Routeplanners: SatNav & GPS News

Just when we thought it couldn’t get any better Garmin unveiled its GPSMAP
496 at Oshkosh.

As close to a “must… have… now…” device as you’ll ever see, the GPS496
is a full-colour, portable aviation device that expands on the 396’s
features by incorporating new SafeTaxi airport diagrams, as well as Smart
Airspace, AOPA’s Airport Directory data, enhanced high-resolution terrain
database, aviation database with private airports and heliports, accelerated
GPS update rate, and pre-loaded automotive maps of North America or Europe.

These features are in addition to the real-time XM WX Satellite Weather
introduced on the 396, that puts weather information where it’s needed
most — in the cockpit, at the pilot’s fingertips. Oh, and it’ll play XM
satellite radio, to boot.

The Garmin SafeTaxi airport diagrams help pilots navigate unfamiliar
airports with confidence. The GPS496 sports over 650 US airport diagrams
from the factory, along with charts identifying runways, taxiways, and
hangars, as well as the aircraft’s exact location on the field.

When in the air, the new Smart Airspace feature makes it easier than ever to
identify what airspace lies ahead. Smart Airspace automatically highlights
airspace close to the pilot’s current altitude and de-emphasizes airspace
away from the current altitude, which gives pilots increased situational
awareness.

Inclusion of AOPA’s Airport Directory data gives the user access to
information for over 5,300 public-use airports and more than 7,000 FBOs. In
addition, Garmin’s version of the Airport Directory highlights airports
where pilots can save on fuel by using self-service fuelling locations.

What’s more, like other Garmin portable GPS units the pilot can transfer the
496 to an automobile, as a premium in-car navigation system with automatic
route calculation to any destination and turn-by-turn voice-prompted
directions along the way. And when traveling by boat, the 496 is compatible
with Garmin’s new BlueChart g2 technology — which turns the unit into a
colour chart plotter that displays integrated marine maps with shaded depth
contours, port plans, and other useful items.

With a street price around $2,795 — all this capability doesn’t come cheap,
after all — the GPS496 comes the closest yet to the concept of the
ubiquitous tricorder from “Star Trek”… all the info you need, tailored for
when you need it, all in a amazingly compact handheld-or-panel-mounted
device.

Source: Garmin Website