drgwentzel
Pre-takeoff checklist
Flyers,
I just wrote to Garmin's Suggestion Box with the letter below. I was just wondering what the groups thoughts are on this topic. I personally would like to see Garmin flooded with letters and emails on this issue if your view is similar. Garmin's address is: productsupport@garmin.com
Dear Garmin product developers:
First, congratulations on another great addition to the X96 line of portable aviation GPS products. Bravo! You made new features that are definitely worth upgrading from my 396.
I do have a comment though and it concerns your decision to disable the Approach Plate Database if it is expired at or greater than six months. I do not think this is a wise decision and I will explain why below:
It is not Garmin`s responsibility to decide for the Pilot in Command if they can look at charts that he or she paid for, expired or not. It is the Pilot in Command’s responsibility to make a decision if they should look at an out of date chart or not. Lives may depend on it!
Many of us don’t fly a lot of IFR and therefore may only update our charts once in while. After our charts have expired, a pilot may suddenly find themselves in a bad weather situation where an approach chart into an airport may save their lives and that of their passengers. If this should happen then by god we need to bring that chart up…six months old or older we don’t care! Anything is better than NOTHING!
What should have been done is that the 696 should WARN the Pilot that he or she is trying to bring up an out of date chart and INSIST the pilot CONFIRM that he or she still wishes to use the plate anyway. You can harshly admonish the pilot of the dangers in doing this and in all your best legal speak inform them that Garmin will NOT be responsible for the Pilot in Command’s decision to use an out of date approach chart, blah, blah, blah. Press ENTER to Continue.
A Garmin representative on AVWeb stated that this was done for safety’s sake. Hmmm, if it was for safety’s sake then following that logic, why don't you disable ALL databases if they're not current? After all, relying on an out of date aviation database or an obstacle database or a satellite database can land a hapless pilot in an ugly situation very quickly.
i.e. If we are using the obstacle database on a VFR approach at night to reassure us that we aren't going to hit anything and a new TV antenna was just erected near by...there could be danger there. So why allow pilots to depend on it...just shut it down!
i.e. If we are flying at night and an engine failure occurs and we depend on the satellite database to find a farmer's field to set down, but the database is out of date and now there's a new housing development there...hmmm...then depending on an out of date satellite database is dangerous too. Let’s just shut it down!
During an emergency the FAA allows a pilot to deviate from any clearance and any rule, to the extent required, to meet that emergency. That might involve depending on an out of date approach chart, but unfortunately GARMIN has decided to TRUMP the FAA guidelines and the pilot in command’s authority and remove that critical information from our use.
Please, we don’t need Garmin to save us from ourselves. Let the Pilot in Command make the in-flight decisions. After all, it is us and our families who are in the air; you and your families are on the ground.
[end of letter]
Now, as always in these groups I will wait for all the, "Well if you were a REAL pilot like me..." posts to start, such as:
"Well if you were a REAL pilot like me, you'd never have an out of date chart."
"Well if you were a REAL pilot like me, you'd always have paper backups"
"Well if you were a REAL pilot like me, you'd butch up and pony up for the year subscription you cheap b@&!@d!"
"Well if you were a REAL pilot like me, you'd NEVER find yourself in a bad weather situation!"
Go ahead, let me have it...I can take it.
Kobra
I just wrote to Garmin's Suggestion Box with the letter below. I was just wondering what the groups thoughts are on this topic. I personally would like to see Garmin flooded with letters and emails on this issue if your view is similar. Garmin's address is: productsupport@garmin.com
Dear Garmin product developers:
First, congratulations on another great addition to the X96 line of portable aviation GPS products. Bravo! You made new features that are definitely worth upgrading from my 396.
I do have a comment though and it concerns your decision to disable the Approach Plate Database if it is expired at or greater than six months. I do not think this is a wise decision and I will explain why below:
It is not Garmin`s responsibility to decide for the Pilot in Command if they can look at charts that he or she paid for, expired or not. It is the Pilot in Command’s responsibility to make a decision if they should look at an out of date chart or not. Lives may depend on it!
Many of us don’t fly a lot of IFR and therefore may only update our charts once in while. After our charts have expired, a pilot may suddenly find themselves in a bad weather situation where an approach chart into an airport may save their lives and that of their passengers. If this should happen then by god we need to bring that chart up…six months old or older we don’t care! Anything is better than NOTHING!
What should have been done is that the 696 should WARN the Pilot that he or she is trying to bring up an out of date chart and INSIST the pilot CONFIRM that he or she still wishes to use the plate anyway. You can harshly admonish the pilot of the dangers in doing this and in all your best legal speak inform them that Garmin will NOT be responsible for the Pilot in Command’s decision to use an out of date approach chart, blah, blah, blah. Press ENTER to Continue.
A Garmin representative on AVWeb stated that this was done for safety’s sake. Hmmm, if it was for safety’s sake then following that logic, why don't you disable ALL databases if they're not current? After all, relying on an out of date aviation database or an obstacle database or a satellite database can land a hapless pilot in an ugly situation very quickly.
i.e. If we are using the obstacle database on a VFR approach at night to reassure us that we aren't going to hit anything and a new TV antenna was just erected near by...there could be danger there. So why allow pilots to depend on it...just shut it down!
i.e. If we are flying at night and an engine failure occurs and we depend on the satellite database to find a farmer's field to set down, but the database is out of date and now there's a new housing development there...hmmm...then depending on an out of date satellite database is dangerous too. Let’s just shut it down!
During an emergency the FAA allows a pilot to deviate from any clearance and any rule, to the extent required, to meet that emergency. That might involve depending on an out of date approach chart, but unfortunately GARMIN has decided to TRUMP the FAA guidelines and the pilot in command’s authority and remove that critical information from our use.
Please, we don’t need Garmin to save us from ourselves. Let the Pilot in Command make the in-flight decisions. After all, it is us and our families who are in the air; you and your families are on the ground.
[end of letter]
Now, as always in these groups I will wait for all the, "Well if you were a REAL pilot like me..." posts to start, such as:
"Well if you were a REAL pilot like me, you'd never have an out of date chart."
"Well if you were a REAL pilot like me, you'd always have paper backups"
"Well if you were a REAL pilot like me, you'd butch up and pony up for the year subscription you cheap b@&!@d!"
"Well if you were a REAL pilot like me, you'd NEVER find yourself in a bad weather situation!"
Go ahead, let me have it...I can take it.
Kobra
