Garmin Pilot adds METAR station plots and navlog enhancements

/1 Comment/in /by
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
2 min read

Garmin Pilot recently released their first update for 2023 and added a few new features to the app. This includes a new METAR station model plot overlay on the map layer, enhancements to the printable navlog and support for additional ADS-B receivers. Here’s a quick look at how to use these new features.

METAR Station Model Plot

The first thing to check out after updating is the METAR station model plot overlay on the map screen. This visually displays up to 8 data points from the current METAR at each reporting site:

Here’s a legend to help decode each METAR plot:

This is a great way to analyze surface weather variations over a large area before a planned flight, eliminating the need to tap on individual airports to read the METAR from each.

To turn on the Station Model overlay, select the Overlays option from the layers button at the bottom left of the screen, select the Weather layer and then the METAR option. The Station ID layer will likely display by default on the screen, showing just the airport ID and color-coded dot representing VFR, MVFR or IFR conditions. To display the model plot, tap the secondary layer control at the bottom right of the screen and select Station Model at the top of the list:

For additional customization, tap the “i” button next to Station Model and you can enable or disable individual data points:

Printable Navlog Enhancements

Garmin added a printable Navlog feature late last year, which consolidates most of the trip planning data into a single digital document that can be easily shared or printed. The latest update adds additional content to the navlog, including frequencies for the departure, destination and alternate airports and SafeTaxi diagrams for the selected alternate airport:

Printable Navlogs can be accessed from the Trip Planning page, by tapping the blue arrow button located to the right of the airport IDs at the top of the screen.

This update also adds support for generic GDL 90 devices, allowing pilots to use a wider variety of ADS-B weather and traffic receivers with Garmin Pilot.

1 reply
  1. Merton Erickson
    Merton Erickson says:

    I like the new Station Model and will use it often. My problem with the new release is on Flight Plan page and Map page while creating a flight plan. I put in the plan and then use Graphicly edit plan to rubber band to various waypoints. I update trip and select service provider , but when using the “View on Map” or “Activate Plan” all the waypoints are deleted on map page??

Comments are closed.