I don´t know what happens with your charger. You have to plug it in your miniusb conector behind of your aera. There is other miniusb connector in the car mount but in the manual says that it is not for charge, so you have to plug it directly to the aera.

I try it with a charger for my parrot handsfree, and the aera thought that was connected to a computer, so I didn´t try again.

I think I will wait to know the aircraft I will fly this summer, because in the actually aircraft I have an GPSMAP 296, son I don´t need the aera. And in the other aircrafts there is cigarrettes plugs in two of them, so I could charge my area in those.

If not, I think I will buy the original aera charger and the less price is 45 euros here, because the cost of the aera is too expensive to continue testing with cheaper charger and in this way I have another battery.

Cargador de baterías + batería de repuesto para Zumo 660, nuvi 5xx y Aera | ActivaGPS

If somebody find it more cheap, please notify me.

i apologize by my english but I hope you are able to understand me.

Ha ha ha, I am a bit slow. I think a lot when I write in english. :{:{

Same to me :) I have now gone a bit on the way, have read through the thread here and see there are many of the same questions that go again. I've spent time on the manual and the actual GPS device. Garmin aera 500

Garmin MapSource, I spent some time without fully understanding the use yet. The guide or manual was thin, which says more about me as a user :) Anyone have any tips advice or links to similar guides for Garmin MapSource?

I only have this one, but looking a little I could find this other one that is in spanish but is a little longer than the original. If you search a little by google you could find it.

http://www8.garmin.com/manuals/MapSo...UsersGuide.pdf

http://www.gpsenchile.cl/archivos/map_source_sp.pdf


You have this too.


http://www.bestbikingroads.com/ms1.pdf

I have already the private airports, buts they are only for Spain and Portugal, so If you want it, say me and I´ll send you.

Happy landings.

Thank you! :) I ordered some equipment for my "Garmin aera 500" like case bag, screen protector, micro SD card and tiltable power splitter from dealextreme.com as I have good experience with before, always free shipping worldwide! Expect plenty of time for free shipping, unless you pay for fast shipping!

DealExtreme: $5.35 2-Socket Tiltable Car Cigarette Power Splitter (DC 12V)
DealExtreme: $4.12 Protective Hard Case for 4.3" GPS
DealExtreme: $8.32 Sandisk MicroSD Transflash TF Card 2GB
DealExtreme: $1.29 Rinco 4.3" LCD Screen Protector for Digital Cameras/Camcorders

Observed that "Garmin aera 500" is compatible with other equipment! Zaon Flight Systems has announced the integration of the PCAS XRX with the new Garmin Aera Series. Expensive!

Zaon Flight Systems - Home

Yes!!! It´s a very good GPS. :P

When I turn on my GPS the "GARMIN" logo comes on screen first, then the new screen comes up with the following text:

Atlantic Aviation Data 0912 Expired 17-DEC-2009
European Obstacles 09B6 Expired 17-DEC-2009
Atlantic-30 Terrain 08T2

Here I have to accept before I go further into the menu! Why is two of the programs out of date, or what this means ?

If I remember rightly you get one free update of data and obstacles with a code which comes with the unit when you buy it new. The update is downloadable from the Garmin website free for the first time, and chargeable thereafter.
I think the terrain data is permanent although would probably be reviewed from time to time to allow for Icelandic volcanoes and the like;).
For what it is worth when I first bought my unit with the old software installed (presumably the data goes out of date because the units are inevitably stored for some time between manufacture and purchase) the unit kept crashing and switching itself off. Others have made the same complaint. However, it has not done so since I downloaded the latest version 2.5 software.

I have (well had!) the AV8OR since last August. It does exactly what I expect it to do for both flying and driving when it is working, The unit is back for replacement for the second time now. Latest update from Pooleys is that they are expecting a new unit for me to be with them today.

The issue seems to be something to do with the battery and how it registers with the software/battery meter but it may be voltage tolerance of the datacard. If you let the battery run down to 3 bars out of 4 on the displayed battery meter and then try to run the unit from its internal battery the databases fail to initialize and you aint goin flyin. This problem seems to develop when the unit is about 3 months old. It isn't always convenient to plug it in when using it and if you want to sit in the clubroom and re-plan your next leg over a coffee it is a real pain when it just won't boot up.

I can't believe that I am the only one to see this issue. Anyone else?

The only other frustration I had was when we tried to find out how far it is to Le Mans. Le Mans is not recognized in the airfield search although that is what it is called on the chart and in the France VFR guide. it seems that it is in the database as Arnage, really intuitive. For places in the UK the alternate names seem to be supported.

Fingers crossed,

Rans6Andrew.

Hello again,

I think I have found a bug in our Aera 500.

When I am in the map, I click on the map to select information about any item. Then I click in an airport or VOR, etc.., in the left bottom corner appears the name of the item, so I click on it to see the information, in the next page, I click on menu botton and after in show map (only if you selected in the map page an item with this option, like a airport or VOR, an airspace is not valid). Ok, If I want to exit now, I have to push back two times, and in the second time that I made it the Aera turn off automaticaly.

Please, Can anyone try it to know if it is a bug of Garmin or a problem of my unit?

I hope Garmin could fix this bug...

Thank's all.

Sounds similar to the problem I had (described above) above. Have you downloaded the latest version 2.5 software? It seemed to cure my problem . The download was free as a first download from the Garmin website.

I know that there is a free database download, but I don´t remenber read anything about a free software download in the manual. I look for information this afternoon.

Hello,

i got also my 500 ;-) and im happy ... but this time i think i have to review the manual in surtain cases :\

Ive got a question and i couldnt get an answer ... how big can the MicroSd card be ? Is it 2Gb or 4 Gb or 8Gb ?

Somebody info on this ?

Thanx in advance 4 an answer

c.u. in the sky :ok:

I have seen my Aera version and it is 2.3, so I will update to the lastest version using the wepupdater software from Garmin. But I think that these upgrades are free because these fixed problems with the software. I will say you when I update my Aera.

About the free aviation database update, you only have one of them free, and how was said in this forum you have to make it in the next 90 days after purchase. So you can confused with this. I will wait one month more to update.


In the page 39 from automotive manual appears.

Data storage: Internal memory and optional removable memory card. Data stored indefinitely.

So you need to try each. (How can I said, you need to try between one memory and another memory?) Thanks by my english lesson... :D and What's the meaning of c.u. in the sky? Care you in the sky?

Hi Scopy,

i know the manual .. but it doesnt say the size .. and since i want to buy a MicroSd card i dont want to buy the wrong one.
In the past i had a 296 and that was easy .. but now a days the ize is important since the 8Gb not work everywhere ... but i think i will buy the 4Gb and post my experience here.

smile what do YOU mean with "care you in the sky " ? Are you using a translator ?
Well i love the sky ... so who knows ... c.u. up in the sky :ok::ok:

I feel I may need to introduce a "text speak" ban in PF, like that in a few other forums. :hmm:

Folks, using proper English really does make communication easier, especially where English is not the native language of contributors.

SD

I have tried one 4Gb MicroSD Class 6 card in my Aera and it's work fine and very fast. So I think that with 4 Gb is enough, but the most impotant thing to see (I think so) is the speed, and the Class 6 go fine.

I am from Spain, and I have never taken lesson (except aeronautical communications) about english so I don´t speak english very well,( but I try to improve my level day by day). I rarely uses translator, I prefer the dictionary to see the differents meanings.

The first time you wrote that phrase you didn't write the up, so I have no idea... :P


You don´t need to make that for me, I prefer you all speak your daily english because is a better way to improve my english, and I like to take some time in understand certain words. :)

Sadly Scopy, a lot of the daily English in use over here, is incomprehensible, even to the English.

Agreed 100% :ok:

Also, please ban the grocer's apostrophe

Scoby - your English is better than average for the UK :)

weltweites, Did you try the memory cards?

flybymike, yes it is the same in Spain, and a very big problem for the young people...

IO540, a very good article about the grammatical situation, I could try to avoid the mistakes that it has talked. And thank you about my english level.

Garmin Aera 500
 

Hi all

I just bought a new Garmin Aera 500 and it is certainly a vast improvements on the old hand-helds I have used.

My only complaint so far is that towns and features do not seem to be searchable. In fact to include an existing small town as a waypoint you actually have to create a new user waypoint at the town then put it in to the flight plan. Even when the town is already in the unit! That seems a waste and duplication of effort and is a very cumbersome way to add a waypoint into a flight plan.

I think my next step is going to be to transfer all my aviation waypoints from my PC to a micro SD card using the Garmin POI Loader software. I hope they will be searchable.

Any ideas on a better solution?

Cheers
Phil Maley
Piper Tripacer VH-OLD

I just borrowed one on trial yesterday, and flew home with it. I have the same observation as vk6ad about the small towns, though once I get some waypoints loaded, I don't see it being a show stopper. I was also amused, but now understand the frantic "terrain!" and "pull up" warnings as I landed it into my home runway for the first time. We'll see if loading my runway as a waypoint solves that.

Other than that, I was very impresed, and I'm sure I have a lot to learn about it. I think it's a keeper...

It didn't solve it for me. (certainly puts the Sh1ts up the passengers) so now I just use the rapid sound switch off when on final approach. (Press the off button once quickly then "sound mute" icon, then "back"

I used to gripe about this too. Then I realised that in Map Mode you can zoom in and spot the points that it does have, read and write down the code, and then use that code in the quite separate FPL mode. Towns often have helipads, etc. Kludgy, but usable.

I am impressed at what it has, eg LMS (as in egLM Sierra) for White Waltham Point Sierra, which isn't even on the CAA charts.

One caveat: my database is bang up to date. A friend's 6 month old database doesn't have all the codes I have.

Hi

Has anyone else had problems with their Aera turning itself off? I can be flying along and with out warning the screen goes black. I press the power button and it reboots then the blacks out again. If I leave it for a while it will start when I press the power button.

My unit runs off the aircrafts power supply so the battery is fully charges as a backup. So Its not out of power.

Thanks

I posted earlier on this problem, and others have mentioned it too.
After I downloaded the latest software update (version 2.5, although even that may now be out of date) I have had no further problems.

I was running version 2.5

Hmm, doesnt sound too promising in that case. although there may by now be a later update.

In any event the situation is completely unsatisfactory. I did actually email my retailer on this specific issue but got no response. I have not pressed the matter since I have not had a recurrence, but Garmin really ought to sort this issue out once and for all.

I had that problem as well. Like Flybymike, I upgraded to 2.5, and also put a piece of thin card behind the battery to pack it in a bit tighter (although this won't make any difference in your case). I haven't had any problems since then.

Brooklands

That may be a good idea about the piece of thin card, since my battery seems a fairly loose fit too. It may well be that the unit might switch off with poor battery connection even if connected to an outside power supply, since the outside power supply may well route through the battery for charging purposes enroute to the unit itself (pure speculation on my part though)

Hi All,

I recently received my Aera 500 and had my first flight with it yesterday. A couple things I have noticed…

I transferred a whole lot of user waypoints (airfields & VFR rep points) from mapsource to the unit. The waypoints transferred successfully and I could see them under user waypoints, however, they did not appear on the map. If I added a wpt into a flight plan then it would show on the map. I then discovered that if I entered a waypoint manually into the unit it then showed on the map. Spent many hours re-entering all my waypoints and they all now appear on the map.

Does anyone know if there is any way to enter additional info on a waypoint that is entered? Ie, if you enter an airfield, using the airfield symbol, there is no way to enter runway directions or frequencies, only elevation. I have resorted to adding it into the name. Secondly, is there anyway to transfer the GPS database (maps, airfields etc) onto mapsource??

Now to the actual flight. I had read on this thread about the unit switching itself off, but never did I think it would be that bad. I flew 2.4 hrs and at least half of it was spent switching the thing on. Goes off, gets to the main page and as you press anything, whether it’s the map or the HIS it goes off again and takes at least 3 or 4 attempts to get it on again. Tried everything, put some card under the battery – same thing. Disconnected the external power and ran just the battery – same thing. Thought it may be vibration from the yoke so disconnected it and had it on my lap – same thing. Has Garmin said anything about this??

The strange thing is that I spent many hours with it on the ground entering wpts etc and it never switched off. It only does it when airborne!! Maybe it has a fear of flying??

Have updated now to 2.6 so will see what happens next flight.

Aside from the power issue, it seems like a good piece of kit.

Mine only ever switched itself off when flight planning on the ground!

On one of the updates (2.2 to 2.3) the Garmin site says "Corrected shutdown problem near user waypoints with aviation symbols." Looking at the tracks of my last flight, its true, it shut down whenever approaching a wpt I had entered. My unit was already on 2.3 so hope the update to 2.6 has solved this once and for all...

Interesting. Thinking back, when I had problems in flight with my Aera, it was when approaching an waypoint that I'd created. Once I got a few miles aeay it behaved itself. Once I upgraded to 2.5 the problem stopped happening altogether.

Incidentally I didn't put the card under the battery, but behind it on the edge opposite the contacts so as to push it against them. There's a limit to what you can do here as due to the way the battery compartment is designed.

Brooklands

Happy to report that after upgrading to 2.6, no more power issues... worked like a charm :ok:... only thing I noticed was that on 1 sector ETA in the cruise was out by 30 mins (later), as soon as I started descent it came right... not sure why... changed the speed on the aircraft profile but this didnt affect the ETA... didnt do it on the other sectors.

Ok i bought a 4Gb memeorycard .. and it works ;-)

I have found some very disturbing issues .... please add your own comment .. this would increase the infos about it.

- battery time is very short
- jeppview does not communicate with the aera

Im looking for a nice/small feature how to charge the Aera during flight, without the 12V board-supply.
Does anyone have an idea for this .. maybe a solarpower solution or a small light weight battery pack ... even if its homebuild ?!

c.u.

ps. its still way better as my previous 296 ;-)

Power Gorilla is supposed to be good - I have not used it my self. This is a general problem with these small units. The 496 has a much longer published battery life but then you pay for it with increased bulk. Having said that, by the time you've added an auxillary power supply to the unit ....... Trailing wires is tolerable in a cabin with a power socket; in an older aircraft or an open cockpit it is more of a probem as you are likely to have to rely on the battery.

I get the impression that the new touch screen units - whether they be Aera, Bendix King or Airbox - struggle to give you more than about 90 minutes of power. Does anyone know of a unit which bucks the trend?

Hello again.

I have some questions.

I am boring to remove the battery cap each time i have to charge the unit or I have to conect it to pc. I think that it is a very big error of garmin, because do this a lot of times you can damage the battery cap.

So I try to charge the unit with the automotive mount using this adapter...
DealExtreme: $3.34 AC to DC 12V 450mA Car Cigarette Lighter Power Adapter (90V~240V AC)

In this way, i wouldn't have to remove the battery cap. When I connected the cigarette plug to the adapter, it has burned, so the cigarette plug adaptor need more than 600 mA of input. I am thinking how to do this. And other thing is to use the microusb in the automotive mount to connect to pc but it doesn´t work, so i don't know for what is the use. In the manual only says that you can't connect the charger to that microusb, but nothing else.

I am very grateful with this GPS, but I think that it is very stupid to have to remove a cap to charge or connect to pc. It's a ****.

Regards

I agree with Scopy - bit of a stupid thing to have done regards having to connect and remove battery lid everytime you want to charge (not from cigy lighter):bored:

Saying that my new Aera is great and I forgive above. Does anyone know where I can get some tutorials on using this device - have checked out Garmin but they dont have any. User manual is not really that great IMHO and I am looking for more of a step by step approach to using the Aera

This is my first time with an aviation GPS and finding it a little challenging although recognise that it is somewhat intuitive.
Any help would be appreciated - Have written to Garmin so will post response when I hear from them.:)

It seems I have heard.

Today I was going to send them a message telling abou thet bad way to charge the GPS. And before I get in touch with them, I get to take a last look at the accessories. And I found this:

https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?pID=68333
https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?pID=68332
https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?pID=13545


I only hope that the last charger is for connection to the car mount because I think that it is the same connector.


:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: