Garmin Pilot for Android -- Tech Support, Tips, Tricks

This is probably the best forum thread for the Android Garmin Pilot I've found. I've gotten lots of good user info here, thanks.

There have been two GDL-39 firmware updates recently. v4.5 about a month ago immediately caused me problems. It showed a continuous notification of 'No active ground stations', but most everything seemed to be updating properly. However, there was a new problem with the looping NexRad display. On every other download, all the NexRad storm returns disappeared, causing the looping to continuously flash the storm returns on and off. If looping was stopped, then the returns disappeared altogether until the next update was received. I (and I'm assuming others) reported this and a new firmware update, v4.60, was issued in the last week or so. This seems to have fixed both problems.

Although I did not get an email reply to my bug report as I have in the past, I continue to be satisfied with Garmin's responses to these kinds of issues.

Monte
 
Help me! For the past couple of years I have been using a Nexus 7 to run Garmin Pilot. I use it in conjunction with a GDL-39 for GPS and weather via blue tooth. The set up worked great until my Nexus 7 was destroyed after an emergency landing, which is a whole different story.
I decided to replace it with an updated devise. A quick web search resulted in an article that stated the Nexus 9 is the way to go. I bought one and promptly loaded Garmin Pilot. Then I attempted to pair it with my GDL-39 and started to have trouble. My Nexus recognized and paired quite easily with it. Then I went to the "connect," feature in the program. It showed the number of my GDL but when I pushed the "connect," button nothing happened. It quickly stated not connected.
The next day I was out to the airport still trying to connect. A friend of mine was there with his ipad. I told him of the trouble I was having and he tried to connect my GDL-39 to his devise. It worked instantly. Huh.
The next day I spent a little over an hour on hold trying to connect to Garmin support. I was on the treadmill when my wife hollered down to me that they finally picked up. I spent the next half hour talking to a very nice man going over all of the instructions the program described for pairing a devise. We tried everything over a least twice. One point of interest is the method described in the program for clearing paired devises on the GDL-39. It said to hold the power button down until the the blue light starts flashing. Then it says to release the power button and then push and hold it again for 5 seconds. Good enough. The next step is not quite so clear, it says to hold the button for another 5 seconds and then power off. Does that mean to remove the power while still holding the power button or, release the button and then power off? I asked the tech rep and he agreed it was ambiguous but in addition to that he said the blue light should stop flashing because of this. Mine didn't but this part was not even in the instructions.
At any rate, after all of this the bottom line according to him is that I was SOL and would have to wait for an update to the software when Garmin when they get around to it. Another interesting note is that he wanted me to try and update the firmware on the GDL-39 but this is not possible if you cannot pair with the computer.
So I am asking, has anyone experienced this? Am I the only one with a Nexus 9 that can't connect to a GDL-39? Can anybody help me?
 
wjdavid said:
Help me! For the past couple of years I have been using a Nexus 7 to run Garmin Pilot. I use it in conjunction with a GDL-39 for GPS and weather via blue tooth. The set up worked great until my Nexus 7 was destroyed after an emergency landing, which is a whole different story.
I decided to replace it with an updated devise. A quick web search resulted in an article that stated the Nexus 9 is the way to go. I bought one and promptly loaded Garmin Pilot. Then I attempted to pair it with my GDL-39 and started to have trouble. My Nexus recognized and paired quite easily with it. Then I went to the "connect," feature in the program. It showed the number of my GDL but when I pushed the "connect," button nothing happened. It quickly stated not connected.
The next day I was out to the airport still trying to connect. A friend of mine was there with his ipad. I told him of the trouble I was having and he tried to connect my GDL-39 to his devise. It worked instantly. Huh.
The next day I spent a little over an hour on hold trying to connect to Garmin support. I was on the treadmill when my wife hollered down to me that they finally picked up. I spent the next half hour talking to a very nice man going over all of the instructions the program described for pairing a devise. We tried everything over a least twice. One point of interest is the method described in the program for clearing paired devises on the GDL-39. It said to hold the power button down until the the blue light starts flashing. Then it says to release the power button and then push and hold it again for 5 seconds. Good enough. The next step is not quite so clear, it says to hold the button for another 5 seconds and then power off. Does that mean to remove the power while still holding the power button or, release the button and then power off? I asked the tech rep and he agreed it was ambiguous but in addition to that he said the blue light should stop flashing because of this. Mine didn't but this part was not even in the instructions.
At any rate, after all of this the bottom line according to him is that I was SOL and would have to wait for an update to the software when Garmin when they get around to it. Another interesting note is that he wanted me to try and update the firmware on the GDL-39 but this is not possible if you cannot pair with the computer.
So I am asking, has anyone experienced this? Am I the only one with a Nexus 9 that can't connect to a GDL-39? Can anybody help me?
Click to expand...
That's odd. When my Nexus 7 died I looked at the Nexus 9 and decided, for the money, to buy a Samsung 8" tablet with the Amoled screen. (It's uber-bright.) It's been great.

I can't think of any reason why the N9 would be different than the N7, as far as Bluetooth goes.

Have you gone into Garmin Pilot and told it to use the GDL-39? (In the upper left menu, go to Home, then Connext, then scroll down to GDL-39.) That extra step tripped us up a couple of times, cuz even though the GDL-39 is paired with the tablet, it still won't communicate with the app until you tell it to.
 
I'm using Garmin Pilot on an N9 with the GDL-39. No problems, but yeah... it wasn't obvious. I thought pairing should be enough for GP to see it had a GDL39 available and use it. It wasn't until I went into the Connext (dumb, dumb name) menu and selected it there too that it began using it.
 
GP Android version 4.3.4 is out with a bunch of bug fixes and improvements. Would have loved to have it for testing on yesterday's 7 hour flight. :)
 
RotorDude said:
GP Android version 4.3.4 is out with a bunch of bug fixes and improvements. Would have loved to have it for testing on yesterday's 7 hour flight. :)
Click to expand...

Wow; the change to the taxiway labeling in SafeTaxi is a huge improvement. Previously I found it very difficult to identify taxiways when zoomed in, severely limiting the usefulness of SafeTaxi at unfamiliar airports. Now the taxiways are clearly labeled in multiple locations, and the spacing between the labels adapts to the zoom level. Much better!
 
lziegenhals said:
Wow; the change to the taxiway labeling in SafeTaxi is a huge improvement. Previously I found it very difficult to identify taxiways when zoomed in, severely limiting the usefulness of SafeTaxi at unfamiliar airports. Now the taxiways are clearly labeled in multiple locations, and the spacing between the labels adapts to the zoom level. Much better!
Click to expand...

You are 100% right. I just compared my upgraded tablet to the not-yet upgraded one, and like you say the difference is amazing. I may finally be able to use it for real. :)
 
It's an improvement, but it still sucks. It's like they gave the airport diagram rendering to a junior engineer.

The biggest problem is that its low contrast, tiny and (as far as I can tell) impossible to configure. It's also on a white background. As I discovered last night, it KILLS night vision to use it.

Garmin, if you're listening, I'd suggest a black background, green runway / taxiway outlines (maybe filled with a dark green) and yellow taxiway / runway labels (with a user-settable font size). HIGH CONTRAST, low overall brightness.

It's frustrating how close Garmin gets to success and yet just misses the mark.
 
Mistake Not... said:
It's an improvement, but it still sucks. It's like they gave the airport diagram rendering to a junior engineer.

The biggest problem is that its low contrast, tiny and (as far as I can tell) impossible to configure. It's also on a white background. As I discovered last night, it KILLS night vision to use it.

Garmin, if you're listening, I'd suggest a black background, green runway / taxiway outlines (maybe filled with a dark green) and yellow taxiway / runway labels (with a user-settable font size). HIGH CONTRAST, low overall brightness.

It's frustrating how close Garmin gets to success and yet just misses the mark.
Click to expand...
The pop-up SafeTaxi chart is nice when coming from a Sectional but I don't fly enough at night right now to have a hard opinion on it.

I do know that if you are on the vector map instead of the sectional you get the same data as SafeTaxi I think, and it will be in night mode if selected, works fine for me.

'Gimp
 
AcroGimp said:
The pop-up SafeTaxi chart is nice when coming from a Sectional but I don't fly enough at night right now to have a hard opinion on it.

I do know that if you are on the vector map instead of the sectional you get the same data as SafeTaxi I think, and it will be in night mode if selected, works fine for me.

'Gimp
Click to expand...

Ditto. I just flew a dusk arrival with it (after sunset) and it was fine. This was the previous version, without the latest extra taxiway labels. I have given up on the old SafeTaxi mode long ago -- it had become way too quirky and next to useless. As AcroGimp says, in vector mode (which is the only mode I use) the airport diagrams are fine.
One point though, last time I landed in rain the weather overlay over the airport was a huge boxy green "dot" which kept flickering. Not sure if this has been fixed, but it was very ugly and super distracting while taxiing. I think there should be no terrain alert colors nor weather overlays when you are taxiing in that high zoom mode.
 
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RotorDude said:
As AcroGimp says, in vector mode (which is the only mode I use) the airport diagrams are fine.
Click to expand...

I have night mode enabled, vector maps selected. When I go to the airport information and press the Safe Taxi button, I get the same diagram when not in night mode (bright white background, low contrast airport diagram).

What do you see?
 
Mistake Not... said:
I have night mode enabled, vector maps selected. When I go to the airport information and press the Safe Taxi button, I get the same diagram when not in night mode (bright white background, low contrast airport diagram).

What do you see?
Click to expand...

Same.
But I don't like this mode, so instead I scroll over to the airport I want on the map and zoom it up to taxiing size, at which point it's in proper night mode and in general looks and behaves much better.
 
Flew GP Android 4.3.4 yesterday in 4 hours of hard IFR (east coast, Joaquin related weather) and gave it quite a workout.
Didn't find any glaring issues, all worked well, including weather and traffic. The new extra labels on the taxiway charts were very useful in one large airport I landed in (that I don't use routinely), considerably better than before.
BTW the "hard" part of the IFR was bouncing around seemingly forever in IMC at low altitudes against stiff headwinds in moderate chop, discontinuing the approach and looping around twice, once for overtaking traffic and once for someone that called in with "a problem" (whatever that means) to get extra priority. :rolleyes2:
On the bright side, excellent test and practice for using touch screen technology (both panel and yoke mounted) in turbulence. :)
 
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Deleted because I just closed out and opened the app and everything was working fine.
 
It's nice to see this thread go quiet. Garmin seems to have finally worked out every bug from the Pilot app. It took three years.

Mine now works perfectly, flawlessly, automatically, every flight.
:)
 
I sent in a request for a GPS signal level display. I think almost all their other GPS products have a page that displays satellites and their signal strength.
 
Does anyone know their plans regarding SV on Android?
 
Since you guys are the most active forum I can find on GP, have any of you who own the original GDL-39 experience a momentary dropping out of the traffic?

My started doing this about 4 or 5 months ago. Flying along, the traffic indicators will momentarily show disconnect. The same thing if I have the traffic window open. I will get an error for just a second that says traffic is unavailable. Anyone see this?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
Marauder said:
Since you guys are the most active forum I can find on GP, have any of you who own the original GDL-39 experience a momentary dropping out of the traffic?

My started doing this about 4 or 5 months ago. Flying along, the traffic indicators will momentarily show disconnect. The same thing if I have the traffic window open. I will get an error for just a second that says traffic is unavailable. Anyone see this?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

I haven't seen this type of dropout, but I have noticed that sometimes when the GDL-39 antenna is not quite upright or possibly not fully screwed in, I see ADSB ground station dropouts. When that happens I make sure the antenna is fully vertical and screwed in, and within a few seconds the stations come back in. I don't recall seeing this with direct air-to-air traffic, however.
 
RotorDude said:
I haven't seen this type of dropout, but I have noticed that sometimes when the GDL-39 antenna is not quite upright or possibly not fully screwed in, I see ADSB ground station dropouts. When that happens I make sure the antenna is fully vertical and screwed in, and within a few seconds the stations come back in. I don't recall seeing this with direct air-to-air traffic, however.
Click to expand...


Thanks. I have reseated the antenna a few times and the battery pack as well. Nothing seems to make a difference; position, whether on aircraft power or using the reset function. Strange one.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
Marauder said:
Since you guys are the most active forum I can find on GP, have any of you who own the original GDL-39 experience a momentary dropping out of the traffic?

My started doing this about 4 or 5 months ago. Flying along, the traffic indicators will momentarily show disconnect. The same thing if I have the traffic window open. I will get an error for just a second that says traffic is unavailable. Anyone see this?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Yes, but -- we also see this on our built-in, in-panel ADS-B receiver in parts of the country. There are still areas with imperfect coverage.

You sure it's the antenna, and not the area you're flying in?
 
Jay Honeck said:
Yes, but -- we also see this on our built-in, in-panel ADS-B receiver in parts of the country. There are still areas with imperfect coverage.

You sure it's the antenna, and not the area you're flying in?
Click to expand...

I know in my case, the few times this has happened, there appeared to be a strong correlation with re-seating and repositioning the antenna (the unit is velcroed fairly loosely on the top/side of the glareshield), but I can't rule anything out yet. I have another flight coming up this week through the same area, so I'll try to get more definitive answers.
 
Jay Honeck said:
Yes, but -- we also see this on our built-in, in-panel ADS-B receiver in parts of the country. There are still areas with imperfect coverage.

You sure it's the antenna, and not the area you're flying in?
Click to expand...


It might be an east coast issue but it has done it from New York State to North Carolina.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
Speaking of traffic, took the Yak out today for a functional check flight after a throttle friction adjustment and GP showed me so much traffic it actually scared me - I know they are all out there, but damn!!

The coast, Lindbergh, to Palomar all showed up as did the airliner traffic of course - it was simultaneously super cool and terrifying - big sky my behind!

Seriously, when they get Synthetic Vision ported to Android I am taking the AI and DG out of both cockpits and mounting tablets as EFIS (works for my type of flying).

'Gimp
 
AcroGimp said:
Seriously, when they get Synthetic Vision ported to Android I am taking the AI and DG out of both cockpits and mounting tablets as EFIS (works for my type of flying).

'Gimp
Click to expand...

I did that, tongue-in-cheek two years ago using double back tape, a couple of Nexus 7 tablets, and some off-the shelf 6-pack apps. I think I posted a PIREP and some pix.

OMG, the uproar from the non-flying POA peanut gallery was deafening. As always, they were predicting an early death, FAA action, or both. :D :lol:

A couple of years later, with all of the technological advancements in these apps, you'll probably not even elicit a shrug when you do it.
 
Jay Honeck said:
I did that, tongue-in-cheek two years ago using double back tape, a couple of Nexus 7 tablets, and some off-the shelf 6-pack apps. I think I posted a PIREP and some pix.

OMG, the uproar from the non-flying POA peanut gallery was deafening. As always, they were predicting an early death, FAA action, or both. :D

A couple of years later, with all of the technological advancements in these apps, you'll probably not even elicit a shrug when you do it.
Click to expand...
Please tell me you have those pictures somewhere!
 
Still no SVX for android.

I smell a rat or collusion with apple.

I'm pretty sure it has something to do with money.
 
txflyer said:
Still no SVX for android.

I smell a rat or collusion with apple.

I'm pretty sure it has something to do with money.
Click to expand...
I haven't met anyone who thinks synthetic vision on a tablet is much more than a novelty.

I've got SV in my panel, and swear by it -- it changes flying for the better -- but I just don't think it would be worth a damn on my tablet, sans an AHRS and magnetometer.

In other words, I don't care if Pilot has SV.
 
Jay Honeck said:
I haven't met anyone who thinks synthetic vision on a tablet is much more than a novelty.

I've got SV in my panel, and swear by it -- it changes flying for the better -- but I just don't think it would be worth a damn on my tablet, sans an AHRS and magnetometer.

In other words, I don't care if Pilot has SV.
Click to expand...



That's a given Jay that if you're running SVX you have a 3D or AHRS device to drive it.

The tablet form on mine on the mini is rock solid.

I would trust it to get me out of an IMC jam. Not an approach, but out of IMC.
 
txflyer said:
That's a given Jay that if you're running SVX you have a 3D or AHRS device to drive it.

The tablet form on mine on the mini is rock solid.

I would trust it to get me out of an IMC jam. Not an approach, but out of IMC.
Click to expand...
How, without an AHRS or magnetometer, and only with GPS, does it provide accurate synthetic vision?

I have an app that tells me which Constellation or planet I'm looking at in the heavens. It is unreliable and jerky in the extreme.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
 
Jay Honeck said:
How, without an AHRS or magnetometer, and only with GPS, does it provide accurate synthetic vision?

I have an app that tells me which Constellation or planet I'm looking at in the heavens. It is unreliable and jerky in the extreme.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
Click to expand...



You're correct, it would not work without AHRS which is pretty much what I said. That anyone running SVX it's a given they are running the additional equipment to make it work.

We're not connecting on that point you and I.

WITH AHRS or a GDL-39 3D it works fine. :dunno:
 
txflyer said:
You're correct, it would not work without AHRS which is pretty much what I said. That anyone running SVX it's a given they are running the additional equipment to make it work.

We're not connecting on that point you and I.

WITH AHRS or a GDL-39 3D it works fine. :dunno:
Click to expand...
Gotcha. I forgot that the new GDL-39 has an AHRS in it. I still have a first generation GDL that continues to work just fine.

Yeah, with the AHRS, SV should work well on a tablet.
 
Google has updated my Nexus 7 2013 to Android 6.0 OTA tonight. Garmin Pilot seems to run normally on the desk. Does anyone have any experience or issues with it?
 
RotorDude said:
Google has updated my Nexus 7 2013 to Android 6.0 OTA tonight. Garmin Pilot seems to run normally on the desk. Does anyone have any experience or issues with it?
Click to expand...
I've been running GP on 6.0 on my nexus 9 for a while now and it works great.
 
On the last few flights, the GDL-39 and Nexus 7 lost Bluetooth connection several times and had to be reconnected. Has anyone else had this problem?
 
Paul Hamilton said:
On the last few flights, the GDL-39 and Nexus 7 lost Bluetooth connection several times and had to be reconnected. Has anyone else had this problem?
Click to expand...

I have had a few problems lately connecting one of my N7's to the GDL-39 (I have two of them connected normally), but that was before flight. I can't recall ever losing BT connectivity mid-flight.
 
The problem seems to be the result of the tablet bogging down.Since I started periodic soft resets and cache cleaning there have been no more dropouts. The Bluetooth issues date back to about two weeks ago, when I updated the database. At the next update, I may first erase all my charts.
 
Wow, just got Version 5.0 on my Samsung. Major changes to the user interface, with very busy flight planning pages. Just starting to digest this. You had better schedule some "eggnog" time in your favorite chair to learn the interface. Seems they abandoned the Garmin panel moun navigating analog to a ribbon and lots of new data pages.

First impression is that quick setup of flight plans is gone, now have to find the tiny boxes in the flight planning page to insert things like waypoints. All the new pages seem to be packed with data. Fine in a chair at home, but going to be rough to find what you need in a bounching plane with glare and uneven lighting. Nontrivial relearning curve, folks.

Also a bug that inserts a 15 second reminder inserted to switch fuel tanks when you first start 5.0. Need to select Edit in the Alert page to turn on the " - " buttons to delete an alert. Dumb extra step.

Uggh! Cannot find a way to insert new Lockheed Martin Flight Service credentials! So cannot get briefing, just cryptic error message. Option on Pilot page for briefer service does not include a way to include user credentials. Stuck. POS.
 
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I like 5, but had to clear data and cache to get it working. Flight planning is even easier, but the import button isn't clearly indicated... But you have a file and brief button in the flight planning tab, too. I also didn't need to enter LM credentials. I found the edit screen, but there aren't even boxes to enter them. Maybe they're using generics or just tying the tail same as a phone brief?

All in all, I like it!
 
mkosmo said:
I like 5, but had to clear data and cache to get it working. Flight planning is even easier, but the import button isn't clearly indicated... But you have a file and brief button in the flight planning tab, too. I also didn't need to enter LM credentials. I found the edit screen, but there aren't even boxes to enter them. Maybe they're using generics or just tying the tail same as a phone brief?

All in all, I like it!
Click to expand...

I'll try clearing the cache and data, and then restarting. I did find the way to import a flight plan (poorly marked). Now if I can get the briefing function back. I do like the quick access to the flightplan waypoint info on the map page. Hopefully the ETC updates as the flight progresses.
 
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