Garmin Pilot 3 Manual

							The GPS III PilotÕs Highway Page provides a graphic highway display that shows
your movement relative to the desired course. The line down the middle of the high-
way represents your desired course. As you navigate toward your destination, the high-
way will actually move, indicating the direction youÕre off course. To stay on course,
simply steer toward the center of the highway. As you approach the waypoint, the
highway will end at the final destination. When the waypoint marker is at the bottom
center of the highway display, youÕve arrived at your destination.
The distance to the next waypoint, time to the next waypoint and current speed
are displayed to the right of the highway display. A track compass also shows your 
current track directly above the highway display, making it easy to see at a glance
which way youÕre headed.
The pointer arrow at the bottom of the page indicates the direction to the 
destination waypoint (bearing) relative to the direction you are moving (track). If the
pointer points straight ahead, youÕre heading directly to the waypoint. If not, turn in
the direction of the pointer and the pointer will swing around, pointing straight ahead
as you begin moving toward the destination waypoint. LetÕs try changing the course
again and see how the highway display changes.
To move off course/on course in simulator mode, use the LEFT/RIGHT
keys on the rocker keypad.
If you move off course, the
highway moves to indicate the
direction youÕre off course. To
return to the course, steer
toward the highway centerline.
As you approach your desti-
nation, the highway will end
at the destination waypoint.
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SIMULATOR TOUR
Highway Page
Track Compass
Highway
Display
Pointer
(Bearing to
Destination)
Current Speed
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							Imagine youÕve just departed. Your home airport is thirty minutes behind you.
You fly over a nice fishing lake or golf course youÕve never noticed before and decide
you would like to return to this place in your car. How would you mark this spot?
The GPS III PilotÕs ENTER/MARK key provides a simple way to mark your present
position and save it as a waypoint.
To mark your present position:
1. Press and hold the ENTER/MARK key. The mark position page will appear, with a
default three-digit name for the new waypoint in the upper-left portion of the page.
2. LetÕs call this location ÔSIMUL8Õ. To change the name, highlight the waypoint name
field (at the top of the page) and press ENTER. Use the rocker keypad to enter the
new name Ñ UP/DOWN to change the first character (ÔSÕ), RIGHT to move to the next
character (ÔIÕ), and repeat. Press and hold UP or DOWN to cycle through the charac-
ters more quickly. Once the new name is spelled out, press ENTER to accept it. 
3. Now letÕs use a special symbol to identify the location. Highlight the waypoint symbol
field (immediately right of the name field) and press ENTER. Use UP/DOWN on the
rocker keypad to select the ÔInformationÕ icon (Ô?Õ) and press ENTER. 
4. To save the new waypoint, highlight ÔDONEÕ with the rocker keypad and press ENTER.
Press and hold the ENTER/
MARK key to save your 
present position as a user
waypoint. 
User waypoints can be
assigned a custom symbol,
making it easy to identify the
waypoint on the Map Page.
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SIMULATOR TOUR
Marking Present Position
Waypoint Name
Field
Position
Coordinates
Waypoint 
Symbol Field
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							Suppose another thirty minutes into your flight you experience an emergency and
need to find a place to land. Or, you just want to stop for a break at a nearby airport
or top off the tanks. A list of the nine nearest airports within 200 miles of your present
position is just a keystroke away! Instantly, you can select an airport from the list and
designate it as your destination waypoint. Or, you can review all the available Jeppesen
data for that particular airport. LetÕs take a look at the closest airports in your area.
To view the nine nearest airports:
1. Press and hold the GOTO/NRST key. The Nearest Page will appear.
2. Using the LEFT/RIGHT keys on the rocker keypad, select the ÔAirportsÕ tab to see up to
nine nearest airports, along with bearing and distance to each.
To GOTO a nearest airport:
1. Using the UP/DOWN keys on the rocker keypad, highlight the desired airport.
2. Press GOTO/NRST, followed by ENTER, to designate the airport as your destination.
To view the Jeppesen data for a nearest airport:
1. Using the UP/DOWN keys on the rocker keypad, highlight the desired airport.
2. Press ENTER to view the waypoint information pages.
3. Use the LEFT/RIGHT keys on the rocker keypad to select the ÔAirportÕ, ÔRunwayÕ or
ÔCommÕ information pages.
Press and hold the GOTO/
NRST key to view the Nearest
Page. Select the ÔAirportsÕ file
tab to see the nine nearest
airports.
To GOTO a nearest airport,
highlight the desired airport
using the rocker keypad, press
GOTO/NRST, then ENTER.
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SIMULATOR TOUR
Nearest Waypoints
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							As you continue along your route, you may pass in close proximity to, or enter,
an airspace. Whenever you are within 2 nm, projected to enter, or inside an airspace,
the GPS III Pilot will notify you with a message and supply detailed information
about each airspace you are being alerted to. Look closely at the map display. If you
see an airspace ahead of your present course, you may be alerted with a message as
you approach it.
NOTE: The airspace alert occurs when your current altitude places you within
the floor and ceiling limits of the airspace. If you are several hundred feet, or more,
below or above these limits, the GPS III Pilot will not bother you with an alert, but
the airspace boundary will still appear on the Map Page.
To view detailed information about an airspace alert:
1. Press and hold the GOTO/NRST key.
2. Use the LEFT/RIGHT keys on the rocker keypad to highlight the ÔAirspacesÕ tab.
3. Use the UP/DOWN keys to highlight the desired airspace (if more than one is listed)
and press ENTER. 
ThatÕs it! YouÕve covered the basics and youÕre ready to venture off on your own.
Operating the GPS III Pilot is just as simple as youÕve seen here in the Simulator Tour,
but in real applications you wonÕt need to change speed and track with the rocker
keypad. ThatÕs all done automatically utilizing information from the GPS satellites as
you move about.
Before ending the tour, try a few experiments of your own, such as going to the
ÔSIMUL8Õ waypoint or experimenting with the vertical navigation features (see page
43). Use the Reference section of this manual for more ideas.
To end the Simulator Tour, turn the GPS III Pilot off with the power key.
When you are projected to
enter an airspace, the first
alert is typically ÔAirspace
Ahead Less Than 10 minutesÕ.
To view additional informa-
tion about the airspace alert,
press and hold the GOTO/
NRST key and select the
ÔAirspacesÕ file tab.
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SIMULATOR TOUR
Airspace Warnings
#?
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							The GPS III PilotÕs Satellite Status Page provides a visual reference of various
receiver functions, including current satellite coverage, receiver status, battery level
and position accuracy. As the receiver locks onto satellites, a signal strength bar will
appear for each satellite in view, with the appropriate satellite number (01-32) under-
neath each bar. The progress of satellite acquisition is shown in three stages:
¥ No signal strength barsÑ the receiver is looking for the satellites indicated.
¥ Hollow signal strength barsÑ the receiver has found the satellite(s) and is
collecting data.
¥ Solid signal strength barsÑ the receiver has collected the necessary data and
the satellite(s) is ready for use.
Each satellite has a 30-second data transmission that must be collected (hollow bar
status) before that satellite may be used for navigation (solid bar status). Once a fix has
been calculated, the GPS III Pilot will then update your position, track, and speed by
selecting and using the best satellites in view. You can also access the GPS III PilotÕs
contrast feature from this page.
To adjust the screen contrast:
1. Press LEFT or RIGHT on the rocker keypad to adjust the level of contrast, and press
ENTER to save the new contrast setting.
Sky View and Signal Strength Bars
The sky view and signal strength bars give you an indication of what satellites are
visible to the receiver, whether or not they are being used to calculate a position fix,
and the signal quality. The satellite sky view shows a birdÕs-eye view of the position of
each available satellite relative to the unitÕs last known position. The outer circle rep-
resents the horizon (north up); the inner circle 45¼ above the horizon; and the center
point directly overhead.
The Satellite Status Page
shows where the satellites are
and how strong the signal is
from each one. A solid signal
bar means the satellite is
ready to use.
Use the LEFT/RIGHT keys on
the rocker keypad to adjust
the screen contrast. Press
ENTER to save the setting.
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REFERENCE
Satellite Status Page
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							You can use the sky view to help determine if any satellites are being blocked,
and whether you have a current position fix (indicated by Ô2D NavigationÕ or Ô3D
NavigationÕ in the status field). You can also set the sky view to a ÔTrack UpÕ config-
uration, causing the top of the sky view to align along your current track heading.
When the receiver is looking for a particular satellite, the corresponding signal
strength bar will be blank and the sky view indicator will not be highlighted. Once
the receiver has found the satellite, a hollow signal strength bar will appear, indicat-
ing that the satellite has been found and the receiver is collecting data from it. The
satellite number on the sky view will appear highlighted. As soon as the GPS III Pilot
has collected the necessary data to calculate a fix, the status field will indicate a 2D
or 3D status. (For Ô2DÕ, you may need to enter your altitude. See page 32.)
Receiver Status
Receiver status is indicated at the top left of the page. The status will be shown
as one of the following conditions:
SearchingÑ the GPS III Pilot is looking for any available satellites in view.
AutoLocateÑ the GPS III Pilot is initializing and collecting new almanac data. This
process can take up to 5 minutes, depending on the satellites currently in view.
AcquiringÑ the receiver is collecting data from available satellites, but has not
collected enough data to calculate a position fix.
2D NavigationÑ at least three satellites with good geometry have been locked
onto and a 2-dimensional position fix (latitude and longitude) is being calculat-
ed. Ô2D Diff Õ will appear when you are receiving DGPS corrections in 2D mode.
3D NavigationÑ at least four satellites with good geometry have been locked
onto, and your position is now being calculated in latitude, longitude and alti-
tude. Ô3D Diff Õ will appear when you are receiving DGPS corrections in 3D mode.
Ô2D NavigationÕ means the
GPS III Pilot has determined a
horizontal position (latitude/
longitude), but is unable to
determine altitude. Additional
satellites may be needed.
Ô3D NavigationÕ means the
GPS III Pilot has determined
a horizontal and vertical posi-
tion (latitude, longitude and
altitude). The receiver is
ready for navigation.
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REFERENCE
Satellite Status Page
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							Poor GPS CoverageÑ the receiver isnÕt tracking enough satellites for a 2D or 3D
fix due to bad satellite geometry.
Not UsableÑ the receiver is unusable, possibly due to incorrect initialization or
abnormal satellite conditions. Turn the unit off and back on to reset, and reinitial-
ize the receiver if necessary.
Simulating NavÑ the receiver is in simulator mode.
ÔNeed to Select InitializationÕ Prompt
If no satellites are received for several minutes (or an insufficient number of satel-
lites are received to determine a position fix) a message will appear, prompting you to
initialize the receiver (see page 5). This allows you to specify a starting location from
which to search for satellites, or to enable the AutoLocate feature, and is useful if you
have traveled over 500 miles with the receiver off. (This message will automatically
appear when you first use your GPS III Pilot. The prompt may also appear during nor-
mal use if the antenna is shaded or the unit is used indoors.)
Battery Level Indicator
The Satellite Status Page also features a battery level indicator, located to the left of
the sky view, which displays the strength of the unitÕs batteries. The battery indicator
will not appear if the receiver is operating on external power.
NOTE: The battery level indicator is calibrated for alkaline batteries. NiCad and
lithium batteries will display the battery level differently due to voltage differences. To
display battery level accurately select the appropriate type, as described on page 79.
The GPS III Pilot features an internal 10-year lithium battery that will maintain the
unitÕs memory when the receiver is not running off batteries or external power.
ÔPoor GPS CoverageÕ means
the receiver isnÕt tracking
enough satellites for a position
fix. Check for obstructions,
including metal objects, trees,
buildings, etc.
This message appears if a
position fix cannot be deter-
mined after several minutes.
After acknowledging the mes-
sage, select ÔUse MapÕ or
ÔAutoLocateÕ.
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REFERENCE
Satellite Status Page
#?
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							EPE and DOP
The Satellite Status Page also indicates the accuracy of the position fix, using
Estimated Position Error (EPE) and Dilution of Precision (DOP) figures. DOP mea-
sures satellite geometry quality (i.e., number of satellites received and where they are
relative to each other) on a scale from one to ten. The lowest numbers are the best
accuracy and the highest numbers are the worst. EPE uses DOP and other factors to
calculate a horizontal position error, in feet or meters.
Screen Backlighting
The GPS III PilotÕs backlight feature illuminates the display and keypad for a
user-defined interval (the default is 15 seconds) after the last key press. There are
three levels of backlighting. When backlighting is on, a bulb icon will appear at the
bottom left of the sky view. To adjust the duration of the screen backlighting, refer
to the operation setup section (see p. 79). 
To turn the screen backlighting on:
1. Cycle through the three levels of backlight by repeatedly pressing the red power key.
To turn the screen backlighting off:
1. Press the red power key. Whenever the GPS III PilotÕs backlighting is off, the bulb
icon disappears from the Satellite Status Page.
Satellite Status Page Options
Many features of the GPS III Pilot are menu driven. Each of the main pages has
an options menu, allowing you to custom tailor the corresponding page to your pref-
erences and/or select special features which specifically relate to that page.
To display the Satellite Status Page Options, press MENU (with the
Satellite Status Page displayed).
When screen backlighting is
on, a bulb icon will appear in
the lower-left corner of the
Satellite Status Page.
The Satellite Status Page
Options allow you to enable
the built-in simulator, change
the sky view orientation or
initialize the receiver.
30
REFERENCE
Satellite Status Page
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							The following Satellite Status Page options are available:
Start SimulatorÑ allows you to activate the GPS III PilotÕs built-in simulator mode. 
If ÔStart SimulatorÕ is selected, ÔStop SimulatorÕ will appear as an option instead.
To activate (deactivate) simulator mode:
1. Highlight ÔStart SimulatorÕ (or ÔStop SimulatorÕ) and press ENTER.
2. Press ENTER again to confirm.
Track UpÑ changes the sky view display from ÔNorth UpÕ orientation to align to 
current direction of travel (track). If ÔTrack UpÕ is selected, ÔNorth UpÕ will appear 
as an option instead.
To change the sky view orientation:
1. Highlight ÔTrack UpÕ (or ÔNorth UpÕ) and press ENTER.
AutoLocateÑ forces the GPS III Pilot to search for any available satellite(s) to 
determine its position. This option may be used if youÕve relocated a long distance 
(>500 mi.) from the last location the GPS III Pilot was used.
To select AutoLocate, highlight ÔAutoLocateÕ and press ENTER.
Initialize PositionÑ allows you to designate your approximate position in order 
to speed up satellite acquisition. This option may be used in lieu of ÔAutoLocateÕ 
(above) and typically provides a position fix quicker.
To initialize your starting position:
1. Highlight ÔInitialize PositionÕ and press ENTER.
2. Designate your approximate position on the map using the rocker keypad and press 
ENTER. (You may wish to use the IN/OUT zoom keys to adjust the level of detail
displayed, as you determine your approximate position.)
ÔAutoLocateÕ forces the receiv-
er to search for all satellites
(twelve at a time) until
enough satellites are found to
determine a position.
ÔInitialize PositionÕ is used to
designate your approximate
position directly on the map
display. The receiver uses this
information to determine
which satellites should be in
view.
31
REFERENCE
Satellite Status Page Options
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							The Position Page shows you
where you are, what direction
youÕre heading and how fast
youÕre going.
With 2D coverage, you will
need to enter your approxi-
mate altitude. Without an
approximate altitude, your
position error can be substan-
tial.
32
REFERENCE
The second page in the GPS III PilotÕs main page sequence is the Position Page.
This page shows you where you are, what direction youÕre heading, and how fast
youÕre going, and itÕs most useful when you are traveling without an active destina-
tion waypoint. The graphic heading display at the top of the page indicates the direc-
tion youÕre heading, or track, only while youÕre moving.
Directly below this display are the speed, average speed, trip timer, trip odome-
ter and sunrise/sunset fields (default). The sunrise/sunset times indicated are for
your present position. These times, and the current time display in the lower right-
hand corner, can be displayed in local time or UTC (zulu) time. The lower left-hand
corner of the page shows your current latitude and longitude in degrees and minutes
(default). Units of measure and the position readout are selectable from the Main
Menu, as outlined on page 77. Average speed, max speed, trip odometer and timers
can each be reset from the Main Menu, as described on page 75.
2D Altitude Entry
When the GPS III Pilot is acquiring satellites or navigating in the 2D mode, the
last known altitude will be used to compute your position. If the altitude shown is
off by several hundred feet, you can manually enter your altitude for greater accura-
cy. In cases where the GPS III Pilot has only 2D coverage, entering your approximate
altitude will enable the receiver to more accurately determine a position fix.
To enter an altitude:
1. Press PAGE (or QUIT) until the Satellite Status Page appears, then press MENU to
view the available options.
2. Highlight ÔSet 2D AltitudeÕ and press ENTER. 
3. Enter your approximate altitude using the rocker keypad, and press ENTER.
Position Page
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