GlideRange guide
From CUP to cockpit: loading landing fields into GlideRange
GlideRange does not try to ship a built-in global waypoint
database. Instead, you load the landing fields and airports you actually
fly with, from the same kind of .cup file many pilots
already use in soaring software.
Why GlideRange starts with your own CUP file
Landing-field data is local. Field names, usability, coordinates and pilot habits vary by country, club and season. A built-in database can look convenient, but it can also become stale or include places you would never choose in real flight.
GlideRange keeps that responsibility explicit: you choose the waypoint file, you choose the area, and the watch carries the compact set you prepared for the flying you are about to do.
The basic workflow
- Export or collect your landing fields and airports in Naviter
.cupformat. - Open the GlideRange uploader and select the file.
- Pick the flying area you want to carry on the watch.
- The uploader prepares a compact data set and gives you a short sync code.
- Enter the code in GlideRange on the watch to download the selected fields.
After that, the watch can show nearby landing options, distance, required glide ratio and estimated reachability from your current height, wind setting, selected L/D and selected glide speed.
Why watch memory matters
A Garmin watch is a small cockpit computer, not a laptop. Different models have different Connect IQ memory limits, and that affects how many fields fit comfortably in one synced area.
Newer watches with more memory can usually carry larger field sets. Older button watches can still be useful, but they may need a tighter selected area. The uploader shows the practical limit for your watch model before you sync, so you do not have to guess.
What the watch does in flight
Once loaded, GlideRange uses your GPS position, barometric height, chosen glide ratio, selected glide speed, wind setting and safety margin to rank landing options. The green indicator means the field is within the app's current wind-corrected estimate, not that the field is guaranteed in every possible speed or wind condition. Strong headwind reduces the over-ground glide ratio; if it is strong enough, a field that looks possible in still air may not be reachable after all.
The point is not to replace your glide computer or your judgement. It is a persistent wrist display for the question every glider pilot cares about: what can I still reach under the assumptions I have set?
That is especially useful when the panel is showing something else, when you are thermalling low, or when you want a quick independent check without changing pages on your main instrument.
A responsible backup layer
GlideRange is an awareness tool. It depends on the data you load and the settings you choose. Always use official navigation sources, current local information and pilot judgement for flight decisions.
Used that way, a Garmin watch becomes a quiet extra layer in the cockpit: small, visible, independent, and carrying the landing-field set you chose before takeoff.