Control Vision AnywhereMap
What if you had a handheld GPS receiver that offered a full-color moving-map display, detailed airport information, and flight-planning software; cost less than $1,200; and weighed less than a pound? If the system works well, you would have one heck of a deal. Enter Control Vision's AnywhereMap for Pocket PC.
The beauty of a handheld GPS receiver lies in your ability to take the unit with you, whether from airplane to airplane or away from the airport for flight planning. Full-color displays turn the glamour up a notch, and tend to increase readability if properly executed. For many pilots, this piece of aviation gadgetry comes first on wish lists, and some won't leave home without one. While receivers like the full-color Garmin GPSMap 295 or the budget-buy Lowrance AirMap 100 offer peace of mind — being reliable, dedicated aviation units — the recent surge of moving-map software for personal digital assistants (PDAs) has brought new questions of added utility, lighter weight, and varying screen quality to pilots shopping for a VFR navigation tool.
The AnywhereMap is the brainchild of two pilots, Jay Humbard and Greg Yotz, and each brought engineering experience from major aerospace companies before coming to Control Vision. The company, in business for 20 years, sought to develop a portable flight planning and navigation system that "a pilot can configure and put into use in an aircraft in an hour or so," according to Richard Herbst, marketing director for Control Vision. The company chose to optimize AnywhereMap for the Windows CE/Pocket PC platform because of its stable nature, availability in PDAs with fast processors, and open architecture for future development. A version of the software is available for Palm OS-based devices.
We tested the AnywhereMap on a Compaq iPaq H3650 during several VFR flights. Control Vision sells the AnywhereMap in a bundle with a GPS receiver and the iPaq H3650, as this unit was judged by Control Vision to have the best display for the application, especially in bright .unlight. Our cockpit testing led us to agree about the iPaq's screen quality. The main map screen shows either a black 360-degree compass rose or an EFIS-style heading arc, depending on user preference, over a white background in day mode or as a yellow display on a black background in night mode. Next to other handheld GPS units, the screen was easily visible in midday sun at most angles. The screen uses 28 colors, chosen for readability, and we found the display fairly attractive as a result. Screen size on the iPaq and another AnywhereMap-compatible Windows CE unit, the Casio E-100 series, measures 3.8 inches diagonally, and the screen is arranged vertically.
Like other Pocket PC applications, tapping on the screen with a stylus accesses screen features and menus. This method may be a little challenging in rough air, but to a certain extent, we found that many functions could be tapped using our fingers if we didn't want to bother with the stylus. Once the flight plan was loaded, we didn't really need to touch the screen much, only doing so to look up airport frequencies and get more information on nearby obstacles. The distance to the next waypoint, estimated time en route, bearing, and track information are continuously displayed on the map screen. As long as the unit is?receiving reliable satellite signals, the groundspeed is also shown in the upper-right corner, replaced by a "NoGPS" or "NoSAT" message if this connection is lost.
During our flights, we noticed that the AnywhereMap took a few minutes to refine our bearing, though the error from the beginning was only a few degrees off the aircraft's heading when corrected for winds. After that, the bearing and desired track displays were dead-on, and we navigated directly to various airports and waypoints. Distance readouts were similarly accurate; when flying over airports, the distance readout was roughly the same as our altitude in miles. Information on nearby prohibited airspace was accessible from the main map screen by tapping on the display. Obstacle avoidance warnings and emergency descent advisories known as "cones of safety" are two unique features. Based on aircraft data, the cones appear as green rings around airports, depicting the distance from which an aircraft can safely glide to the field. These cones aren't perfect, as they don't take into account wind information, but they provide a means by which the pilot can determine the nearest airport without hitting an additional button on the screen.
When using the bundle provided by Control Vision, the PDA and GPS are powered through an auxiliary power plug-in to the aircraft's electrical system. If your airplane doesn't have an auxiliary power receptacle, you will need to arrange for another source of power to the GPS. A list of GPS units that are compatible with the AnywhereMap is found on the company's Web site, as is information on the serial cable and connections required for various configurations. The AnywhereMap can also be used with input from a panel-mounted GPS receiver, provided the receiver has an NMEA0813 serial output (which many Garmin panel-mounts do, for example). However, it requires a trip to the avionics shop to get the connector installed.
A full worldwide navigation database can be loaded into the iPaq: With 32 megabytes (MB) of storage available, the 8-MB database doesn't hog the entire PDA. The software comes with six months of free database updates, after which annual subscriptions updated on a 28-day cycle cost $100. The database is generated from NACO data, and it includes airports (public and private), runways, airspace (Class B/C/D), restricted airspace, military operations areas, alert areas, airways, intersections, NDBs, VORs, localizers, outer markers, airport and navaid frequencies, and obstacles. Version 1.15 of the software, currently shipping, shows terrain elevation data. Program upgrades (available separately) are also free for the first six months. In addition to navigation data, the AnywhereMap also stores AOPA's Airport Directory data on airport services, businesses, and local attractions, which is accessible from the airport information screen.
The system was simple to set up in the airplane and the software straightforward to use. One caveat: We did have the advantage of using the full system bundle, including the Garmin GPS35 (a portable GPS receiver that is about the size and shape of a computer mouse), and the manufacturer had preinstalled the software on the iPaq — you'll need to do the set-up on your own, which the company claims will take less than an hour. Figuring out a means of connecting your own GPS to the unit may prove a challenge.
The complete package includes the Anywhere Map software, an iPaq Pocket PC (model H3650), a Garmin GPS35 with an auxiliary power adapter, a yoke mount (which may need modification to fit some aircraft with wider control columns), and the Anywhere Planner software for desktop or laptop computer. Retail price for the bundle is $1,129; the software alone sells for $249. Anywhere PALM Map for Palm OS-based PDAs retails for $99. Various other packages are available. For more information, contact Control Vision, Box 596, Pittsburg, Kansas 66762; telephone 800/292-1160 or 620/231-6647; fax 620/231-5816; or visit the Web site ( www.anywheremap.com/cv/).
WAAS available on Garmin GPSMap 295
Garmin International Inc. has begun adding Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) capability to its line of handheld GPS receivers for marine, highway, and aviation use. The first Garmin aviation product to receive the enhanced accuracy is the GPSMap 295.
WAAS will improve the vertical navigation capability of GPS signals so that they eventually can be used for precision approaches. However, WAAS is approved so far only for VFR use while testing necessary to certify the system for IFR use continues.
Since handheld GPS units can only be used for VFR navigation, the present WAAS technology seemed the perfect match for Garmin's handheld receivers. Accuracy is improved for both lateral and vertical navigation, with vertical navigation gaining the greatest benefits. An AOPA test of lateral navigation with a WAAS-capable GPSMap 295 consisted of setting a user waypoint after taxiing onto an airport's compass rose, then flying 30 miles from the airport and returning. The pilot ended up less than two feet from the original starting point, an accuracy affected more by the pilot's ability to remember exactly where the aircraft's tires were before the flight than by the 295's ability to perform.
A brief test of vertical navigation also showed improved results. Without WAAS, altitude readings tend to fluctuate widely. In our test, altitude readouts with WAAS were definitely more stable.
Garmin offers the software update to current GPSMap 295 owners on its Web site. The GPSMap 295 retails through most avionics dealers for approximately $1,450 with an Americas database. For more information, contact Garmin International Inc., 1200 East 151st Street, Olathe, Kansas 66062; telephone 913/397-8200; fax 913/397-8282; or visit the Web site ( www.garmin.com). — Alton K. Marsh
Briefly Noted
"Montana has given me a ride," says Galen Hanselman on the back cover of the third in his series of pilot guides, Fly the Big Sky! In fact, the expansive state is replete with backcountry strips and other interesting airports, and Hanselman helps pilots explore 76 of them with aerial photos, detailed reconnaissance, and historical notes. The 720-page book is printed on heavy stock wfth a durable wire binding. John Plummer, who photographed the airports for Hanselman's earlier books Fly Idaho! and Air Baja!, contributes again, along with Judith Guryan. Though the book is not a comprehensive listing of airports in Montana, it covers most of the places that pilots with a sense of adventure will want to go.
Fly the Big Sky! sells for $49.95. For more information, contact QEI Publishing, Post Office Box 1236, Hailey, Idaho 83333; telephone 800/574-9702 or 208/788-5176; fax 208/788-4621; or visit the Web site ( www.flyidaho.com).
John and Martha King, owners of King Schools, have released two new additions to their Take-Off Video Library of pilot training tapes. The two-video series covers Jeppesen charts in depth. Volume one reviews en route, departures, and arrivals; volume two is titled Approaches. The tapes feature John and Martha offering clear explanations of charting symbols and terms and are illustrated with clearly depicted elecronic graphics. Jeppesen Chart Review: En route, Departures, and Arrivals runs 75 minutes, Approaches is 88 minutes long. Alone, each video is $29, but King Schools is offering an introductory price of $49 for both. For more information, contact King Schools, 3840 Calle Fortunada, San Diego, California 92123; telephone 800/854-1001 or 858/541-2200; fax 858/541-2201; or visit the Web site ( www.kingcatalog.com). — AKM
Aircraft Belts Inc. recently introduced an online means for designing and ordering custom aircraft restraints. The Build-a-Belt program allows aircraft owners to specify the exact safety belts required for their airplane and type of operations. For owners of aircraft with outdated lap restraints, or older, worn static belts, the Build-a-Belt program offers insight into the upgrades available — and the potential for increased safety. The company also received TSO approval for its line of replaceable, washable safety restraints suitable for medical transportation use.
For more information, contact Aircraft Belts Inc, 2000 Anders Lane, Kemah, Texas 77565; telephone 800/847-5651 or 281/334-3004; fax 281/538-2225; or visit the Web site ( www.aircraftbelts.com).
Unless otherwise stated, products listed herein have not been evaluated by AOPA Pilot editors. AOPA assumes no responsibility for products or services listed or for claims or actions by manufacturers or vendors. However, members unable to get satisfaction regarding products listed should advise AOPA. To submit products for evaluation, contact: New Products Editor, AOPA Pilot , 421 Aviation Way, Frederick, Maryland 21701; telephone 301/695-2350. Links to all Web sites referenced in this issue can be found on AOPA Online ( www.aopa.org/pilot/links.shtml).
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