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Announcing No-Cost US VFR Database Offering for G3X Touch

g3xpert

Well Known Member
Advertiser
Announcing No-Cost US VFR Database Offering for G3X/G3X Touch

Garmin is pleased to announce new cost-saving US (United States) VFR database subscriptions for the G3X and G3X Touch flight displays! This includes a new no-cost US VFR Basic Database Bundle for G3X/G3XT users.

Beginning on November 23rd, 2022 users have been able to select the US VFR Basic Database Plan that includes US Airport Navigation Data, Terrain, and Obstacles free of charge. This database package will keep the flight displays updated on industry-standard 28-day release cycles. This is a great choice for the US VFR flyer wanting simple basemap and airport information updates.

Additionally, Garmin is adding extra value to the current US Mini Database Bundle subscription (now called US VFR Plus Database Bundle). For the current cost of $49.99/yr users will retain the US Airport Navigation Data, Obstacles, Terrain, and SafeTaxi diagrams - but will now feature added US VFR Sectionals and US Airport Facilities Directory at no additional cost.

These database plan offerings can be accessed using your current FlyGarmin.com account. You can also access several helpful how-to video guides on updating your flight display databases on the Garmin Aviation Support Center webpage.

B/R,

Brad
 
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Garmin is pleased to announce new cost-saving US (United States) VFR database subscriptions for the G3X and G3X Touch flight displays! This includes a new no-cost US VFR Basic Database Bundle for G3X/G3XT users.

Brad

Brad,
What is in the free VFR database?
Sectionals? Airport diagrams? Ground obstacles?
 
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Are these limited-time sales, or long-term price/product changes?

These are not limited time, but are planned to be ongoing.

Nice! Now what about Europe?? :D

Free VFR database plans are not currently planned for outside of the US. Our team will continue to reevaluate offerings to tailor to more specific customer bases. As a reminder, single database updates are available to receive what you need without having to purchase a total 'package' or bundle at lower costs.

Brad,
What is in the free VFR database?
Sectionals? Airport diagrams? Ground obstacles?

As mentioned in post #1, the free US VFR package includes databases for Terrain, Obstacles, and Airport Information (frequencies, runways, geographical information, etc). This keeps the Basemap updated with relevant information for simple VFR needs.

B/R,

Brad
 
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These are not limited time, but are planned to be ongoing.



Free VFR database plans are not currently planned for outside of the US, as they are highly dependent on royalty fees paid for the participating country's aeronautical data. The database group in partnership with Aero Nav Data is re-evaluating several packages for international customers, which could possibly lead to more cost-effective VFR only options. As a reminder, single database updates are available to receive what you need without having to purchase a total 'package' or bundle at lower costs.

As mentioned in post #1, the free US VFR package includes databases for Terrain, Obstacles, and Airport Information (frequencies, runways, geographical information, etc). This keeps the Basemap updated with relevant information for simple VFR needs.

B/R,

Brad


Looking for a little guidance on terminology here. Want to use this new free version. I am assuming that I still get the nice pretty color map on the MFD but want to be sure that this free DB still gives me the airport symbols on that map and the other basic stuff that I use to navigate VFR. I believe that I am seeing something on the G3X that is not really a sectional, like I see on foreflight, but don't really know. Just want to be sure that I can do basic stuff with this and also curious what is going to go away once I install the first DB update over what I have now. The airport data is obvioius to me, but maybe you could explain what the sectional data offers from the paid subscription.

Larry
 
Looking for a little guidance on terminology here. Want to use this new free version. I am assuming that I still get the nice pretty color map on the MFD but want to be sure that this free DB still gives me the airport symbols on that map and the other basic stuff that I use to navigate VFR. I believe that I am seeing something on the G3X that is not really a sectional, like I see on foreflight, but don't really know. Just want to be sure that I can do basic stuff with this and also curious what is going to go away once I install the first DB update over what I have now. The airport data is obvioius to me, but maybe you could explain what the sectional data offers from the paid subscription.

Larry

Hi Larry,

Yes - the pretty color map is what we refer to as the 'BaseMap'. This will be updated with terrain and obstacle information in this update. You will also have the US Navigation data, which includes the airport information/symbols and relevant information for those airports.

The US VFR Sectional option is included in the VFR Plus Package ($49.99/yr), which will bring up the digital version of US VFR Sectional Chart/Mapm SafeTaxi Charts (airport environment diagram), and the Airport Facilities/Directory.
 
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Hi Larry,

Yes - the pretty color map is what we refer to as the 'BaseMap'. This will be updated with terrain and obstacle information in this update. You will also have the US Navigation data, which includes the airport information/symbols and relevant information for those airports.

The US VFR Sectional option is included in the VFR Plus Package ($49.99/yr), which will bring up the digital version of US VFR Sectional Chart/Mapm SafeTaxi Charts (airport environment diagram), and the Airport Facilities/Directory.

Thanks! +++++
 
Just want to be sure that I can do basic stuff with this and also curious what is going to go away once I install the first DB update over what I have now.
Larry

Larry,

Also note that the free VFR navigation database also includes VORs, NDBs, and intersections (like RIPON and FISKE), so if you want to to use those when flight planning, you still can.

When you press the NRST button on your GDU, you will still have the same functionality.

Steve

VFR Nav NRST VOR Support.png
 
Europe likes Garmin too

Hi Brad,

I do see that the US is your biggest market but all of us guys in Europe also paid full price for your offerings.

Just saying!
 
I used to work in the mapping software business (not at Garmin), and it's incredible how much GIS and mapping data the US government makes available for free, vs. other countries in the world who charge an arm and a leg. My employer was always able to offer our US stuff either free or at significantly lower prices than we could the non-US stuff because the cartography offices throughout the rest of the world insisted on charging for their data. I do not work for Garmin so don't know if the same is true for this product, but it would not surprise me. I would say if you're in the EU, petition your country government's equivalent of USGS to convince them to offer their cartography data similarly to how the US government does it!
 
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Thank you Garmin team! Another reason I NEVER regret the decision to use all Garmin equipment in both planes I built.
 
Garmin is pleased to announce new cost-saving US (United States) VFR database subscriptions for the G3X and G3X Touch flight displays! This includes a new no-cost US VFR Basic Database Bundle for G3X/G3XT users.

Beginning on November 23rd, 2022 users have been able to select the US VFR Basic Database Plan that includes US Airport Navigation Data, Terrain, and Obstacles free of charge. This database package will keep the flight displays updated on industry-standard 28-day release cycles. This is a great choice for the US VFR flyer wanting simple basemap and airport information updates.

Additionally, Garmin is adding extra value to the current US Mini Database Bundle subscription (now called US VFR Plus Database Bundle). For the current cost of $49.99/yr users will retain the US Airport Navigation Data, Obstacles, Terrain, and SafeTaxi diagrams - but will now feature added US VFR Sectionals and US Airport Facilities Directory at no additional cost.

These database plan offerings can be accessed using your current FlyGarmin.com account. You can also access several helpful how-to video guides on updating your flight display databases on the Garmin Aviation Support Center webpage.

B/R,

Brad

Way to go Garmin
icon14.gif
 
Looking forward to the announcement of similar offerings for Canada... It's not just Europe.
 
The legacy (non-touch) G3X systems didn't have the capability to display VFR Sectionals, just the Basemap. Is this still the case?
 
Has anyone managed to download these yet? I can't seem to find them at fly.garmin.com. Any ideas?

TIA!

UPDATE: Found it under 'Show all options' when you go to buy databases.
 
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It's Christmas!

Thank you Garmin. This free data base offer looks good, I'll be exploring how it fits my data subscription.

That along with the great G3Xpert phone and online technical support, and the Garmin system operations phone support, is Super Duper!
 
The legacy (non-touch) G3X systems didn't have the capability to display VFR Sectionals, just the Basemap. Is this still the case?

Yes, this is sadly still the case. Non-touch systems are hardware limited from receiving many of the enhancements the Touch system received.
 
Free VFR database plans are not currently planned for outside of the US.

Kick in the teeth for non-US customers, good reason to re-consider loyalty to Garmin in future purchasing decisions.
 
Don't think they have any control over Garmin's marketing strategy.

They do control whether or not Garmin can have access to the mapping data, don't they? As well as how much Garmin would have to pay for it? You might check...it would be interesting to know. I can think of no reason other than economic that Garmin wouldn't make this same deal for countries outside the US.
 
Portables Question

I’ve been awaiting a reply to Caveman’s question regarding the availability of these updates for the Garmin portables such as the Aera 760. Did I miss the post?
 
Kick in the teeth for non-US customers, good reason to re-consider loyalty to Garmin in future purchasing decisions.

Before you decide to start kicking Garmin in the teeth, you might try reading Post #14 in this thread, which explains the problem pretty succinctly….and then work with YOUR government to get them to make the data available.
 
Before you decide to start kicking Garmin in the teeth, you might try reading Post #14 in this thread, which explains the problem pretty succinctly….and then work with YOUR government to get them to make the data available.

+1. Some may remember that in the early days of Foreflight, WingX, etc., the sectionals were obvious scanned/digitized copies of paper charts. Nothing illegal - the US government doesn’t copyright its own publications.
 
I’m curious….are royalties/prices/availability of European aeronautical navigation charts controlled by the EU, EASA, or by the individual European countries themselves? If the latter, that certainly could be a tough negotiation and I can see why Garmin’s chart offerings are USA-only at this time.
 
Seems like a better approach would be to write to your elected representatives...

In Canada, those would be the elected representatives who sold off the government division responsible for mapping to a private entity... And pretty much scr*wed all of the pilots from that day on.
 
Before you decide to start kicking Garmin in the teeth, you might try reading Post #14 in this thread, which explains the problem pretty succinctly….and then work with YOUR government to get them to make the data available.

And yet - FltPlanGo has been giving away the mapping data for Canada for free since its inception. Garmin now owns FltPLanGo. So there's clearly a business case that supports free mapping for one segment of their market, even though they are paying to get that data in the first place.
 
And yet - FltPlanGo has been giving away the mapping data for Canada for free since its inception. Garmin now owns FltPLanGo. So there's clearly a business case that supports free mapping for one segment of their market, even though they are paying to get that data in the first place.

Up until a month ago, Garmin was charging even for the data they got for free. I am thinking their business model DOES NOT support giving away stuff that is not free. The fact the someone else does it, does not seem to phase Garmin that much, though I do speculate the reason for the move free VFR data is to help them better compete with Dynon. So it would seem they do react at times.

Not bashing Garmin here, just stating observations.
 
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What Garmin is offering free is Airport Navigation Data, Terrain, and Obstacle databases, not sectional maps.

This data is available for free or much lower cost than Garmin in several European iPad apps. Heck, even Garmin Pilot offers the data for a fraction of the cost that people who have paid for expensive Garmin hardware like 796 and G3X have to pay to keep current.

So I think the European Garmin hardware fans are quite entitled to feel disadvantaged when there is a very favourable change in US pricing policy with no equivalent move elsewhere, whether the US fanboys agree or not.
 
So I think the European Garmin hardware fans are quite entitled to feel disadvantaged when there is a very favourable change in US pricing policy with no equivalent move elsewhere, whether the US fanboys agree or not.
The question isn't what they charge for the data they sell, the question is what they have to pay to get that data in the first place. In the US, it's nothing or next-to-nothing. In the UK and Canada, the cost is significant. So they can afford to give it away in the US, but they can't afford to give it away in the UK.
 
Strictly a STEM guy here…no MBA…but I’m pretty confident that the complexities of international marketing are such that it might be unrealistic to expect uniformity of pricing structures across international boundaries.
 
Free data for Portables? Aera 660?

I’ve been awaiting a reply to Caveman’s question regarding the availability of these updates for the Garmin portables such as the Aera 760. Did I miss the post?

Did I miss it too?

Repeating…. Will there be any free data updates for the Portable Garmin Aviation GPS units such as Aera 660, Aera 760, etc.?

Carl
..
 
Hello,

There are several variables that factor into the ability to provide data, either at a charge or for no-cost (and those variables greatly change across platforms and regions). As many can understand, even providing no-cost databases incurs overhead costs that must be considered and subsidized across platforms. The US region data package for G3X/G3XT platforms are the only planned platform for this program at this time. This matches up very similarity to other competitive offerings and is a result from common customer feedback we have received from our great customers in the EAB market.

TeamX is a dedicated group of individuals that will continue to gather your feedback to tailor our offerings for the good of our customers and platforms. Thank you for all of your discussion and feedback as we evaluate these offerings and those in the future.

V/R,

Brad
 
IFR chart pricing

I’m sure it’s me but I cannot find pricing on Garmin.com for equipment I do not currently own. Specifically I’m interested in the cost of IFR plates/charts for the G3X.

Craig
 
GTN 750

So what about us 750 users? Are we on the hook for $700 plus dollars a year?

VFR charts and other info should be at a much more affordable cost structure. Garmin is frustrating!!!
 
No kidding. Data for the GTN650xi and my G3xs is about $700 a year for IFR plates and data.

I really didn't think this through before going with an all Garmin panel - I love the functionality and I have several hundred hours behind G1000s, but this annuity back to Garmin to pay them to repackage data that they get for free from the government (which I'm already paying for - see my 1040 form) is frustrating.

Some reasonable fee to take the government data and reformat it to their system is okay with me, but $700 a year isn't in the reasonable range.
 
Databases

No kidding. Data for the GTN650xi and my G3xs is about $700 a year for IFR plates and data.

I really didn't think this through before going with an all Garmin panel - I love the functionality and I have several hundred hours behind G1000s, but this annuity back to Garmin to pay them to repackage data that they get for free from the government (which I'm already paying for - see my 1040 form) is frustrating.

Some reasonable fee to take the government data and reformat it to their system is okay with me, but $700 a year isn't in the reasonable range.

The Navigation data for a GTN Xi (Only database required to be loaded onto the unit for IFR flight) is $299 per year. If you have all of the rest of your charts/databases on your portable device as many do, this is the only yearly database cost you will incur for your avionics. The other databases are duplicates of those likely found in other (non-TSO) components in your panel, and are not required to be up to date in the GTN Xi Navigator for IFR flight.

Your G3X Touch databases are between $0 and $150. All things considered, $150 is the cost of IFR High and Low en-route charts, VFR sectional charts, and approach charts.

IFR Navigation data, and Charting databases for avionics are updated on a relatively short interval (every 28 days), and are going to be associated with an ongoing cost through any avionics vendor.

Thanks,

Justin
 
GTN Xi Database Options

The only option was $499, not $299, for the GTN650xi. Plus $149 for the G3x. So, about $650 a year.

The United States Navigation Database for the GTN 650 Xi is $299 per year (see this page, under Individual Databases). You likely selected a Jeppesen database option or a larger coverage area. If you call our Pilot Op's group (1-866-854-8433) they can help you navigate your previous purchase and get you sorted out.

Thanks,

Justin
 
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