Garmin database filtering out private airports

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cptdigits

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cptdigits
Hi all,

I recently learned that Garmin intentionally filters out private airports from their database.

WHY PRIVATE FIELD EXCLUSION?

The Garmin database for avionics undergoes a filtering process in order to provide a superior experience and situational awareness when flying these products. It was becoming apparent on the panel mounted device database that the inclusion of all private fields was cluttering the moving map. Most pilots do not need all of the private fields in the database to be displayed on the panel, and it would be best to remove them in order to display more critical information. Therefore the database team implemented a filtering process in order to remove private fields that do not meet the inclusion requirements for the panel mounted avionics database.

*The portable databases include all of the private fields available in the United States and are not subject to this filtering initiative
....

WHAT PRIVATE FIELDS ARE INCLUDED?

Some private fields are still displayed on the avionics displays. It comes down to a few critical items. In order for a private field to be included in the avionics database it must meet one of the following criteria.

1) It is is the center for a controlled airspace

2) Associated with an approach, departure, or arrival procedure

3) Have a 2,000ft+ hard-surfaced runway depicted in the runway records
Click to expand...
Source: support.garmin.com/en-US/aviation/faq/mBprhH6kan9R5EtG2QeeAA/

I must say I was pretty annoyed when I heard about this. I fly to small private fields regularly. An old crappy GPS will show those fields, yet a new GTN750 will not? That's also a lot of airports you won't be able to use in the 'nearest' function during an emergency.

There is no reason why they can't just make this option configurable in the settings, just like they do for the 'neares airports' settings. I've contacted Garmin to voice my concern. I would ask that anyone else who is unhappy with this does the same.

As a funny anecdote: the citation I flew for work had 2000 ft grass strips in its database. A garmin 750 in a 182 does not.

Anyway, apologies for the rant!
 
If it's an xi, there is an option to include user airports.

Home, system, setup. Under airport runway criteria. Not sure about the non xi though.
 
There are a lot of private airstrips in Florida, even with GPS I can’t tell there’s a runway, I’ve never landed at a private airport so I never missed it. I know my 660 and Garmin Pilot have them but I filter most of the out (by runway length I think).
 
I frequently land at private airports. Seems odd that Garmin would choose to make their product unusable for a significant number of pilots. Fortunately Avare doesn't filter them out. Even if a private airport isn't charted (Avare displays raster charts) it's still in the database and can be selected.
 
They could have simply added a setting to filter out privates, not just remove them.

One actual reason they may be filtering is that there is only so much storage space on older GPS's. In order for the database to fit, they need to free up space as more and more fixes are added. My KLN-94 has this issue. databases are still available, but its and EAST/WEST system since so many fixes are now in use. Filtering out uncommon airports is an easy way to get some space back without any sort of hardware upgrade.
 
pfarber said:
They could have simply added a setting to filter out privates, not just remove them. .../QUOTE



I would assume that it was more about not wanting to add them or keep them updated, you know, Man Hours!
Click to expand...
 
Dana said:
I frequently land at private airports. Seems odd that Garmin would choose to make their product unusable for a significant number of pilots. Fortunately Avare doesn't filter them out. Even if a private airport isn't charted (Avare displays raster charts) it's still in the database and can be selected.
Click to expand...
I'm genuinely curious, do you have an example of one you land at that would be filtered out by those rules?
 
pfarber said:
They could have simply added a setting to filter out privates, not just remove them.

One actual reason they may be filtering is that there is only so much storage space on older GPS's. In order for the database to fit, they need to free up space as more and more fixes are added. My KLN-94 has this issue. databases are still available, but its and EAST/WEST system since so many fixes are now in use. Filtering out uncommon airports is an easy way to get some space back without any sort of hardware upgrade.
Click to expand...

I am wondering what the real reason is as well. I would find it hard to believe size would be the issue. These airports don't have approach charts or other big data. A line of text could contain all the info needed. That should be insignificant. Even the databases for more modern GPS systems don't contain this. A brand new glass cockpit set up, and it does not contain private airports.

They could always offer 2 databases, one without for the people 'who don't like cluttered screens' and one that contains the whole database. I find it quite concerning if a private company decides which part of a government issued document they choose to implement.
 
Sounds like Tribble Ranch needs to be paved and lengthened!

Edit: I apologize for casting aspersions about your length.
 
Last edited:
cptdigits said:
Hi all,

I recently learned that Garmin intentionally filters out private airports from their database.


Source: support.garmin.com/en-US/aviation/faq/mBprhH6kan9R5EtG2QeeAA/

I must say I was pretty annoyed when I heard about this. I fly to small private fields regularly. An old crappy GPS will show those fields, yet a new GTN750 will not? That's also a lot of airports you won't be able to use in the 'nearest' function during an emergency.

There is no reason why they can't just make this option configurable in the settings, just like they do for the 'neares airports' settings. I've contacted Garmin to voice my concern. I would ask that anyone else who is unhappy with this does the same.

As a funny anecdote: the citation I flew for work had 2000 ft grass strips in its database. A garmin 750 in a 182 does not.

Anyway, apologies for the rant!
Click to expand...
With Garmin avionics, you have the choice of a Garmin or a Jeppesen navigation database. What's Jepp's policy on private airports? Would it be a better fit for you?
 
David Megginson said:
With Garmin avionics, you have the choice of a Garmin or a Jeppesen navigation database. What's Jepp's policy on private airports? Would it be a better fit for you?
Click to expand...

I was unaware of that. I know you could pay extra to get the jeppesen charts in the Garmin, but are you saying there is an option to get an actual Jeppesen navigation database in there? If so, how? I couldn't find it in my Garmin account.

That might be a solution for me, but I wouldn't help other people in finding those private airports. I own one myself, and it is nice if I could just tell them the registration and they can punch it in the GPS.
 
You’d have a hard time convincing me! A screenshot from my iPhone. 3938FCF6-D00E-4F53-87A4-3A67C36D0C26.png
 
Maybe Garmin was getting too many complaints from private airport owners about people landing on their airports saying something like, “it was in my database, so I thought it was ok.”
 
MauleSkinner said:
Maybe Garmin was getting too many complaints from private airport owners about people landing on their airports saying something like, “it was in my database, so I thought it was ok.”
Click to expand...
In Canada, Garmin's database for mobile apps (not panel-mounted avionics) mislabel floatplane bases as land airports. That could make for some pretty-surprised pilots and operators. :)
 
Stewartb said:
You’d have a hard time convincing me! A screenshot from my iPhone. View attachment 99130
Click to expand...
They show up in Garmin Pilot. Try building a flight plan to one of them and transfer it to a GTN.. No bueno. You will also get terrain warnings while landing at one. I have a hang gliding park that is on a private airfield. It's on the sectional. Not recognized by the GTN. I made it an user waypoint and check the "Airport" box. Still get the altitude warnings, but can use it in a flight plan.
 
I flew a (dated) navigator in which they started dropping airports beginning with the grass and shortest runways, and over a series of updates longer and longer paved runways. I don't think we were getting more airports in the US, probably just more stupid information tacked onto each existing airport. In most cases it would never affect me.
For some of my flying (light singles over very remote areas) I want to know every little pea-patch; even if they are not charted airports I will make a user WP on Foreflight, I believe FF will protect my WPs through the various updates.
Do they at least leave the smaller airports on the VFR charts?
 
I think it’s more of a storage issue and they are playing the ‘lotsa pilots don’t like it’ card rather than just say we don’t wanna make the storage and configuration changes to make it work. Making it user configurable to filter out private airports would kill their ‘to cluttered’ excuse. That being said, a GPS Navigator is an IFR thingy, so excluding airports that have no IFR procedure is a logic that has some arguable merit. Yeah, it comes in very handy for VFR flying also. Cluttered data bases is part of the reason behind the program to do away with lots of Circling Approaches and other Approaches. The lines of Minimums take up a lot of space. I think Jeppesen a few years ago quit storing and/or displaying Waypoints inside the FAF for this reason. Maybe I think wrong but I remember hearing about this stuff from credible sources.
 
Does this mean there are fewer Garmin Autoland locations available (vs. private air fields potentially within glide range).
 
Those airports don’t have fences around them, nothing good can come that.
 
Can you still save user waypoints ?

Too bad..lots of really nice grass strips and fly-in communities around here.
 
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