Flying the legendary trek into Oshkosh just got a whole lot easier for pilots thanks to Garmin’s latest release, which includes the FISK arrival as a standard procedure.
For the first time, pilots can input the complete FISK route—including all transitions and runway options—directly into Garmin avionics, Garmin Pilot and SmartCharts. The integration brings enhanced situational awareness and precision to a procedure known for its visual demands and high traffic volume.
According to Garmin, the updated 2507 coding now incorporates detailed route elements that were previously difficult to program, such as “flying the shoreline of Puckaway Lake” and “flying between Fisk Avenue and the Microwave Tower” when those specific transitions are selected. These details, once limited to printed guides and pilot briefings, are now integrated directly into Garmin navigation tools.
All major FISK transitions, including Ripon, Green Lake and Endeavor Bridge, are now selectable and can be paired with specific runway transitions into Wittman Regional Airport. The structure of the route follows the FAA’s official Oshkosh Notice, providing pilots with a familiar reference enhanced by Garmin’s navigation tools.
Garmin emphasizes that the update is designed to assist, not replace, the official guidance found in the Oshkosh Notice. Pilots should still thoroughly review the Notice during preflight planning and briefing.
The 2507 database update is available now at flyGarmin.com. Pilots interested in exploring Garmin Pilot or SmartCharts can visit Garmin.com/GarminPilot to subscribe or start a free trial.
I’ve hand flown the Oshkosh arrival about 10 times and I’m not sure this is a good idea. The actual arrival follows a ground track, not a fix-to-fix arrival, which is what Garmin is providing. I worry the temptation will be to let the autopilot fly the magenta line instead of the required ground track. The Garmin fixes are useful only if used for SA purposes while your eyes are outside looking for traffic and following the actual arrival ground track.
Agreed–the problem at Oshkosh is not really getting lost, it’s getting into and staying in the flow. You want people looking outside at landmarks and other aircraft, not the magenta line.
Need to bring a good pilot friend to do both things?
As i was driving home from vacation last year, i saw the various aircraft lined up overhead my position. Over the interstate, lined up for landing into Oshkosh. This was one of the few times that i was glad to not me in an airplane.
What have you seen over the years? If the ground track is the same, the waypoints are presumably programed to match the ground track. If the ground track changes every year, that’s another thing. Why would the autopilot be a problem - that reduces workload and would allow more time to look outside for traffic.
OK. So what is this? I have cycle 2507 in my Garmin 430–and there are no arrivals into OSH (OSH does not have SIDS and STARS). Nothing on Fisk, etc. I see no way to actually load any arrival procedure into your electronics. Note: The waypoints on the Fisk arrival are offical VFR FAA waypoints on the Sectional and in the database (VPENV, VPPLK, VPGRN, VPRIP, and VPFFIS). You can create a flight plan in your GPS and follow them. This is what I have done for years. But there is no “arrival procedure” with transitions that is in my GPS.
If you go to Garmin Pilot, OSH has the FISK VFR ARR in the Arrival Procedures–BUT IT IS SIMPLY A COPY OF THE FISK ARRIVAL PAGES IN THE NOTAM BOOK!! Each of the 10 pages is on a separate line. Similarily, in the Charts section, Pilot appears to also have the entire OSH NOTAM published–page by page–all 32 pages of the NOTAM book.
So, if you prefer scrolling page by page in Garmin Pilot rather than having the compact paper NOTAM, go for it. I’ll pass. I do suggest that you create a flight plan using the VFR waypoints–that helps on the arrival.
If someone is seeing something different in the G750/650/530 or whatever, let me know. The arrivals are not in the G430.
Best
Vince