Fenix 6X Pro and GPS on Fly

Good evening! The first feeling of use is quite controversial. Previously, when I flew on a plane with a 5x Plus clock, it was possible to see a map and see the speed and altitude. Yesterday I traveled with my new Garmin Fenix 6X Pro, at first everything was good showing speed and elevation, but after a speed of about 300 km / h the GPS signal disappeared and appeared only during landing

  • What kind of flying are we talking about here? Piloting a single-engine prop plane at 8k feet, or riding coach in the middle of an Airbus A380 at 42k feet over the Atlantic?

    You might try a different GPS setting, such as GPS+Galileo, or GPS+Glonass.

  • As a sports watch, it was probably never expected by Garmin that anybody would actually use it to measure speeds over 300kmh. That said, there's no reason why it shouldn't be able to, unless the GPS signal is too weak. Which is why it's important to know what sort of flying you're talking about to be able to answer your question.

    I've never had much luck with any GPS (whether it be a dedicated handheld GPS, or a watch, or a smartphone) inside the cabin of a commercial passenger jet. So I'm not surprised if you're having issues with that (rather, I'm quite surprised to hear if it did work with your 5X!)

    I've never really tried using a GPS inside a personal aircraft, though, so I have no idea what the GPS signal expectations would be inside of one. I guess similar to inside a car maybe? But I've never looked at my watch while driving a car over 300kmh, so I have no idea how that would work.

  • I've recorded several flights flawlessly on a Suunto Ambit3 Peak, sitting on a window seat in a commercial airliner.   The altitude tops out at 31,000 feet or so on the watch.  Never tried a Garmin but just got a 6X myself and may try it in a couple of weeks.

  • Interesting that the altitude works. Shouldn't the cabin be pressurized at a level well below 31k, which would affect the reading?

  • The altitude probably won't be that high as air pressure inside the plane is almost fixed and barometer will measure it and won't change the altitude on the watch. However, you can see the altitude on GPS elevation data field.

    Also recorded speed won't be right as FIT file format used in Garmin watches has a limitation that it can store the speed below a specific limit. Over the limit, FIT file properties aren't enough to record exact data.

  • It must be using the GPS for the altitude reading, rather than the barometer. Usually, our watches default to using the barometer primarily (occasionally using the GPS to recalibrate itself), because the barometer is more sensitive and accurate than the GPS altitude estimation, but I believe there are ways to have it use GPS altitude primarily instead of the barometer if you want.

    Yes, normally cabins are pressurized to the equivalent of 6,000-8,000ft altitude, and that altitude-equivalent (rather than the actual altitude) is what a barometric altimeter would read.

  • I never had any issues recording speed when flying in a commercial airliner using 920xt. It worked like a charm. I am expecting my F6 Sapphire in a week and I hope it will work as well as my 3-year old 920xt which still hold charge for at least 18 hours continuous activity. 

  • flight on airbus, the seat was near the window. Fenix 5x Plus coped with this task. On the watch, GPS + Galileo mode was selected

  • Yes, fenix 5X plus displayed GPS speed and altitude. The FIT file recorded the flight distance and route. In Fenix 6X, GPS does not determine altitude and speed by GPS even if the clock is near the window during flight