Garmin Databases and Private Airports

[Flyhound]

I had my annual done last week at Vaughan Ranch (WN13), a residential airpark in Olalla, WA. It's a private airport, but there is an A&P/IA on the field that is an expert on Maule aircraft, so I rely on him for most work on my plane. Since Vaughan Ranch is a private strip, it doesn't show up in the Garmin database updates. Why is that? It does show up in my Android tablet EFB database (iFly EFB) so it is clear the FAA data source includes private strips. It appears that Garmin does extra work to remove private airports from their data - why go to that trouble when the data is clearly useful for lots of us GA pilots on the cheaper end of the GA budget? Just for grins and giggles, here's a video of flying in to this grass strip:

 

[Tedric]

Garmin Pilot on my iPad shows it, but you have to go to the Settings tab and choose to have it show airports with all/any runway surfaces, not just paved. Not sure offhand if the G3X in the RV is the same but I would expect so - I know it shows lots of private airports around the Olympic Peninsula when I’m out and about.

 

[midlifeflyer]

You mentioned it's in iFly. Interestingly it's also in Foreflight (Jepp data) and Garmin Pilot (Garmin data). The difference is IFR-certified navigation. This Garmin's explanation:
Your Private Airfield may no Longer be Included in the Garmin Aviation Database. I haven't looked for or seen anything official from Jepp but I suspect the reasoning is the same.

 

[JEM68]

That explains why I received an "unrecognized airport" error when transferring a flight plan from Garmin Pilot to the Garmin unit. The issue seems to be related to the inclusion of my private strip in the plan.

 

[Clip4]

The simple answer is private airports and associated airport data aren’t included to optimize storage in the RNAV data base. Put private airport data in a world down load for a data card in a GNS430W and it likely would not hold all of it.

The user can create a user waypoint based on lat/lon.

IFR Magazine, “Older aircraft and avionics, such as Garmin units, are facing significant RNAV database storage limitations as the amount of worldwide aeronautical data exceeds internal storage capacity. This requires reducing database coverage areas or dropping smaller airport data, often forcing operators to choose regional rather than global coverage.”

 

[mark.staggs]

You mentioned it's in iFly. Interestingly it's also in Foreflight (Jepp data) and Garmin Pilot (Garmin data). The difference is IFR-certified navigation. This Garmin's explanation:
Your Private Airfield may no Longer be Included in the Garmin Aviation Database. I haven't looked for or seen anything official from Jepp but I suspect the reasoning is the same.

Thanks for that link. I've been meaning to search for that, but I've never gone to the effort (or remembered) to search for it.

I've been based at two grass fields that do not meet Garmin's requirements for inclusion into panel mounts. In both instance I've just created user waypoints as they recommend.

A GNS 430 will still give scary terrain warnings on takeoffs and landings, though. I learned to warn passengers.

 

[Hang 4]

A GNS 430 will still give scary terrain warnings on takeoffs and landings, though. I learned to warn passengers.

So will a GTN. It's fun flying into a tight field with "Terrain Pull Up!!!!" blasting in your ear.

 

[Dana]

It's fun flying into a tight field with "Terrain Pull Up!!!!" blasting in your ear.

I've never understood why people don't turn those warnings off... or is it not possible?

 

[Hang 4]

I've never understood why people don't turn those warnings off... or is it not possible?

Because it comes on in the middle of your landing when you don’t want to be screwing around with settings.

 

[MauleSkinner]

Because it comes on in the middle of your landing when you don’t want to be screwing around with settings.

And planning ahead for a known issue just isn’t done.

 

[Hang 4]

And planning ahead for a known issue just isn’t done.

Unless you forget about it until the next time you land there

 

[MauleSkinner]

Unless you forget about it until the next time you land there

So, like I said.

I’m guessing your system has some verbiage like this…

Section 2 - Limitations
2. To avoid getting unwanted alerts, TAWS must be inhibited when

landing at an airport that is not included in the airport database.

Section 3 - Emergency Procedures

To prevent unwanted aural alerting during ditching or other off-airport

landings, inhibit the Terrain Awareness System functions by selecting

the INHIBIT Softkey on the TAWS Page.

 

[midlifeflyer]

I've never understood why people don't turn those warnings off... or is it not possible?

It’s possible.

And planning ahead for a known issue just isn’t done.

If one uses one regularly, sounds like

Terrain Warning ………. INHIBIT​

should be an in range/before landing personalized checklist item.