Garmin 430 - Using Waypoints to create a "Box" or Airspace....
 

Hi
I am flying Helicopters in China and we are given very strict areas where we can fly.

Does anyone know how to use 4 User defined waypoints to create a "Box" or airspace which could be then used in the maps or airspace page?

I realise its a long shot - but will help stop being shot out of the air by the PLA.

Instead of using 4, why don't you create a bunch of them at regular intervals along the side of the box - put them as close together as you like to show up clearly on the display at the zoom factor you like using.

Should do the trick, I'd imagine, or get close.

A crude method would be to create 4 waypoints that corner your defined area, then create a flight plan linking them all in sequence finishing back at your first way point. You could then zoom the screen out to picture your pretty box within the screen dimensions. The 430 isn't a particularly sophisticated device. You can use the map screen cursor to mark a waypoint and then rename it to border your area.

You can create a .kml file in Google Earth and draw your own airspaces.
But you need a tablet or laptop to Run google Earth while flying.

I don't know if this is going to work on the 430, or any other panel mounted unit, but it's very easy to add own (additional) vector layers to Garmin portables:

1. Use Google Earth Pro, ExpertGPS or any other GIS program in order to create a .shp file with the information you want to add.
2. Convert the .shp file to an .img file using ExpertGPS (make sure that the projection is correct)
3. Upload the .img file to your unit using ExpertGPS, MapUpload, or any other program.
4. Voilà! :ok:

It works like a charm in several of Garmin's aviation portables. We're frequently uploading own vectors on our GPSMap 296, GPSMap 495, Aera 500 and GPSMap 695/696.