Garmin to Avidyne

[KLRDMD]

Just now, donkaye said:

GTN 750 (much bigger screen) $13.675; no charge for SD cards, no need for full TAWS with the G500 and Synthetic Vision (I do get alerting, just not RA alerting), have Garmin flight charts so no charge for that. I have Jepp on both the iPad and 796 on the yoke.  So the cost really is $13,675 + $549 (FS210) = $14,224 or $13,675 + $1,499 (FS)510 = $15,174.  This is less than the $16,999 for the 540 in both cases.

I don't think the 540 is actually selling for $16,999. My quote, reconfirmed two hours ago is for $13,500.

[KLRDMD]

20 minutes ago, donkaye said:

Ken, all downloads are via flygarmin.com directly from the Mac to the card.  There is NO Windows restriction.  If, when you go to flygarmin.com it gives you a Windows only option, that can be changed.  I called Garmin on the same issue when I accidentally changed things to Windows.  They had me go to a quick link of the flygarmin.com page and change it.  When I go there now, I see a quick link to go to Windows.  If I was in Windows it probably gives the link to the Mac.  Hope this helps. If not call Garmin and they will set you straight.  Just get up early, because recently they seem to be understaffed with long wait times.

I just called Garmin again, amazingly I got right through with zero wait time. They confirmed that I cannot use a Mac for a Garmin 530/430 download. I didn't ask (just to see what they would say) about a 750 since I have zero interest in buying one.

[donkaye]

Just now, KLRDMD said:

I just called Garmin again, amazingly I got right through with zero wait time. They confirmed that I cannot use a Mac for a Garmin 530/430 download. I didn't ask (just to see what they would say) about a 750 since I have zero interest in buying one.

Sorry, Ken, you're right, it was for the GTNs.  I've never had a 530 so have never updated one.  Personally, I think you are doing the right thing in getting the Avidyne.  It's a plug-n-play situation, no downtime, just a learning curve.

[laytonl]

I'm interested in the Avidyne 540 product too.  I've been playing with the simulator which is pretty good.  The 540 stills seems awkward to enter data but I'm accustomed to min buttonology.  I have a list of questions for Avidyne.  Lee

[M016576]

2 minutes ago, laytonl said:

I'm interested in the Avidyne 540 product too.  I've been playing with the simulator which is pretty good.  The 540 stills seems awkward to enter data but I'm accustomed to min buttonology.  I have a list of questions for Avidyne.  Lee

Avidyne has a dedicated board for the ifd540/440.  Jake and Simpson are on there daily, answering questions, accepting feedback and ideas and putting some of the "why's" out there.  It's open to the general public- just go to the avidyne website, click support and click on avidyne live user forums.

 

Jake trolls mooneyspace from time to time as well... honestly- if you have questions about these boxes, it's great to have their inputs- as well as other owners (full disclosure-I've got a 440 that I "slid in" to replace a 430W.  I will never go back to a garmin unit ifican help it- I LOVE the 440). 

Edited September 23, 2016 by M016576

[NotarPilot]

5 hours ago, donkaye said:

Personally, I think you are doing the right thing in getting the Avidyne.  It's a plug-n-play situation, no downtime, just a learning curve.

Don, I think someone got a hold of your account and is posting comments without your permission. 

[donkaye]

23 minutes ago, NotarPilot said:

Don, I think someone got a hold of your account and is posting comments without your permission. 

No, it's just that Ken buys a new airplane just about every year, so if he doesn't like the Avidyne box he can replace it with another airplane. (Still don't know how to get an Emoji entered.  It keeps telling me no Emojis allowed.  How did you do it?)

[KLRDMD]

Just now, donkaye said:

No, it just that Ken buys a new airplane just about every year, so it he doesn't like the Avidyne box he can replace it with another airplane. (Still don't know how to get an Emoji entered.  It keeps telling me no Emojis allowed.  How did you do it?)

Wouldn't you be surprised if I kept this one for 20 years 

[carusoam]

Just now, donkaye said:

No, it just that Ken buys a new airplane just about every year, so it he doesn't like the Avidyne box he can replace it with another airplane.   

 

(Still don't know how to get an Emoji entered.  It keeps telling me no Emojis allowed.  How did you do it?)

Fify.... Fixed it for you.

The MS community at work.

Gen X guy with an iPad,

-a-

[Rustler]

21 hours ago, laytonl said:

I'm interested in the Avidyne 540 product too.  I've been playing with the simulator which is pretty good.  The 540 stills seems awkward to enter data but I'm accustomed to min buttonology.  I have a list of questions for Avidyne.  Lee

Lee--

There's very little you HAVE to do via buttons; you can enter flight-plan locations, for instance, using the small button on the right. I'm not overly fond of button-pushing, either, but I like the IFD540 much more than I did my GTN650.

Simpson should be along to answer your specific questions.

[laytonl]

1 hour ago, Rustler said:

Lee--

There's very little you HAVE to do via buttons; you can enter flight-plan locations, for instance, using the small button on the right. I'm not overly fond of button-pushing, either, but I like the IFD540 much more than I did my GTN650.

Simpson should be along to answer your specific questions.

Thanks, I'm still reading thru the manual and using the demo.  Lee

[StevenL757]

On 9/22/2016 at 4:46 PM, donkaye said:

A few differences between that comparison and my installation.

GTN 750 (much bigger screen) $13.675; no charge for SD cards, no need for full TAWS with the G500 and Synthetic Vision (I do get alerting, just not RA alerting), have Garmin flight charts so no charge for that. I have Jepp on both the iPad and 796 on the yoke.  So the cost really is $13,675 + $549 (FS210) = $14,224 or $13,675 + $1,499 (FS)510 = $15,174.  This is less than the $16,999 for the 540 in both cases.

You beat me to that post...good summary, and exactly right.  Only difference is I added Jepps to the 750 and G500, but still beats the 540 costs, pound-for-pound.

[KLRDMD]

On 9/22/2016 at 1:49 PM, KLRDMD said:

I don't think the 540 is actually selling for $16,999. My quote, reconfirmed two hours ago is for $13,500.

 

28 minutes ago, StevenL757 said:

I added Jepps to the 750 and G500, but still beats the 540 costs, pound-for-pound.

Your 750 was less than $13,500 installed ? I'm impressed.

[LANCECASPER]

I've heard that a Garmin GTN750 runs about $17000 installed and a GTN650 about $12000 installed.

In December 2014 I paid $13500 for package deal on an Avidyne IFD540 and an Avidyne AXP 340 transponder. No install cost on the IFD540 since it was a slide-in replacement for a 530W. Relatively low install cost on the AXP340 since it was replacing a KT76C (same size, same antenna, just a WAAS position source needed to be wired in.) I got $8000 for my Garmin 530W and $900 for my KT76C, making the cost of my upgrade $4600 plus $400 install on the transponder. Later I bought an IFD440 for $9000 and got $6500 for my 430W, net $2500, again with no install cost. My net cost was $7100 plus about $400 install of the transponder.

To do a 750/650 upgrade from the 530W/430W it would have cost $29000 - $8000 for the 530W - 6500 for the 430W, or 14500 net. Plus I would have had to buy and pay install costs on a transponder, say $3500. So for me it was $7100 vs. $18000. And Wifi and Bluetooth were included but cost extra on the Garmin. For me it was a no brainer. When I bought the next airplane and had to start from scratch with a new WAAS GPS I again bought an IFD540/AXP340/MLB100.

Garmin allowed Avidyne to get traction in the market by not engineering a less expensive installation cost for their new boxes for 530W/430W owners. They had a captive market ready to upgrade.

 

[mike_elliott]

On ‎9‎/‎22‎/‎2016 at 11:30 PM, donkaye said:

Still don't know how to get an Emoji entered.  It keeps telling me no Emojis allowed.  How did you do it?)

Its a Mooney Space restriction to all garminvangelists, Don. The boxes aren't capable therefore the owners are not either

 

[Bob_Belville]

4 minutes ago, mike_elliott said:

Its a Mooney Space restriction to all garminvangelists, Don. The boxes aren't capable therefore the owners are not either

 

Boo. 

[mike_elliott]

Just now, Bob_Belville said:

Boo. 

Pull that Aspen and put in a G500, watch what happens on Mooneyspace...just sayin....

[Bob_Belville]

Just now, mike_elliott said:

Pull that Aspen and put in a G500, watch what happens on Mooneyspace...just sayin....

Wow, my Garmin GTN, transponder, audio panel, GDX 88, 696, and Garmin Pilot app are not enough to get clobbered? 

[mike_elliott]

53 minutes ago, Bob_Belville said:

Wow, my Garmin GTN, transponder, audio panel, GDX 88, 696, and Garmin Pilot app are not enough to get clobbered? 

That is so yesteryear....:)

[donkaye]

1 hour ago, Bob_Belville said:

Boo. 

The Apple Emojis apparently won't work.  Others apparently will.  I think I will steal one from above.  I have no idea why these work and others don't.

[NotarPilot]

Don, try this little emoji icon above the text box when you click on reply. It even allows me to use it on my iPad mini.

Edited September 27, 2016 by NotarPilot

[donkaye]

11 minutes ago, NotarPilot said:

Don, try this little emoji icon above the text box when you click on reply. It even allows me to use it on my iPad mini.

Sorry I don't know your name, NotarPilot, but thank you.  I can't believe it, but I never noticed that menu bar before.  Too focused on the reply.

[Marauder]

Just now, donkaye said:

Sorry I don't know your name, NotarPilot, but thank you.  I can't believe it, but I never noticed that menu bar before.  Too focused on the reply.

[NotarPilot]

40 minutes ago, donkaye said:

Sorry I don't know your name, NotarPilot, but thank you.  I can't believe it, but I never noticed that menu bar before.  Too focused on the reply.

You can call me Steve but I've been called a lot worse.

[Ftlausa]

The screen size of the 750 is hard to beat.  I opted for the 750/650 combo, and I am not unhappy with them. 

I do accidently hit the ident button on the 650 too often due to its placement when I am trying to switch frequencies, and the airway entry feature on the IDFs is far superior.  Also I think the new 540 is shipping with an AHRS, which is pretty cool. 

At bottom, you cannot go wrong with either one, and I like the fact that the competition is probably pushing Garmin to get new features out faster than they otherwise would.