Garmin AERA 560 Color Aviation GPS (Americas)(Garmin aera560)

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Product Features

Easy-to-use touchscreen interface
Bright 4.3" diagonal, color display
XM weather and audio capability
Lithium-ion battery - lasts up to five hours, depending on usage and settings
High-sensitivity GPS receiver with WAAS position accuracy for improved performance and reception

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Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

The most feature-rich navigator in Garmin's aera lineup.

Terrain/obstacles graphics are shown in higher-resolution 9 arc-second detail.

Comes fully preloaded with Garmin SafeTaxi charts for over 950 U.S. airports.

Over 683 parachute drop zones are detailed in the Americas navigation database.

Preloaded with Americas terrain database. Click to enlarge coverage map.

Preloaded City Navigator NT mapping makes street navigation easy.

Go Top-of-the-Line with aera 560
The most feature-rich navigator in Garmin's aera lineup, the 560 model combines a more advanced list of automotive and piloting capabilities with higher-resolution 9 arc-second terrain/obstacle graphics that yield over 11 times more onscreen resolution than the standard 30 arc-second versions. As in all the aera models, GPS updating is provided at a super- fast 5 Hz rate. And you also get full support for the latest in XM WX satellite weather capabilities (subscriptions required). With coverage for the U.S. and Canada, the XM service lets you reference detailed NEXRAD imaging and METARs data, as well as current reports on precipitation, lightning, winds aloft, airport terminal forecasts, and more. Weather graphics can be overlaid on your aera's moving-map display. And for added entertainment value, your XM receiver can also be used to access over 170 channels of digital audio entertainment (XM subscription required). The GXM 40 smart antenna is included with your aera 560. And a single integrated cabling solution for power, music and datalink weather options makes for easy, clutter-free aera connectivity in your cockpit.

Think "mini-MFD" with Preloaded Mapping
In addition to the XM satellite access, your aera 560 comes fully preloaded with detailed flight mapping, terrain/obstacles alerting, U.S. SafeTaxi charts, and AOPA Airport Directory data. So, you'll have a wealth of information resources at your fingertips to help you make better flying decisions. A full year of prepaid aviation database updates is included with your aera 560 purchase. And to further enhance situational awareness, the aera 560's graphical Terrain page offers both overhead and vertical profile views of the topography under your flight path. There's also an IFR map mode that lets you display and navigate on high or low enroute airways--while using your touchscreen map cursor to reference MEAs (Minimum Enroute Altitudes) and distances between intersections. To help keep pilots aware of special airspace activity, over 683 parachute drop zones are detailed in the Americas navigation database. Plus, to help with traffic surveillance, an optional power/data cable (sold separately) makes it easy to interface your aera with the Garmin GTX 330 Mode S transponder in your aircraft, thus enabling you to access and display TIS traffic alerts in busy terminal airspace. As an added convenience, you can also use the aera to load communication frequencies into your Garmin SL 40 Comm or SL 30 Nav/Comm transceiver.

It's Loaded for the Road as Well
The segue from pilot to motorist is seamless when you go with the aera 560: Its "dual boot" design, supported by preloaded City Navigator NT street mapping, converts to "road mode" in a virtual heartbeat. Operating much like Garmin's popular nüvi line of touchscreen auto navigators, the aera 560 offers voice-guided turn-by-turn directions with text-to-speech audio technology that calls out streets by name. In addition, there's built-in Bluetooth support for wireless hands-free calling with your compatible mobile phone. Other premium features available on the aera 560 include lane assist with junction view, speed limit notification, Navteq traffic alerts, and more (requires the GTM 20, sold separately). Plus, you can still enjoy XM Radio and monitor XM WX satellite weather while operating in auto mode. And to speed your transition from aircraft to automotive mode, there's also a unique "smart mount" for the aera that helps get you on your way with instant clip-and-go navigation.

About the Jeppesen Database
The aera includes an internal Jeppesen database provides location and facility information for thousands of airports, VORs, NDBs, and more. Updates to the Jeppesen database are available every 28 days online, and the database includes the following information:

Airport--identifier, facility name, city/state/country, latitude/longitude, field elevation, available fuel types, runway designations and layout, runway surface, runway length, runway width, runway lighting, communication frequencies, and published approaches.
Weather--frequencies associated with an airport (ASOS, ATIS, and AWOS).
VORs--identifier, facility name, city/state/country, location (latitude/longitude), frequency, service volume (high, low, terminal), and type (such as VOR-DME, TACAN, and VORTAC).
NDBs--identifier, facility name, city/state/country, location (latitude/longitude), and frequency.
Intersections--identifier, nearest VOR, radial and distance from nearest VOR, location (latitude/longitude), and region/country.
ARTCC--Air Route Traffic Control Centers.
Airspace--boundaries (Class B, Class C, Control Zones, SUAs, and MOAs), controlling agency, and vertical boundaries.
FSS--Flight Service Stations.

Americas Terrain Database
Enhance situational awareness with the Terrain Aviation Database. This digital database contains the elevation data which represents the topography of the earth. Using this information, your Garmin aviation GPS monitors your current position in relation to surrounding terrain to provide alerts--giving you additional time to make critical decisions regarding the flight path. Since Terrain data does not include man-made objects (towers, airports, VORs etc.), updates to Terrain data do not occur on a regular basis.

The download process for Terrain updates is simple and convenient. Simply plug in your aviation device, download and go.

About City Navigator NT
With nearly 6 million points of interest and road coverage for U.S., Canada and Mexico, plus Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands and the Bahamas, City Navigator North America NT gives you everything you need to travel North America. Powered by NAVTEQ, a world leader in premium-quality digital map data, City Navigator brings you the most detailed street maps available so you can navigate with exact, turn-by-turn directions to any address or intersection.

Provides nearly 6 million points of interest, including hotels, restaurants, parking, entertainment, fuel and shopping.
Includes new extended coverage for Mexico.
Includes highways, interstates, and business and residential roads in metropolitan and rural areas.
Includes turn restrictions, roundabout guidance, speed categories.
Gives turn-by-turn directions.
Includes postal code support for Canada.
Speaks street names (example: "Turn right on Main Street.").

What's in the Box
aera 560, One Year of Prepaid Database Updates, GXM 40 Smart Antenna, Yoke Mount With Power Cable, Battery Pack, Portable Friction Mount, USB Cable, AC Adapter, Vehicle Power Cable, Carry Case, Pilot's Guide and Owner's Manual

Product Description

Say hello to the aera series: Easy-to-use pilot/motorist GPS solutions from the leader in both Aviation and Automotive portable navigation. Featuring crisp 4.3-inch QVGA wide-format displays with touchscreen interface, all four aera models come with preloaded automotive maps, a built-in terrain/obstacles aviation database, patented Panel Page instrument display, and more. So, you can go from runways to roadways with the best in moving-map guidance to match your needs and budget.The most feature-rich navigator in Garmin's aera lineup, the 560 model combines a more advanced list of automotive and piloting capabilities with higher-resolution 9 arc-second terrain/obstacle graphics that yield over 11 times more onscreen resolution than the standard 30 arc-second versions. As in all the aera models, GPS updating is provided at a super- fast 5 Hz rate. And you also get full support for the latest in XM WX satellite weather capabilities. With coverage for the U.S. and Canada, the XM service lets you reference detailed NEXRAD imaging and METARs data, as well as current reports on precipitation, lightning, winds aloft, airport terminal forecasts, and more. Weather graphics can be overlaid on your aera's moving-map display. And for added entertainment value, your XM receiver can also be used to access over 170 channels of digital audio entertainment (XM subscription required). The GXM 40 smart antenna is included with your aera 560. And a single integrated cabling solution for power, music and datalink weather options makes for easy, clutter-free aera connectivity in your cockpit.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 starsWorks great, but expensiveOctober 2, 2011

By Mike S.

Amazon Verified Purchase

The Aera 560 works great and has lots of useful features that are pretty easy to access with the touch screen.

The screen brightness is absolutely great. Much easier to see than my ipad and iphone in the plane (but nowhere near as useful as the ipad with foreflight)

I bought the Aera 560 primarily for the XM weather. It's crazy not to fly without it if it's available at this price.

I also thought it would be neat to connect my Zaon traffic finder to it to get pop-up traffic alerts. I bought a $125 cable to do it, but so far I haven't used it with the Zaon. Probably overkill anyway, since the bigger Zaon I use gives you an arrow to look in the general direction anyway.

I was convinced to get weather radar when ATC would alert pilots to a storm cell and then ask if they have on-board radar. Seems like about 75% do have it now from what I hear on the radio. Made me nervous not having it. Especially with the insane weather these days.

Although XM weather will be available on the ipad at some point, the ipad already seems burdened down with all it's doing. I didn't want to make it run any slower, or less dependable.

I chose XM weather since ADS-B (which offers FREE weather radar!) isn't available all over the country. Murphy's Law says I'd end up flying somewhere with no ADS-B transmitter into a thunderstorm. Who knows if the government will ever have the money to complete ADS-B?

The Aera 560 is pretty small. I use it on a RAM suction cup mount on the corner of the windscreen (not included), but it does come with a yoke mount. It absolutely won't get in the way in the tiny cockpits like a 696 or other big GPS would (I use my ipad on a RAM yoke mount on the copilot's yoke, horizontally). The screen is actually plenty big for weather, terrain, obstacles, and most GPS functions.

It saves a log of where you've flown (I think it used to be called bread crumbs?), putting a tiny white dashed line on the map to show you where you've been. Even though there are no procedure turns or holds shown, if you fly an approach using VORs or another GPS, it will show you how you did on the approach, course reversals and all. Makes me a little nervous looking at it since I know I fly much better than that line says I do!

The thing has a couple of voice alerts if you connect the 3.5mm stereo audio out to your headset or intercom (if it has that capability). Not many voice alerts except that you're going to hit something. A nice voice calling out 500 feet on final is fun, but there are no other altitude callouts (which I'd like, but the GPS is probably not accurate enough to really tell you where the ground is - it doesn't have RAIM like an IFR WAAS aviation GPS).

The price of XM weather went up right after I bought it. It's $50 for radar and metars (as I write this in October of 2011), but if you want to add lightning, it's $5 more. Seems crazy to save $5 not to be able to see the thing that's most likely to kill you, so it's costing me $55 a month. I think it's pretty darn expensive for what I get, but it should help keep me out of an NTSB report.

Having XM lighting strikes is as valuable as a stormscope/strikefinder, which are going to tell you REAL TIME about bad stuff near you, not what you could be flying into in a little while. BUT, the XM radar and lightning COULD BE 5 or 10 minutes old (or not available), which can kill you.

Foreflight has the same radar and lighting strike capabilities (with the delay), but it works primarily on the ground. Sometimes you can get the info from 3G in the air, but it's not dependable enough to trust your life to. Before getting the Aera 560, I did use foreflight to get around some cells here and there in the air (VFR only), and found that Verizon is way more dependable than AT&T most of the time (AT&T ipad and Verizon iphone with Foreflight in the cockpit).

The Aera 560 manuals say you can sign-up with XM online, but that didn't work. I don't have much patience for "customer service," but I was able to get it turned on and get off the phone pretty quickly.

The Aera 560 has an interesting concept of showing you built-in approaches. It puts in the FAF to the MAP (for any kind of approach, including ILS). I guess that's OK for emergency use, but at least for me it doesn't provide much situational awareness (no procedure turns, etc.).

If you're being vectored in an emergency in the soup, it's sure better than nothing.

The actual map is so small that they don't put airway numbers on the chart - just lines. If you touch the line, it tells you the MEA (not MOCA), the airway number, and the waypoints that define it. In at least one case when I touched the airway it said something like see the chart for the MEA.

Since I didn't get it for the GPS capabilities, it's fine for me.

The Aera 560 gives you extended runway lines for airports, which is convenient, but I use WingX on my ipad or iphone coming into EVERY airport. WingX has extended runway lines AND puts the runway number at the end of each line (without that little number there's a good chance I would be distracted and land on the wrong runway someday).

The battery is very small (which keep the whole thing small and light), and doesn't last very long. Worse with the XM puck attached (maybe 1.5 hours until dead?). Ship's power (14 or 28V) or an external battery pack is a must. I use a really narrow Clore JNC660 12V car starting thing with a lighter socket I got on Amazon to power all the toys (the Aera 560 and other devices are fully charged when I'm done with the flight, or if the ship's power goes out). It fits behind the pilot's seat with the seat slid all the way back, and I just recharge it in the hotel overnight.

The 560 came down in price before I bought it ($1,600), probably because the 796 was coming out. It's expensive, but pretty cheap compared to anything actually bolted into a plane (like a 430W with XM weather!).

I bought it instead of an older unit with XM because it has the touch screen interface (with fill-in the blanks). It's way less sensitive than the ipad, which is good (still tough in turbulence). I really don't like clicking and twisting or constantly pushing buttons to put in a flight plan like on most other GPSs. The touch screen popup keyboard is nice (although I keep hitting the wrong letters). I put the flight plan in as a backup. It's just reassuring to have another box with that magenta line.

If you mainly fly locally for fun, this is probably way overkill. But it is fun.

Garmin GPS International | Best International GPS

Wednesday, September 12, 2012