Garmin Announces the Addition of Pathways, Vertical Power Support and New Rebate Offers for the G3X™ Experimental and LSA Glass Cockpit

Garmin (NASDAQ: GRMN), the global leader in satellite navigation, announced today the addition of pathways guidance to the G3X experimental and light sport aircraft (LSA) avionics system. Additionally, Garmin has developed a clear and easy to read G3X display interface for the Vertical Power VP-X and VP-200 Electronic Circuit Breaker System.  

“The G3X is known for bringing proven G1000-like features to the LSA and experimental aircraft markets,” said Gary Kelley, Garmin’s vice president of marketing. “Garmin is continuing to do that today with the addition of pathways and Vertical Power support. Navigation, state of the art controls, automation, and at-a-glance monitoring of aircraft electrical systems have never been easier or more accessible to the experimental and sport pilot.”

Pathways is a synthetic vision, or SVX™, feature that simplifies navigation by displaying a three-dimensional, perspective view of the flight path on the primary flight display. With the pathways feature enabled, enroute legs, DME arcs, arrival and departure procedures and ILS or GPS/WAAS vertical approaches, when used with a compatible external IFR GPS/WAAS navigator, are displayed as a series of outlined windows on the G3X PFD. The windows vary in size to depict the flight path in perspective, making it easy for pilots to follow the “highway in the sky.”

When flying an ILS approach using the G3X and compatible external VHF NAV receiver, pilots will take advantage of Garmin’s patent-pending system whereby SVX uses ILS signals to position the pathways. So when pilots fly through the pathway windows on an ILS approach, they will be aligned with the precision glideslope. Like SVX itself and other SVX features, pathways may be enabled or disabled through a PFD menu option.

In addition to gaining pathways, G3X customers now also have the benefit of a new display interface for Vertical Power VP-200 and VP-X Electronic Circuit Breaker Systems. This interface provides Vertical Power-equipped installations with a fully integrated and easy to use VP-200 or VP-X display solution. 

The G3X is a customizable PFD/MFD combination that features one, two or three all-glass displays; magnetometer; ADAHRS (combined air data and AHRS unit) and engine monitoring. Thanks to its building block design, customers can create a high performance panel that is tailored to their aircraft.

Garmin is now offering rebates of up to $3,000 on G3X single and dual screen system purchases made between March 28 and April 29, 2011. TruTrak is offering a $2,000 rebate on their GX Pilot flight control system with new purchases of G3X systems during the same time period. For details visit www.garmin.co.uk

For those already flying with G3X avionics, pathways and Vertical Power support are available now through a free software update from www.garmin.co.uk