 3.125-inch flight instrument openings, the unit features a touchscreen display and interfaces with the flight instrument via the touchscreen and a dual concentric knob for access to a variety of key functions.
When installed as a primary attitude indicator, the GI 275 can also display optional helicopter synthetic vision technology overlays including a 3D topographic view of terrain, traffic, obstacles, power lines, and airport signposts. Additional features include a display of outside air temperature, groundspeed, true airspeed, and wind information on the attitude indicator, and wireless functionality such as sharing of GPS position and backup attitude information to the Garmin Pilot mobile app.
Installed as a CDI or HSI, the GI 275 is designed to accept two GPS and two VHF navigation inputs. The GI 275 features an omni-bearing resolver that allows the flight instrument to interface to a variety of legacy navigators without the need for an adapter. With an optional magnetometer, it is also capable of providing magnetic-based HSI guidance. The HSI can also provide enhanced features such as map inset and traffic, terrain, or weather overlay.
The GI 275 also doubles as a digital indicator and adds MFD-like capabilities such as a moving map, weather, traffic, obstacles, WireAware, SafeTaxi, and five-color terrain shading. A built-in VFR GPS enables direct-to navigation guidance, displaying aircraft position information on a moving map.
Helicopter terrain awareness and warning system is available on the GI 275 and offers forward-looking terrain and obstacle avoidance capability. The GI 275 can also be paired with radar altimeters to display altitude above ground level while also providing visual and aural annunciations.