Garmin Pilot: further integration with FltPlan.com and new FBO fees

The latest version of Garmin Pilot is now available for download, and like with most updates from Garmin, includes exclusive features you won’t find in any other app. Version 9.6 extends Garmin’s integration of FltPlan.com’s trip planning features, adds FBO fees for various services, engine alerts and new map customization options.

FBO Fees

AOPA has been calling on the FBO industry to be more transparent about the ramp, parking, infrastructure, security, and other fees charged to pilots who land at publicly funded airports for the past several years. Their work is starting to pay off, as the organization has assembled a database of these fees and made them available to pilots.

Garmin Pilot is the first app to include this data, allowing you to make more informed decisions when planning for fuel or service stops. Head over to the airports section of the app and tap on the FBOs menu option, and you’ll see the published fees for landing, parking, deicing, GPU, overnight and more.

FltPlan.com Integration

It’s been over 6 months now since Garmin acquired FltPlan.com, and each update to the Pilot app since then continues to add additional levels of integration with FltPlan’s services. The latest update allows U.S. pilots to create, file, amend and cancel using FltPlan.com’s services right from the app’s trip planning screen, eliminating the need to interact with a webview of the fltplan.com website.

To get started you’ll need to enter your FltPlan.com credentials from the FltPlan.com section of the app (accessible from the main menu). The app will prompt you to import pilot and airplane profiles from your FltPlan.com account and add missing profile data. Then, all flight plans created or changed in FltPlan.com will automatically sync with the Trip Planning section of Garmin Pilot, and vice versa.

A few notes:

• After modifying a trip in Garmin Pilot that was initially created on FltPlan.com, make sure to select Save or File to send the changes to FltPlan.com.
• FltPlan.com flight plans may be activated in Garmin Pilot and wirelessly transferred to compatible Garmin avionics or a Garmin integrated flight deck.

Flight Data Log Exceedance Alerts

Pilots flying with either the new TXi engine instrument flight display or the G1000 NXi integrated flight deck, and a Flight Stream 510, can view real-time engine information in Garmin Pilot. The app can now detect exceedances (a high CHT reading for an individual cylinder, for example), and both alert you and log the values for later review. Exceedances are shown with a red highlight on the engine data graphic.

To set up a flight data log exceedance:

• Go to the Settings screen and select Alerts, and tap Flight Data Log Exceedance Alerts
• Choose Add Exceedance Alert
• Select the parameter, set the exceedance limitations and select save to activate the alert

Customized Split Screen Items

Pilots love the map split-screen feature in Garmin Pilot since it allows countless customization options to best-suit each phase of flight and individual pilot preferences. Now you have the ability to reorder the listing of available screen options and hide the ones you don’t use. When viewing the list of options on the map screen, tap the Edit button at the top right of the list and use the standard iOS controls to reorder or hide a selection.

Runway Centerline Syles

Finally, Garmin Pilot 9.6 allows you to change the look of the runway centerline style with two new options. Tap the map layer option at the bottom left of the map, select Ownship/Route from the menu, and scroll down to Extended Centerline Style to make a change.