Garmin aera 550

Leveraging Garmin’s industry-leading expertise in both Aviation and Automotive GPS, the versatile aera series of touchscreen portables take fingertip navigation to a whole new level. Featuring crisp 4.3-inch QVGA wide-format displays, all four aera models come with preloaded automotive maps, a built-in terrain/obstacles aviation database, patented Panel Page instrument display, and more. So, wherever you fly or drive, you can count on aera to provide the complete door-to-door guidance package.

The aera 550: A Premium Choice

Stepping up from the aera 500 model, the aera 550 brings added features, performance, and more advanced pilot/motorist capabilities to the overall product design. Terrain/obstacles graphics are shown in higher-resolution 9 arc-second detail on the aera 550 display (providing over 11 times more onscreen resolution than the standard 30 arc-second versions). And, as in all the aera models, GPS updating is provided at a super-fast 5 Hz rate. In addition to detailed flight mapping, the aera 550 comes fully preloaded with Garmin SafeTaxi® charts for over 950 U.S. airports – while an included AOPA Airport Directory database gives you detailed listings, phone numbers, facilities and fuel location information on over 7,400 U.S. landing sites, as well as airports of entry for Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. A full year of prepaid database updates is included with your aera 550 purchase.

Elevate Your Expectations

To enhance situational awareness, the aera 550’s graphical Terrain page offers both overhead and vertical profile views of the topography you’re overflying. Plus, a database-driven terrain advisory feature offers TAWS-like color coding and pop-up alerts when obstructions or ground proximity conflicts are projected to impact your flight path. There’s an IFR map mode that lets you navigate on high or low enroute airways. And for help with traffic separation, an optional power/data cable (sold separately) makes it easy to interface your aera 550 with the Garmin GTX 330 Mode S transponder in your aircraft, thus enabling you to access and display TIS traffic alerts in busy terminal airspace throughout the U.S. Moreover, you can also use the aera to load communication frequencies into your Garmin SL 40 Comm or SL 30 Nav/Comm transceiver.

Attention Road Warriors

When it’s time to hangar the airplane and head for the open road, your Garmin aera 550 never misses a beat. It’s “dual boot” design enables full automotive GPS capability, graphically supported by preloaded City Navigator® NT street mapping. Operating much like Garmin’s popular nüvi® line of touchscreen auto navigators, the aera 550 offers voice-guided turn-by-turn directions with text-to-speech audio technology that calls out streets by name. In addition, there’s built-in Bluetooth® support for wireless hands-free calling with your compatible mobile phone. Other premium features available on the aera 550 include lane assist with junction view, speed limit notification, Navteq traffic alerts¹, and more. Plus, there’s a unique ”smart mount” for the aera that helps get you on your way with instant clip-and-go transition from aircraft to automotive mode.

For detailed specifications click here

Check out this quick video on the aera and its many features!

Garmin aera 550 Physical & Performance:
Unit dimensions, WxHxD:	5.3"W x 3.3"H x .9"D (13.5 x 8.4 x 2.3 cm)
Display size, WxH:	3.81"W x 2.25"H (9.7 x 5.7 cm); 4.3" diag (10.9 cm)
Display resolution, WxH:	480 x 272 pixels
Display type:	touchscreen WQVGA color TFT with white backlight
Weight:	9.5 ounces (270 g)
Battery:	removable, rechargeable lithium-ion
Battery life:	up to 5 hours (less with full backlight and options)
Waterproof:	yes (IPX7)
Voltage range:	11-35
Receiver:	high-sensitivity with WAAS position accuracy
IFR or VFR:	VFR

Garmin aera 550 Maps, Databases & Memory:
Basemap:	yes
Jeppesen® database:	yes
Types of Jeppesen databases:	full and ARTCC, FSS frequencies and final approach waypoints
Jeppesen database coverage areas:	Americas or Atlantic or Pacific
Preloaded Obstacles database:	yes (U.S. and Europe only)
Preloaded Terrain database:	yes
Preloaded SafeTaxi™ airport diagrams:	yes (U.S only)
Preloaded AOPA Airport Directory:	yes (U.S only)
Preloaded low & high altitude enroute airways:	yes
Preloaded Garmin FliteCharts®:	no
Preloaded private airports:	yes (U.S only)
Preloaded street maps:	yes
Ability to add maps:	yes
Accepts data cards:	yes (microSD cards)
Built-in memory:	internal solid state
Waypoints/favorites/locations:	3,000 (aviation mode); 1,000 (automotive mode)
Routes:	50

Garmin aera 550 Features:
Moving map:	yes
Patented panel page:	yes
Built-in HSI (GPS-based):	yes
IFR map mode:	yes
Traffic Information Services (TIS) alerts compatible:	yes
Audible terrain alerts:	yes
Terrain resolution:	high
Smart Airspace Feature (generates and displays altitude-sensitive alerts):	yes
Separate serial and USB interfaces:	yes
Automatic logbook:	yes
Voice prompts (e.g. "Turn right in 500 ft."):	yes (auto mode)
Lane assist (guides you to the proper lane for navigation):	yes (auto mode)
Speaks street names (e.g. "Turn right ON ELM STREET in 500 ft."):	yes (auto mode)
3-D map view:	yes (auto mode)
Custom POIs (ability to add additional points of interest):	no
Bluetooth® wireless technology (connect to your phone for hands-free calling):	yes (auto mode)
Speed limit indicator (displays speed limit for most major roads in the U.S. and Europe):	yes (auto mode)
FM traffic compatible:	yes (auto mode)
Custom POIs (ability to add additional points of interest):	yes (auto mode)
XM WX Weather & Radio for U.S. compatible:	no

¹Navteq traffic alerts require the GTM 20 (sold separately). Traffic content not available for all areas. See www.navteq.com/rdstraffic for traffic coverage areas.