Garmin Pilot

[plongson]

Is Garmin Pilot (GP) buggy?? I'm test driving GP and right off the bat it seems buggy. In it's defense, I'm running it on an older Samsung Tab-A but GP does weird things like the track or bread crumb trail comes and goes or looses the trace all together. When on a VFR chart in the house testing, once I'm out in the field, it goes white forcing me to switch to another kind of map.

There are other things it does, but you get the idea where I'm coming from.

 

[RyanB]

Nope it’s not at all in my experience. It’s probably the device you’re running it on.

 

[Jeff Oslick]

I've only had it go really buggy on me once, and it became obvious it need a reinstallation. After that was done, it was fine. I've been running it on a Samsung Tab-A for quite awhile without an issue.

 

[eman1200]

Nope it’s not at all in my experience. It’s probably the device you’re running it on.

Agreed. Very rarely buggy for me. Maps working at home (presumably with an internet connection) but not on the road leads me to believe you haven’t downloaded certain maps.

 

[Jim K]

Gp on Android is very buggy and crashey, in my experience with 3 different Android tablets. So much so that it drove me to buy an iPad mini 6. It is stable on that.

If ifly ever figures out Garmin integration, I'm switching back.

ETA: Switching the map is usually when it crashes. Going back and forth between sectionals and low-enroute seems to be hard for it.

 

[texasclouds]

Works fine for me on a fresh iPad or iPhone

 

[somorris]

I ran it for two years on an iPad and it worked fine. The only problem I had was losing connection with the GDL39.

 

[plongson]

Thanks all...Sounds like it has a pretty good chance of running well on Android. I would probably get a Samsung S7 to run it on but kind'a hate to crapshoot part of buying a new tablet and "HOPE" it works.
Ya think the better "bullet proof" route might be Foreflight and an ipad?

 

[eman1200]

Thanks all...Sounds like it has a pretty good chance of running well on Android. I would probably get a Samsung S7 to run it on but kind'a hate to crapshoot part of buying a new tablet and "HOPE" it works.
Ya think the better "bullet proof" route might be Foreflight and an ipad?

Nope. Foreflight is for people who need help with pattern entries. GP on iOS is the way to go.

 

[Mahneuvers]

I run GP on a Galaxy S5e. Crashes are infrequent but they do happen. My only beef is it sometimes becomes very slow. I'll touch the map icon and it takes 2-3 seconds before it decides to switch the view. I'm now in the habit of restarting the tablet before each flight to purge from memory any lingering/background processes. Restarting makes it better but doesn't solve the slowness issue completely.

 

[Hang 4]

GP on my iPad 4 is rock solid. Recent updates for NOTAMs are a great improvement.

 

[AlleyCat67]

Thanks all...Sounds like it has a pretty good chance of running well on Android. I would probably get a Samsung S7 to run it on but kind'a hate to crapshoot part of buying a new tablet and "HOPE" it works.
Ya think the better "bullet proof" route might be Foreflight and an ipad?

The issue isn’t the application but the platform. Either GP or FF will run rock solid on an iPad. GP is sometimes buggy on Android. If you need reliability then you should just bite the bullet & buy an iPad for flying. That said, I did have good luck running iFlyGPS on a Samsung tablet for a couple of years, but had to move to GP to get the ADS-B out from the GTX345.

 

[Joe_B1]

I run GP on a galaxy tab a7 and have only had one issue. A while back after an upgrade, I found that if I was on an active flight plan and hit the direct to button, it crashed. I reported it to Garmin and they came out with an update that fixed the issue in a couple of days. Other than that, it has been solid.

 

[plongson]

So just to be clear, any ipad that you plan on using it's internal GPS must have the cellular option. With iPads that are WiFi only, there is NO GPS.
Is this correct?
I'm not an Apple guy, never owned an Apple anything...nothing against Apple...but for flying, the last thing I want is software and programming crap.

THANKS!! for all the input!
Paul

 

[Doug Reid]

So just to be clear, any ipad that you plan on using it's internal GPS must have the cellular option. With iPads that are WiFi only, there is NO GPS.
Is this correct?
I'm not an Apple guy, never owned an Apple anything...nothing against Apple...but for flying, the last thing I want is software and programming crap.

THANKS!! for all the input!
Paul

You are correct...cellular ipad has internal gps...cellular service not required to use the gps. I have used ipads for years...very few issues.

 

[Hang 4]

So just to be clear, any ipad that you plan on using it's internal GPS must have the cellular option. With iPads that are WiFi only, there is NO GPS.
Is this correct?
I'm not an Apple guy, never owned an Apple anything...nothing against Apple...but for flying, the last thing I want is software and programming crap.

THANKS!! for all the input!
Paul

That's correct that a non-cellular IPad has no internal GPS. What else do you have in your plane for avionics? If you have Garmin and a FS210 or 510, you can get your nav, flight plan, ADSB info all from that and no need for a GPS except for a back up. Add a Stratux and a free EFB app and you can have a fully redundant back up that provides all except the flight plan transfer

 

[Warmi]

iOS version is not that buggy but slow as hell … some really shoddy programming with fully internal ( not downloaded ) vector maps talking literally seconds to refresh.

 

[Jeff Oslick]

The main reason I prefer running GP on a Samsung tablet vs iPad is heat tolerance. From everything I've seen and read, Samsung tablets are significantly less prone to overheating and shutting down than an iPad. The better Samsungs also have very bright screens for readability, though that certainly takes a bite out of battery performance.

 

[TCABM]

Thanks all...Sounds like it has a pretty good chance of running well on Android. I would probably get a Samsung S7 to run it on but kind'a hate to crapshoot part of buying a new tablet and "HOPE" it works.
Ya think the better "bullet proof" route might be Foreflight and an ipad?

I’ve tried ifly, GP and FF on iOS and ifly and GP on android (Tab A7).

For me, GP is a different and lesser experience on Android than on iOS. Because FF isn’t android, then I have to learn two different systems and two different platforms if I decide to FF.

My decision so far has been ifly on android tablet as primary and iphone as redundant/backup. Keeps life simple.

 

[Joe_B1]

The main reason I prefer running GP on a Samsung tablet vs iPad is heat tolerance. From everything I've seen and read, Samsung tablets are significantly less prone to overheating and shutting down than an iPad. The better Samsungs also have very bright screens for readability, though that certainly takes a bite out of battery performance.

You got that right, my galaxy tab A7 eats battery life on 100% brightness, I plug it in when flying.

 

[Jim K]

Speaking of flaky GP.... mine (on the android tablet I'm writing this with; haven't checked the others) has currently decided to not update the MOS, winds aloft, or forecast discussion. Everything else works, just not the text products.

 

[Joe_B1]

Speaking of flaky GP.... mine (on the android tablet I'm writing this with; haven't checked the others) has currently decided to not update the MOS, winds aloft, or forecast discussion. Everything else works, just not the text products.

Go to settings and data services. Near the bottom of the page tap REFRESH under refresh text weather.

 

[Jim K]

Go to settings and data services. Near the bottom of the page tap REFRESH under refresh text weather.

Yep.... did that. Everything but the text products refreshes. Also tried turning it off and back on again What's weird is usually when something like this breaks, it's precipitated by either a gp or android update, but this seems to have just happened or of the blue. I need to try my other tablets, but if you guys aren't seeing it, then it must be just this one, and unlikely to be fixable.

 

[Joe_B1]

Yep.... did that. Everything but the text products refreshes. Also tried turning it off and back on again What's weird is usually when something like this breaks, it's precipitated by either a gp or android update, but this seems to have just happened or of the blue. I need to try my other tablets, but if you guys aren't seeing it, then it must be just this one, and unlikely to be fixable.

I do not use MOS but I added that widget and it says no data available. All others populate if I load up a flightplan. I did read something somewhere that said MOS was being discontinued at some point.

 

[Jim K]

I do not use MOS but I added that widget and it says no data available. All others populate if I load up a flightplan. I did read something somewhere that said MOS was being discontinued at some point.

Do you get current winds aloft and forecast discussion? Those are both in the weather tab of the airport information page. The MOS & Winds are also available in the weather tab of the circular menu that pops up when you tap on an airport. I can't even get wind data for flight planning, which I didn't know until just now.

 

[Jim K]

Just confirmed my ... it's working fine on my 8" android tablet.

So no winds or long term weather on my 10" tablet I use for planning.

 

[thito01]

I am also using a Tab-A and not seeing the issues you are reporting. But, I have only been using it for a few months.

 

[Joe_B1]

Do you get current winds aloft and forecast discussion? Those are both in the weather tab of the airport information page. The MOS & Winds are also available in the weather tab of the circular menu that pops up when you tap on an airport. I can't even get wind data for flight planning, which I didn't know until just now.

I do get winds aloft but no forecast discussion.

 

[Warmi]

I do get winds aloft but no forecast discussion.

Discussions are available for certain airport only

 

[eman1200]

wow they really revamped the airports page, looks good.

 

[eman1200]

so in trying to reproduce your issue, I found what looks to me like a bug (unrelated). I sent garmin an email thru the app with all the details, steps to reproduce, etc, and already got a reply that they're looking at it. I personally have had good response from them when escalating stuff, so if u think there's a bug, report it and u may be pleasantly surprised. of course, maybe not, but just sharing my experiences.

 

[Mahneuvers]

I earlier complained of GP being slow and sometimes locking up on my Galaxy 5se. I'm a bonehead for not trying this sooner, but, I've always run GP with the weather overlay. That's a ton of data/imagery. I turned weather off on a flight yesterday and, low and behold, GP was rather snappy.

 

[Joe_B1]

I just had an issue that the current wx and some of the sync stopped working. The wx was stuck on the date of my last interface with the fs510. I wrote to Garmin and they said that I would have to uninstall and reinstall the app. Now it's working as it should but this is a serious bug. I am waiting to hear their response.

 

[Jim K]

I just had an issue that the current wx and some of the sync stopped working. The wx was stuck on the date of my last interface with the fs510. I wrote to Garmin and they said that I would have to uninstall and reinstall the app. Now it's working as it should but this is a serious bug. I am waiting to hear their response.

On android? That's exactly what happened to mine. I fixed it by uninstalling/reinstalling. Then taking two days to re- download all the data on my crappy internet.

 

[Ed Haywood]

My issue with Garmin is their business practices. Proprietary format for ADS-B data so you can't use their hardware with other software, poor warranty terms and no service on portable devices, map data update subscriptions, and requiring a Pilot subscription to access data on their avionics.

Same reason I avoid Apple on principle, in favor of platforms like Android and MS, where interoperability is a guiding principle. No walked gardens for me, thanks, especially not when they use platform lock-in as leverage for subscription revenue streams.

It's a shame because they make some really great products. But the market needs a peer competitor. Right now they are behaving like Apple would in the absence of Android, or MS did when they were the only game in town. Competition is good.

 

[Stewartb]

GP has been flawless for me for several years. iPhone and iPad, with a GDL39 and without. Even while flying commercial. Never any bugs, never any bluetooth issue with the GDL.

 

[Joe_B1]

On android? That's exactly what happened to mine. I fixed it by uninstalling/reinstalling. Then taking two days to re- download all the data on my crappy internet.

Yup, basically got stuck accessing the Garmin wx server when I disconnected Bluetooth from my fs510. I told Garmin tech support via email that I considered this a serious bug. We will see what they reply on Monday.

 

[Joe_B1]

My issue with Garmin is their business practices. Proprietary format for ADS-B data so you can't use their hardware with other software, poor warranty terms and no service on portable devices, map data update subscriptions, and requiring a Pilot subscription to access data on their avionics.

Same reason I avoid Apple on principle, in favor of platforms like Android and MS, where interoperability is a guiding principle. No walked gardens for me, thanks, especially not when they use platform lock-in as leverage for subscription revenue streams.

It's a shame because they make some really great products. But the market needs a peer competitor. Right now they are behaving like Apple would in the absence of Android, or MS did when they were the only game in town. Competition is good.

Yes, Garmin marketing and pricing is like a poke in the eye with a sharp stick but their stuff really works well and is very reliable and once you pay your dues, it's nice to fly with.

A year or so ago, I thought about replacing my GNS530 with an IFD540 because it was a drop in replacement but decided against it because Garmin stuff plays so well together. I spent a ton of green on my Garmin panel and after the initial pain of paying for it, I am glad I did.

I do take umbrage with their practice of locking out features if you don't jump on the database update bandwagon. It's like pay to play but after spending 70 grand on boxes, $79 a year doesn't seem so bad.

 

[David Megginson]

But the market needs a peer competitor. Right now they are behaving like Apple would in the absence of Android, or MS did when they were the only game in town. Competition is good.

I agree. I have Garmin in my plane, but I'm glad Avidyne exists to put competitive pressure on them.

 

[Stewartb]

Garmin Pilot looks and acts like my G3X, which I really like. I pay a subscription for Pilot and another for the G3X. Worth every penny. And their customer support for both systems is amazing.