Garmin announces new generation large-screen GPS unit
As Garmin’s new flagship portable aviation product, the GPSMAP 695 incorporates the popular aviation features of the GPSMAP 496 while also adding new capabilities such as airway boundaries, and the actual low and high airways.In addition, the GPSMAP 695’s information is displayed on a screen that is three times larger than the GPSMAP 496.“The GPSMAP 695 gives pilots exactly what they have been looking for, a GPS with a large screen, and European feature rich information,” said Gary Kelley, Garmin’s vice president of marketing. “It’s our most feature rich, easy-to-use aviation portable, and is ideal for aiding those wanting to minimize clutter by providing essential backup situational awareness while in the cockpit.”The GPSMAP 695 is an all new, tablet-style device with a large, 7-inch portrait screen. The high-resolution, sunlight readable screen uses Garmin’s latest technology to ensure that pilots will be able to read the vibrant display day or night. The bezel that frames the bright screen has multiple keys on the bottom and right sides. The soft keys at the bottom of the display control the most commonly used features of the current page, such as turning the patented “Panel” display on/off. The dedicated keys on the display’s right side have specific functions such as nearest, direct to, flight plan, zoom in/out and menu. Also on the display’s right side is a rotary knob/joystick, similar to the G1000’s joystick, that lets pilots enter airport identifiers, pan the map, or scroll to page and sub-page groups.Thanks to the GPSMAP 695’s IFR map mode, pilots will have the opportunity to have IFR sectional maps virtually displayed in a large screen format. This mode displays a map similar to a standard enroute chart that has important features like High and Low airways, minimum enroute altitude (MEA) and leg distance. The 695’s IFR map mode also offers more situational awareness than traditional charts because it subtlety displays major visual reference points like rivers, country boundaries, roads and railways and town outlines from Garmin’s built-in basemap. Other popular features found on the GPSMAP 695 include Airspace declutter, Smart Airspace, VRP’s (Visual Reporting Points) and a large database of private airports, helipads and obstacles covering Europe.During flight, Garmin’s Smart Airspace automatically highlights airspace close to the pilot’s current altitude and de-emphasizes airspace away from the current altitude, which ultimately aids in situational awareness. Searchable VRP’s allows the pilot to select from the database prior to flight a known VRP and insert it directly into a route or select from the “Nearest” page allows quick access to VRP’s within the aircraft’s vicinity. Pilots can keep track of and renew the databases on their GPSMAP 695 through fly.Garmin.com, a website that helps pilots manage Garmin database information and dramatically simplifies the process of updating and purchasing aviation databases. Fly.Garmin.com monitors the device’s terrain, Jeppesen and obstacle database.After logging onto f
