 Garmin's Aera 500 series is a new generation of portable navigation. With a choice of locales, users select from three different models: the Americas
(North and South), Pacific (Asia) or Atlantic (Europe)
regions. Each unit comes preloaded with aviation data covering only that
region. The automotive information loaded will cover portions of each
designated area; for instance the Americas will include Canada and
US street mapping, but South American cities and roads are purchased separately. Showcasing a slim,
Multi-Function Display (MFD), the Aera series is bound to be the one
device to bring along on all trips. Other fundamental features include; full Jeppesen data base coverage, a removable/replaceable
lithium-ion battery, preloaded private airports throughout the US and
much more. Garmin's patented Panel Page
instrument guide was a must-have in previous series, and was not forgotten in the Aera line. This feature depicts GPS-derived
groundspeed, altitude, turn rate, course, heading,
and vertical speed in a presentation similar to an Electronic Flight
Information System. Another enhancement on the higher end units of
the Aera line, such as the 550 and 560, include the Terrain page. This page shows both overhead and vertical views of the topography below, as well
as pop-up alerts when obstructions or ground proximity conflicts may
impact your flight path. Garmin is a leader in the GPS world largely due to innovations such as the Aera series. The multi-function
capability of this line is paramount with users looking to
reduce the number of devices they use on a regular basis.
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