ABX Vector Mapping

Friday 06th January 2012

What is ABX Vector Mapping?

 

 

Traditionally Airbox devices and software have used digital reproductions of charts in a format known as Raster Imaging. Pilots like them because our devices are able to show, unlike many other commercially available GPS’s, an exact copy of the paper charts they carry alongside them in the cockpit.

 

In 2011 Airbox launched a complimentary and globally available mapping format called ABX Vector mapping. We believe that this is the future of flight planning and execution whereby GPS devices can access, not only the regulation air charts required to safely navigate the skies but also intelligent charting showing greater levels of detail and information not seen before in aviation.

 

 

The two mapping formats work hand in hand to produce an incredibly powerful aviation tool that offers pilots visual information dependent on their circumstances and varying workloads; whether they are planning a flight from home or in the cockpit, taxiing on a runway, in flight or approaching a destination airfield.

 

Raster Image-based charts are great for in-flight viewing however when a user zooms out to view a larger area, the resulting screen image can become a little cluttered with information. This is where ABX Vector takes over, displaying a fully scaleable, highly detailed chart that declutters as the user zooms out. Conversely ABX Vector can be used to zoom into a location revealing levels of detail that simply don’t show up on a regular aviation chart. The benefit to Airbox customers (and this includes existing Clarity and Foresight customers) is that they can choose to use what ever charts suits them for the task in hand.

 

What other benefits does ABX Vector have?

 

 

 

Airbox’s ABX Vector mapping literally knows no boundaries. Not only is the panning and zooming of charts fast and seamless, when you fly off the edge of your aviation chart, your Airbox GPS device will instinctively switch to the next best chart available, for example in the UK Airbox devices ship with a standard 1:500,000 ICAO chart covering the British Isles and Northern Ireland but will switch to ABX vector mapping when you leave the area. The new ABX Vector mapping for Europe reaches as far as southern Italy, Corsica, Northern Africa, France, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Denmark ,Sweden, Norway, Switzerland etc.

Included is a complete airspace vector overlay and airfield database covering some 28,000 individual airfields which is updated for free every 28 days of the AIRAC cycle.

 

 

 

ABX Vector also comes with some of the most detailed topographic data available today. Originating from data collected by NASA’s Shuttle Radar Topographic Missions, the added dimension gives pilot’s access to visual data that simply doesn’t feature on any aviation chart.

 

 

 

What charts do I get with my system?

Depending on your geographic location, your Airbox GPS will contain the local area aviation charts covering the country where you purchased it. ABX vector mapping covering a far great area will also be included.

 

Units purchased anywhere in Europe come with ABX Vector mapping covering France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Poland, Lithuania, Bosnia, Estonia, Latvia, Hungary, Slovakia.

 

Units purchase in South Africa come with ABX Vector mapping covering the whole of Africa including Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Sudan, Chad, Mali, Nigeria, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Zambia, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Botswana and South Africa.

 

Units purchased in Australia and New Zealand come with ABX Vector mapping covering both countries and a vectorised Global overview of the world at 1:2000,000 scale which can be upgraded to a higher resolution upon request.

 

Can I still use my local aviation charts in preference to ABX vector?

If you are more comfortable planning and flying with the aviation charts that normally accompany you in the cockpit don’t worry; Airbox software will never force you to use an alternative. Simply select the chart type you want to display on your device and let Airbox do the rest.

 

Is ABX Vector mapping available now?

Sure, ABC Vector mapping is available now on any of the Airbox Foresight and Clarity product ranges. Click here to browse our shop and make a purchase today. Please note that ABX Vector mapping is provided free to all Foresight and Clarity customers up to 1:500,000 scale. Higher levels of detail such as Street Level Mapping are available at extra cost. Contact Airbox for further information.

 

 

 

 

Posted by airbox at 10:04 Tagged: Airbox, moving map, vector mapping