AVMAP GEOPILOT PLUS

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PRICE £640.38

FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Very slim, just the right size and a big screen.
The manual included is just a quick guide and, like so many of the units on test, doesn't have a photo of the complete unit.  
The full manual has to be downloaded from the AvMap website (which is excellent, full of info) but that's not a lot of use when you're sitting at an airfield, ready to try the unit.

PLANNING THE FLIGHT
For anyone used to Garmin products, the 'thumbstick' is a new way of navigating through menus. But it only takes few minutes to get the hang of it.

When first switched on, the map was very cluttered so the first job was to 'declutter' by turning off some of the options. At first, we tried to do this using the thumbstick going through the menus, then we discovered the 'cycle' key does this simply - just keep pressing to add or delete map detail.

Working out how to add a waypoint without the manual was a tough one. The operating system is unlike anything else.
However, once we'd worked it out,creating the flightplan and adding waypoints proved relatively straightforward... with a twist. We added the Orford lighthouse (2nd waypoint) by putting in the lat/long coordinates, and as we pressed 'enter' the whole thing disappeared. We had to come out of that process and go back in to check that it was actually on the list.
The flightplan looked right first time, but it was still a slight worry as we turned off the power - had it actually saved it?

IN THE AIR
Yes, it had. But the map on this unit lets it down. The colours are ridiculous and there appeared no way to improve this.
That said, it worked well and was perfectly visible even in the bright sunlight. The trail (where we'd been) was highlighted in blue, and the track projected ahead. It had a nice display of data with green text on a black panel, giving ground speed, track, altitude and vertical speed, plus the lat/long heading.

CONCLUSION
Excellent unit let down by its map.

WHAT'S IN THE BOX
» GeoPilot unit
» Power cord
» Suction cup mount
» Remote antenna
» Memory card
» Quick guide

SPEC
» Size 180x122x46mm
» Screen size 127mm
» Weight 400g
» Battery Rechargeable lithium-ion battery pack extra
» External power? Yes

SCREENS
» Moving Map
» Terrain
» HSI navigation
» Airspace warnings

AT A GLANCE
SCREEN ****
Big, bright, fairly high resolution. Worked well on the ground and in the air in full bright sunshine.

DESIGN ****
Excellent, with large control buttons and a 'thumbstick'. Nice, 'user-friendly' and tough plastics. Looks and feels well-made.

MAP *
Horrible. Crude, pixelated and strange choice of colours. Let's down the whole unit.

PROGRAMMING ***
Took a few minutes to get the hang of the thumbstick and the operating system, but after that it was all fairly intuitive.

EASE OF USE ****
Nice size for a portable unit, much slimmer than the Garmin 296/496. Good suction cup mount.

FEATURES ****
Lots of customisable options for the screen display.

VALUE FOR MONEY ****
Very competitive with the Garmin 296 - if only they sorted out that dreadful map.

w. www.avmap.us

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