This manual reflects the operation of System Software version 4.10 or later. Some differences
in operation may be observed when comparing the information in this manual to earlier or later
software versions.
Except as expressly provided herein, no part of this manual may be reproduced, copied, transmitted,
disseminated, downloaded or stored in any storage medium, for any purpose without the express
written permission of Garmin. Garmin hereby grants permission to download a single copy of this
manual and of any revision to this manual onto a hard drive or other electronic storage medium to
be viewed for personal use, provided that such electronic or printed copy of this manual or revision
must contain the complete text of this copyright notice and provided further that any unauthorized
commercial distribution of this manual or any revision hereto is strictly prohibited.
Garmin® and SafeTaxi® are registered trademarks of Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries. aera™ is
a trademark of Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries. These trademarks may not be used without the
express permission of Garmin.
Jeppesen® is a registered trademark of Jeppesen, Inc.
XM® is a registered trademark of XM Satellite Radio, Inc.
AC-U-KWIK
®
is a registered trademark of Penton Business Media, Inc.
August, 2012 190-01117-02 Rev. C Printed in the United States or Taiwan
Warnings, Cautions & Notes
WARNING: When installing the aera™, place the unit so it does not obstruct
the field of view or interfere with operating controls.
WARNING: The indicators represented on the Panel are based on GPS-derived
data and may differ from the instruments in the aircraft.
WARNING: Navigation and terrain separation must NOT be predicated upon
the use of the terrain function. The aera Terrain Proximity feature is NOT
intended to be used as a primary reference for terrain avoidance and does not
relieve the pilot from the responsibility of being aware of surroundings during
flight. The Terrain Proximity feature is only to be used as an aid for terrain
avoidance and is not certified for use in applications requiring a certified
terrain awareness system. Terrain data is obtained from third party sources.
Garmin is not able to independently verify the accuracy of the terrain data.
WARNING: The displayed minimum safe altitudes (MSAs) are only advisory
in nature and should not be relied upon as the sole source of obstacle and
terrain avoidance information. Always refer to current aeronautical charts
for appropriate minimum clearance altitudes.
WARNING: The altitude calculated by aera GPS receivers is geometric height
above Mean Sea Level and could vary significantly from the altitude displayed
by pressure altimeters. Always use pressure altitude displayed by the aircraft
altimeter when determining or selecting aircraft altitude.
WARNING: Do not use outdated database information. Databases used in the
aera system must be updated regularly in order to ensure that the information
remains current. Pilots using any outdated database do so entirely at their
own risk.
WARNING: Do not use data link weather information for maneuvering in,
near, or around areas of hazardous weather. Information contained within
data link weather products may not accurately depict current weather
conditions.
Garmin aera 500 Series Pilot’s Guide
190-01117-02 Rev. C
Warnings, Cautions & Notes
WARNING: Do not use the indicated data link weather product age to
determine the age of the weather information shown by the data link weather
product. Due to time delays inherent in gathering and processing weather
data for data link transmission, the weather information shown by the data
link weather product may be significantly older than the indicated weather
product age.
WARNING: To reduce the risk of unsafe operation, carefully review and
understand all aspects of the aera Pilot’s Guide documentation and the Pilot’s
Operating Handbook of the aircraft. Thoroughly practice basic operation
prior to actual use. During flight operations, carefully compare indications
from the aera to all available navigation sources, including the information
from other NAVAIDs, visual sightings, charts, etc. For safety purposes, always
resolve any discrepancies before continuing navigation.
WARNING: The Garmin aera has a very high degree of functional integrity.
However, the pilot must recognize that providing monitoring and/or self-test
capability for all conceivable system failures is not practical. Although unlikely,
it may be possible for erroneous operation to occur without a fault indication
shown by the aera. It is thus the responsibility of the pilot to detect such
an occurrence by means of cross-checking with all redundant or correlated
information available in the cockpit.
WARNING: For safety reasons, aera operational procedures must be learned
on the ground.
WARNING: The United States government operates the Global Positioning
System and is solely responsible for its accuracy and maintenance. The GPS
system is subject to changes which could affect the accuracy and performance
of all GPS equipment. Portions of the Garmin aera utilize GPS as a precision
electronic NAVigation AID (NAVAID). Therefore, as with all NAVAIDs,
information presented by the aera can be misused or misinterpreted and,
therefore, become unsafe.
WARNING: The data contained in the terrain and obstacle databases comes
from government agencies. Garmin accurately processes and cross-validates
the data, but cannot guarantee the accuracy and completeness of the data.
190-01117-02 Rev. C
Garmin aera 500 Series Pilot’s Guide
Warnings, Cautions & Notes
WARNING: Do not use basemap (land and water data) information for
primary navigation. Basemap data is intended only to supplement other
approved navigation data sources and should be considered as an aid to
enhance situational awareness.
WARNING:
avoidance maneuvering. The traffic display does not provide collision avoidance
resolution advisories and does not, under any circumstances or conditions, relieve
the pilot’s responsibility to see and avoid other aircraft.
WARNING:
depict all of the traffic within range of the aircraft. Due to lack of equipment, poor
signal reception, and/or inaccurate information from aircraft or ground stations,
traffic may be present that is not represented on the display.
CAUTION: Avoid using any chemical or abrasive cleaners on the touchscreen
Do not rely solely upon the display of traffic information for collision
Do not rely solely upon the display of traffic information to accurately
and/or plastic casing. Clean the touchscreen with a soft, clean, lint-free cloth.
Use water, isopropyl alcohol, or eyeglass cleaner, if needed.
CAUTION: The Garmin aera does not contain any user-serviceable parts.
Repairs should only be made by an authorized Garmin service center.
Unauthorized repairs or modifications could void both the warranty and the
pilot’s authority to operate this device under FAA/FCC regulations.
NOTE: All visual depictions contained within this document, including screen
images of the aera panel and displays, are subject to change and may not
reflect the most current aera system and aviation databases. Depictions of
equipment may differ slightly from the actual equipment.
NOTE: This product, its packaging, and its components contain chemicals
known to the State of California to cause cancer, birth defects, or reproductive
harm. This notice is being provided in accordance with California’s Proposition
65. If you have any questions or would like additional information, please
refer to our web site at www.garmin.com/prop65.
Garmin aera 500 Series Pilot’s Guide
190-01117-02 Rev. C
Warnings, Cautions & Notes
NOTE: Use of polarized eyewear may cause the display to appear dim or
blank.
NOTE: Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) data is provided by the FAA and
may not be updated outside of normal business hours. Confirm data currency
through alternate sources and contact your local FSS for interpretation of TFR
data.
190-01117-02 Rev. C
Garmin aera 500 Series Pilot’s Guide
Warnings, Cautions & Notes
Blank Page
Garmin aera 500 Series Pilot’s Guide
190-01117-02 Rev. C
Part NumberChange Summary
190-01194-00Initial release
RevDateDescription
AOctober, 2009Production Release
BAugust, 2012Added GDL 39 Support
CAugust, 2012Added GDL 39 Pass-Through and TargetTrend.
Industry Canada Compliance ............................................................................................ 208
Index ...................................................................................................................................Index-1
iv
Garmin aera 500 Series Pilot’s Guide
190-01117-02 Rev. C
Overview
SECTION 1 OVERVIEW
1.1 UNIT OVERVIEW
In aviation mode the aera presents GPS-derived analog flight instrumentation,
position, navigation, and hazard avoidance information to the pilot using a 4.3”
QWVGA color display with Touch Screen.
NOTE: Refer to Appendix E for additional battery information.
CAUTION: Always keep the battery installed when the unit is on.
WARNING: The product contains a lithium-ion battery. To prevent damage,
remove the unit from the aircraft or vehicle when exiting or store it out of
direct sunlight.
Installing the battery:
1)
Locate the lithium-ion battery that came in the product box.
2)
Slide the release key until the battery cover on the back of the aera opens
up.
3)
Remove the battery cover.
4)
Locate the metal contacts on the end of the lithium-ion battery.
5)
Insert the battery so that the metal contacts on the battery line-up with the
metal contacts inside the battery compartment.
6)
Slide the top of the battery cover into the groove on the inside of the
battery compartment, and press down.
Installing the Battery
2
Garmin aera 500 Series Pilot’s Guide
190-01117-02 Rev. C
Overview
CHARGING THE BATTERY
NOTE: While in Charge Mode, the unit draws a current from the aircraft. To
avoid discharging the aircraft’s battery, disconnect the external power cable
from the unit when not in use for several days.
Charge the aera for at least 4 hours before using on battery power. Charge the
battery by connecting the vehicle or aviation power cable, the USB cable, an AC adapter
(optional accessory), or use a battery charger (optional accessory).
Plug the unit into a 12-Volt or 24-Volt connector to charge. The unit can be used
while it is charging. Charge the unit within the following temperature range
104°F (0° to 40°C).
Charging the unit’s battery using the aircraft's power outlet:
1)
Mount the aera in the aircraft (refer to Appendix D 'Installation and
Interfacing'), and connect the power cable to the aircraft power outlet
(cigarette lighter receptacle).
2)
Route the power cable so that it does not interfere with aircraft operation.
The unit begins charging as soon as external power is applied.
Applying external power to the aera automatically turns on the unit for full operation.
If the battery is present and needs to be charged, the external power source charges
the battery while the unit is in use.
If you do not want to use the unit, but you would like to charge the battery, you can
put the unit into Charge Mode. Connect the unit to an external power supply. Press
and hold the POWER Button. Instead of completely turning off, the unit now goes
into Charge Mode.
The unit will run cooler and may allow more current to be available while in Charge
Mode, when XM is unplugged, the backlight is turned down, etc.
MOUNTING THE aera IN THE AIRCRAFT
Refer to Appendix D 'Installation & Interfacing' for information on mounting the
aera in the aircraft.
190-01117-02 Rev. C
Garmin aera 500 Series Pilot’s Guide
3
Overview
TURNING THE UNIT ON/OFF
Press and hold the POWER Button to turn the unit on or off.
The first time the unit is turned on, the receiver must collect satellite data and
establish its present location. To ensure proper initialization, the aera is shipped from
the factory in AutoLocate mode, which allows the receiver to “find itself” anywhere in
the world.
During initialization, current database information is displayed. Database information
includes valid operating dates, cycle number, and database type. When this information
has been reviewed for currency (to ensure that no databases have expired), the pilot
is prompted to continue.
Touching the Press To Accept Button acknowledges this information, and the
'Home' Screen is displayed.
Database Initialization
CHANGING MODES
The aera offers two modes for transportation: automotive and aviation.
Changing modes:
1)
Touch the automotive or aviation icon at the top of the 'Home' Screen.
2)
Touch Yes.
AutomotiveAviation
Or:
1)
From the 'Home' Screen, touch Tools > Automotive or Aviation (from
automotive mode).
dimensional fix has been calculated. “3D Differential” appears when you are
receiving DGPS corrections in 3D mode
•Lost Satellite Reception—the receiver is no longer tracking enough satellites for a
2D or 3D fix
Constellation
Diagram
PRN Number
45° Above
Horizon
Horizon
Receiver Status
GPS Status
Viewing the GPS status:
From the 'Home' Screen, touch Tools > GPS Status.
ACQUIRING SATELLITES
The bars on the 'Home' Screen indicate the GPS signal strength.
190-01117-02 Rev. C
Garmin aera 500 Series Pilot’s Guide
Signal
Strength Bar
PRN Number
Location
(Lat/Long)
5
Overview
When the receiver is in the process of acquiring enough satellite signals for
navigation, the receiver uses satellite orbital data (collected continuously from the
satellites) and last known position to determine the satellites that should be in view.
‘Acquiring Satellites’ is indicated as the solution until a sufficient number of satellites
have been acquired for computing a solution.
When the receiver is in the process of acquiring a 3D differential GPS solution, ‘3D
GPS Location’ is indicated as the solution until the 3D differential fix has finished
acquisition.
SATELLITE INFORMATION
Satellites currently in view are shown at their respective positions on a satellite
constellation diagram. The outer circle of the constellation diagram represents the
horizon, the inner circle represents 45° above the horizon, and the center point shows
the position directly overhead. Each satellite is represented by a square containing the
Pseudo-Random Noise (PRN) number (i.e., satellite identification number).
GPS Status can be helpful in troubleshooting weak (or missing) signal levels
due to poor satellite coverage or installation problems. As the GPS receiver locks
onto satellites, a signal strength bar is displayed for each satellite in view, with the
appropriate satellite PRN number (01-32 or 33-64 for WAAS) below each bar. The
progress of satellite acquisition is shown in three stages, as indicated by signal bar
appearance:
- No bar—Receiver is looking for the indicated satellite
- Gray bar—Receiver has collected the necessary data and the satellite signal can
be used
- Green bar—Satellite is being used for the GPS solution
6
Garmin aera 500 Series Pilot’s Guide
190-01117-02 Rev. C
Overview
1.3 OPERATION
BASIC NAVIGATION CONTROLS
The controls on the touchscreen change dynamically depending on the function
displayed.
Touch the following icons to perform the associated function:
HomeReturns to the ‘Home’ screen.
BackDisplays the previous page; Returns ‘Home’ (touch and hold).
OKCommits a value edited or selected.
MenuDisplays the context sensitive option menu.
Menu/Displays the menu; Displays the Direct-to function (touch and hold).