Matt Thurber, editor-in-chief at AIN Media Group, has been flying since 1975 and writing about aviation since 1978 and now has the best job in the world, running editorial operations for Aviation International News, Business Jet Traveler, and FutureFlight.aero. In addition to working as an A&amp;P mechanic on everything from Piper Cubs to turboprops, Matt taught flying at his father’s flight school in Plymouth, Mass., in the early 1980s, flew for an aircraft owner/pilot, and for two summer seasons hunted swordfish near the George’s Banks off the East Coast from a Piper Super Cub. An ATP certificated fixed-wing pilot and CFII and commercial helicopter pilot, Matt is type-rated in the Citation 500 and Gulfstream V/550. Based in the Pacific Northwest, Matt and his team cover the entire aviation scene including business aircraft, helicopters, avionics, safety, manufacturing, charter, fractionals, technology, air transport, advanced air mobility, defense, and other subjects of interest to AIN, BJT, and FutureFlight readers.

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Garmin has released a OnePak database subscription for its new guided visual approaches, which can be flown in aircraft equipped with Garmin avionics capable of radius-to-fix legs. These approaches allow pilots to receive lateral and vertical navigation guidance to runway ends at airports with complex geographical or airspace constraints. Pilot workload is lower when flying guided visual approach procedures, which are labeled as “RNAV G” in the avionics, and the approaches can also be flown coupled to the autopilot.
So far, Garmin and its partner Hughes Aerospace have published 31 approaches to 25 airports, including Aspen Runway 15 (KASE), Teterboro Runway 01 (KTEB), Van Nuys Runway 34L (KVNY), Truckee Runway 29 and 11 (KTRK), Scottsdale Runway 21 (KSDL), and many others. More guided visuals are planned by the partners. The OnePak annual subscription to add guided visual approaches is an additional $500.
Avionics that qualify to use the guided visual approaches include GTN/GTN Xi navigators, WAAS GPS products, and select Garmin integrated flight decks. Guided visual approaches can be displayed on select Garmin cockpit displays and using the Hughes iOS app. The approaches are loaded into the avionics using the same process as any procedure.
“We are confident these approach procedures will help simplify approaches for pilots who often find themselves in challenging terrain or airport environments,” said Creighton Scarpone, Garmin director of airline and business aviation sales.
In other Garmin news, the company has unveiled its first DME avionics, the GDM 4500 and GDM 450R (remote). The new DMEs will be available in the third quarter of this year.
<img alt="Garmin DME" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="50aea521-d1ec-46e6-9140-833abf43e92f" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/Scenario2_DME.jpeg" width="6344" height="4070" loading="lazy">
Both can display DME information on Garmin integrated flight decks and TXi displays, with two DME frequencies selectable, DME hold capability, and the ability to scan and tune up to three additional DME frequencies (with an optional enablement).
According to Garmin, “Pilots can leverage this multi-channel capability for DME-DME area navigation using distance calculations from two or more DME ground stations to determine the aircraft’s position for RNAV routes. Additionally, the free-scan capability allows the system to search for DMEs in range.”
<img alt="Garmin TXi" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="72925fa8-55b8-4c97-9a46-c0040c7807b9" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/Garmin%20TXi.jpeg" width="6720" height="4480" loading="lazy">
Garmin also introduced a new display size for its TXi series, the 12.1-inch TXi. A touchscreen display, the 12.1-inch TXi has a 33% larger active display area than the 10.6-inch display. Availability is expected in the third quarter of this year.

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