Garmin develops the first dynamic,
data-driven charts tailored to simplify terminal procedures for
pilots
OLATHE,
Kan., May 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Garmin (NYSE:
GRMN) today announced SmartCharts, a dynamic aviation charting
solution that will provide pilots with a simplified and intuitive
experience by producing clear and relevant data to depict a chart
tailored for their specific flight operation. Initially available
in the Garmin Pilot™ app, SmartCharts serves as the
primary charting tool and allows pilots to view simplified terminal
procedures, including instrument approach procedures (IAP),
departure procedure (DP), standard terminal arrival (STAR) and
airport diagrams.
"Terminal procedures have long been cluttered
with outdated or superfluous information that may not be relevant
to a pilot's flight, obscuring important details that could be
easily missed. Garmin SmartCharts allows all pilots to quickly and
easily tailor procedures to highlight the most relevant and key
information in a simplified, optimized format to ultimately help to
enhance safety and situational awareness."
–Phil Straub,
Garmin Executive Vice President and Managing Director,
Aviation
Data-driven charting solution
SmartCharts was developed from the ground up by
collecting and digitizing data from global sources to create a
consistent, standardized and scalable charting solution. Garmin
utilized that data to build the clearest possible picture of
information needed to successfully fly charted procedures via a new
charting user interface. This interface, coupled with the digital
data, allows SmartCharts procedures to automatically adjust and
scale as the pilot zooms and pans within the chart, similar to
Garmin's data-driven maps across its entire product line. This data
also allows SmartCharts to highlight details and notes that could
be easily overlooked and lost on traditional charts, reducing the
potential for error. The ability to scale the chart creates a
clearer picture of the information needed to fly instrument
procedures. The digitized data also allows for adjustments to
minima – such as minima height adjustments due to NOTAMs, alternate
minimums, etc. – to be automatically calculated, minimizing mental
math needed by pilots. This data is also used to create new Brief
tabs, which show optimized briefing information presented when
pilots need it during procedure reviews.
Simplified information
SmartCharts is designed to help optimize pilot
workflow by providing only relevant data and reducing workload.
Users can make selections – like aircraft type,
arrival/departure/approach transition fix, runway, and more – to
simplify the chart down to the information that they need to see to
successfully brief and fly that procedure. Starting with standard
terminal arrivals (STARs) and standard instrument departures
(SIDs), the user selects their aircraft type, the route transition
they are flying, and the runway of intended use. This reduces
depicted information to only show the routing, fixes, and crossing
restrictions pertinent to their expected procedure. Quick Access
buttons also reveal pertinent procedure information like briefing
information, communications frequencies, graphical missed approach
icons, and more so pilots can easily find and decipher needed
information based on the phase of the procedure they are on.
During an approach procedure, approach minima are
updated and presented to the pilot via easy selection buttons for
aircraft category, approach type (e.g. ILS, LOC, LPV, LNAV, etc.)
and other adjustments like local or other altimeter settings,
inoperative airport lighting, flight director or HUD use, and more.
Those selections then present only one minima number to reference,
eliminating the need for mental math with traditional charts.
Waypoints, legs, crossing restrictions and other details are then
more clearly depicted on the chart as users make selections and
adjustments. This ultimately removes unnecessary information from
view, leaving the user with a single route in view to help reduce
workload and the chance for errors.
After making selections on the chart, a
simplified user-interface and layout allows for an intuitive
briefing process. Pressing the Brief, COMs, and Missed Approach
buttons on each procedure will quickly showcase necessary
information during procedure setup and briefing, also meaning
often-forgotten notes are now in the spotlight. Additionally,
reselecting new transitions or the runway-in-use makes re-briefing
these changes much faster and clearer, resulting in better
situational awareness. Altitude and speed restrictions plus other
pertinent details arelearly depicted on the SmartCharts plan view
of approach, arrival and departure procedures.
In a first for the industry, the approach
vertical profile view is geo-referenced1 with the
aircraft appearing on the profile at its altitude. This feature
adds ultimate situational awareness of the aircraft position
relative to the approach path, terrain and obstacles.
Garmin has been a long-time industry leader in
making ground operations safer and simpler via SafeTaxi®
on products from integrated flight decks to Garmin Pilot.
SmartCharts takes airport diagrams to the next level by adding
additional visual information like airport lighting systems, hold
short lines, other airport markings, windsock locations, and more.
Like other SmartCharts procedures, airport diagrams also have Quick
Access buttons at the top of the chart that showcase airport
information like communication frequencies, runway information, and
alternate minimums data. This design removes the need to memorize
traditional airport symbols like non-standard alternate minimums
and makes alternate minima details easily accessible.
SmartCharts data enables additional Garmin
Pilot features
Garmin Pilot now includes a Show with Minima
procedure sorting feature on the airport tab to help pilots more
easily find SmartCharts procedures. They can sort approaches by
criteria such as lowest minimums by altitude or visibility and
available approach lighting. This can aid pilots by saving time in
finding an approach that gets them the lowest legal minima, for
instance. Additionally, recently released Smart Binders will group
the charts by type – approach, departure, arrival, or airport info
– in the airport tab for easier and faster searching.
SmartCharts is available via a Garmin Pilot
Premium subscription for iOS devices in the United States and the Bahamas at launch. All pilots can experience
SmartCharts for themselves by taking advantage of a free trial
available at Garmin.com/Aviation/GarminPilot/Downloads.
To learn more, including how to use SmartCharts
from chock-to-chock during operation, visit
Garmin.com/SmartCharts.
Garmin products and services have revolutionized
flight and become essential to the lives of pilots and aircraft
owners and operators around the world. A leading provider of
solutions to general aviation, business aviation, rotorcraft,
advanced air mobility, government and defense, and commercial air
carrier customers, Garmin believes every day is an opportunity to
innovate. Recipient of the prestigious Robert J. Collier
Trophy for Garmin Autoland, Garmin developed the world's first
certified autonomous system that activates during an emergency to
control and land an aircraft without human intervention. Visit
the Garmin Newsroom, email our media team, connect with
@garminaviation on social, or follow our blog.
1 Requires device with built-in GPS or
compatible GPS receiver.
About Garmin International, Inc. Garmin
International, Inc. is a subsidiary of Garmin Ltd. (NYSE: GRMN).
Garmin Ltd. is incorporated in Switzerland, and its principal subsidiaries
are located in the United States,
Taiwan and the United Kingdom. Garmin and SafeTaxi are
registered trademarks and Garmin Pilot is a trademark of Garmin
Ltd. or its subsidiaries.
All other brands, product names, company names,
trademarks and service marks are the properties of their respective
owners. All rights reserved.
Notice on Forward-Looking
Statements:
This release includes forward-looking statements
regarding Garmin Ltd. and its business. Such statements are based
on management's current expectations. The forward-looking events
and circumstances discussed in this release may not occur and
actual results could differ materially as a result of risk factors
and uncertainties affecting Garmin, including, but not limited to,
the risk factors that are described in the Annual Report on Form
10-K for the year ended December 28,
2024 and the Quarterly Report on Form 10- Q for the quarter
ended March 29, 2025 filed by Garmin
with the Securities and Exchange Commission (Commission file number
001-41118). A copy of Garmin's 2024 Form 10-K and the Q1 2025 Form
10-Q can be downloaded from
https://www.garmin.com/en-US/investors/sec/. No
forward-looking statement can be guaranteed. Forward-looking
statements speak only as of the date on which they are made and
Garmin undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any
forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information,
future events, or otherwise.
Media Contact:
Mikayla Minnick
913-397-8200
media.relations@garmin.com
View original content to download
multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/garmin-revolutionizes-aviation-charting-with-smartcharts-302466669.html
SOURCE Garmin International, Inc.