Garmin Unveils the Aera 760 Portable Aviation GPS -Utilize HangarBot’s Wi-Fi capabilities for seamless flight planning

Last month, Garmin TeamX unveiled the aera 760, a premium aviation portable that is purpose-built for the pilot and cockpit. The aera 760 boasts a 7-inch bright, sunlight readable, touchscreen display complete with comprehensive chart options in a compact and dedicated portable GPS. Additional features of the aera 760 include the option to load instrument approach procedures, arrivals and departures, approach chart overlay on the map and Garmin Connext wireless connectivity, as well as the option to integrate it with select Garmin avionics. The aera 760 is expected to be available this month.

Carl Wolf, Garmin’s vice president of aviation sales and marketing, noted in a news release that the aera 760 builds on the firm’s long line of portable aviation GPS solutions. “For nearly three decades,” Wolf stated, “Garmin has sold hundreds of thousands of portable GPS products for aircraft big and small. Building upon our acclaimed portable aviation GPS line-up, the aera 760 has the most robust aviation feature set to-date, that is designed exclusively by pilots, for pilots.”

The unit itself is the largest portable Garmin has produced. At 7 inches diagonally, it’s not as big as an iPad mini, but it’s a good deal more sizable than all but the most comically large phones. The display, says Garmin, is very bright and easily dimmable to a low level. The battery is good for four hours at 80 percent charge, says Garmin, so when you turn it off, you’ll get a lot more longevity.

Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are built into the aera 760, which allows for downloading software updates and databases wirelessly, inside and outside of the cockpit. When the aera 760 is connected to Wi-Fi, pilots can easily download aviation database and software updates without the need to physically connect the device to a computer. 

HangarBot’s CEO, Morgan Walker, says that by leveraging their HangarBot Hub features, including 4G connectivity and a WiFI hotspot — and the aero 760’s built-in Wi-FI, pre-flight will be easier than ever.

“We were very excited that after four years, Garmin decided to provide the aera 760 to pilots, and we feel the HangarBot Hub will be a wonderful complement to its already great flight planning capabilities,“adds Walker.

How HangarBot and the aera 760 Can Help with Pre-Flight

HangarBot offers two solutions: If you already have Internet in your hangar, you can directly wire existing Internet connections to your HangarBot system.  Don't have Wi-Fi in your hangar? No problem - HangarBot will bring it to you with its 4G Hub! Take HangarBot on the go or keep it mounted in your hangar with 4G connectivity and a Wi-Fi hotspot. By utilizing either of these products, you can connect your aero 760 to review preflight weather, from radar to METARs to AIRMETs. Or, find the perfect fuel stop by selecting the fuel price layer on the moving map, a feature you simply won’t find on older generation portables. You can also review the prices, along with detailed facility information, on the airport directory page. This makes it easy to pick the right airport and FBO.

How HangarBot and the aera 760 Can Help with In-Flight

New to the aera 760, pilots can load departures, arrivals and instrument approach procedures (IAPs) within a flight plan, which can be wirelessly transferred to a navigator in the cockpit. Once a procedure is loaded within the aera 760, pilots have the option to view the chart or they can overlay it on the moving map. IFR en route charts, VFR sectionals and Garmin FliteCharts are also geo-referenced, providing optimal situational awareness. Jeppesen electronic charts are compatible with the aera 760 and give pilots worldwide access to instrument approach chart information. In addition to procedures, victor airways, user-defined holds and holds over an existing navigation fix can be entered into a flight plan. And, you won’t have to worry about losing connectivity, because the HangarBot comes complete with cellular connectivity allowing you to stay connected. There are currently three popular data plans available, dependent on how much you require. All data plans however are customizable based on individual usage and needs. 

So, as you can see, the aera 760 and the HangarBot Hub are one dynamic duo that will provide convenient and tailored features for easier flying. The aera 760, listed at $1,599, is expected to ship this month, and we can’t wait to receive ours!