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Garmin took its GPS-enabled PDAs to the air today with the introduction of the iQue 3600a, the first Palm-based device that is ready to help pilots navigate right out of the box.

At the core of the iQue 3600a is, of course, a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver, which gathers pulsed signals from as many of the two dozen or so GPS satellites orbiting the earth as it can lock in.

(Using triangulation—by measuring and comparing the travel time of individual signals—the receiver calculates its position, and it's accurate to within twenty yards or so.)

Unlike other GPS-enabled PDAs, the iQue 3600 adds an airplane yoke-mounted cradle as well as built-in basemap, terrain, obstacle, and Jeppesen databases. Instead of using a stylus for data input, you insert the unit into the cradle and navigate using the dedicated Direct To, Nearest, Menu, Escape, Enter and directional rocker buttons—giving it the same functionality as other Garmin aviation portables.

When inserted, the company said the iQue 3600a instinctively selects settings appropriate for aviation use and allows aviators to transition seamlessly from personal/automotive use to the cockpit environment.

Garmin's director of marketing Gary Kelley asserts, "It's like flying with a portable MFD. Pilots will fall in love with the rich color, the high-resolution display, the Sectional chart-like presentation, the terrain-mapping and obstacle-alerting functions, and the overall ease of use. They'll also have the peace of mind knowing that, when they snap their iQue 3600a into the smart cradle, they take to the skies with an enhanced awareness of surrounding terrain."

Airborne Navigation Software