Avionics and Gear News

Garmin SmartCharts Offers Smarter Way to Fly IFR

Company unveils data solution to improve workflow on its pilot app.

Wednesday, May 28, 2025 at 12:13 PM ET

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Garmin SmartCharts offers data solution to improve pilot workflow on its Garmin Pilot app. [Courtesy: Garmin]

Key Takeaways:

Garmin SmartCharts is a new feature in the Garmin Pilot app designed to simplify complex terminal procedures by tailoring charts to a pilot's specific flight operation.
Pilots can customize instrument approaches, departures (SIDs), arrivals (STARs), and airport diagrams by selecting parameters like aircraft type and runway, displaying only relevant data and reducing clutter.
This system enhances safety and situational awareness, reduces pilot workload, and streamlines the briefing process by providing an intuitive and optimized charting experience, including geo-referenced vertical profiles.

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If you have ever looked at a terminal procedure for a particular airport and wished it came with a secret decoder ring, Garmin may have a solution for you.

Garmin SmartCharts is described by the company as a “charting solution that will provide pilots with a simplified and intuitive experience by producing clear and relevant data to depict a chart tailored for their specific flight operation.”

Meg Godlewski has been an aviation journalist for more than 24 years and a CFI for more than 20 years. If she is not flying or teaching aviation, she is writing about it. Meg is a founding member of the Pilot Proficiency Center at EAA AirVenture and excels at the application of simulation technology to flatten the learning curve. Follow Meg on Twitter @2Lewski.