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Single GTN 650 Updates


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The plane I'm hoping to purchase has a GTN650 without any other devices needing updates. I grew up on DoD FLIP pubs so I'm not really familiar with Jepp and don't care to pay extra for them. I was looking at the Garmin database and bundle pricing page (https://fly.garmin.com/fly-garmin/support/pricing) to try and figure out what route I would want to go with. I think the OnePak and PilotPak are out as the plane only has the one compatible unit. 

It seems like the bundle listed at the top of the page isn't that much more than an annual subscription to the Navigation Data alone. The only thing that seems required is the Navigation Data, but at a 28-56 day update cycle going annual compared to individual updates seems reasonable. 

Most of my time is military and, while I have a few hundred hours of civil time, I never really used a fancy GPS/Nav/Comm before so this whole having to maintain and update a database thing is new to me, outside of ForeFlight downloads. 

Thanks!

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Go with the $599 bundle and you get everything but Jepp for a year. My GTN came with two SD Cards. I keep one at home in my computer (for the next updates) and the other in the GTN. Updates are easy.

Edited by Bryan
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Bundles

Garmin offers a bundled pricing program for this device. The bundled database option allows customers to purchase annual subscriptions for multiple databases at a reduced price.

Name Price (USD) Databases Included
Canada (Fixed Wing) Database Bundle $599.00 Including Garmin Navigation, Obstacles, SafeTaxi, FliteCharts, and Terrain (9AS) databases.
Save $589/year
US (Fixed Wing) Database Bundle $599.00 Including Garmin Navigation, Obstacles, SafeTaxi, FliteCharts, and Terrain (9AS) databases.
Save $735/year
North America (Fixed Wing) Database Bundle $649.00 Including Garmin Navigation, Obstacles, SafeTaxi, FliteCharts, and Terrain (9AS) databases.
Save $919/year
North America (Heli) Database Bundle $649.00 Including Garmin Navigation (Heli), Obstacles (Heli), SafeTaxi, FliteCharts, and Terrain (2.5AS) databases.
Save $919/yea
Edited by Mooney_Mike
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I have the GTN 750, the prices I posted are all that shows up when I log into Garmin updates. So, apparently there are two different rates for the 650 / 750.

The Garmin NAV DATA is cheaper then Jepp NAV DATA on my 750 for what it's worth. So I have been using Garmin enroute NAV data for a while now and I can't tell much of a difference.

Edited by Mooney_Mike
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What you need depends on how you fly your Mooney.  If you NEVER fly IFR, you don't need to update your database at all.  If you do, even occasionally go IFR, then it needs to be up to date.  But as you alluded, only the NAV data needs to be up to date.  I have 3 partners and we are pretty much typical cheap pilots.  None of us ever plan to fly outside the USA.  We only update the NAV data and get it from Garmin for a cost of $299/year.  Buying the North America Bundle costs $549 (as you said).  That's an extra $250.  The terrain doesn't change much from year to year.  If I'm flying a procedure, it will keep me clear of obstacles.  If I'm VFR, I should be able to avoid obstacles by see and avoid.  We don't typically go into airports where Safe Taxi would be much help.  If we do, I can always pull up the airport diagram on my tablet.

If you aren't sure you want to go Canada or the Caribbean, you could save $250/year until you actually decide to go.  You could then buy an individual North America NAV data for $149 just before your trip.  It's the same Obstacle and Terrain database whether you buy US or North America.  Safe Taxi would be another $60 if you want that.  So at most, it would cost you $209 to buy an individual subscription for your trip.  For us, even one year of not buying everything more than pays for the one time purchase.

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2 hours ago, Mooney_Mike said:

I have the GTN 750, the prices I posted are all that shows up when I log into Garmin updates. So, apparently there are two different rates for the 650 / 750.

The Garmin NAV DATA is cheaper then Jepp NAV DATA on my 750 for what it's worth. So I have been using Garmin enroute NAV data for a while now and I can't tell much of a difference.

I think the 650 is cheaper than the 750 because it doesn't include approach plates. Switching from Jepp to Garmin earlier this year was a real eye opener because not only is it hundreds of dollars per year cheaper, but the Charts feature is included with the subscription. To display charts using Jepp data requires unlocking of the unit for something like $1,800 and then having to pay Jepp several hundred per year for the subscription. My only complaint, if you can call it that, is that downloading the Garmin data takes so much longer than the Jepps (probably due to the charts) and finding my way around the Garmin site to select the updates is often confusing. 

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6 hours ago, Bob - S50 said:

What you need depends on how you fly your Mooney.  If you NEVER fly IFR, you don't need to update your database at all.  If you do, even occasionally go IFR, then it needs to be up to date.  But as you alluded, only the NAV data needs to be up to date.  I have 3 partners and we are pretty much typical cheap pilots.  None of us ever plan to fly outside the USA.  We only update the NAV data and get it from Garmin for a cost of $299/year.  Buying the North America Bundle costs $549 (as you said).  That's an extra $250.  The terrain doesn't change much from year to year.  If I'm flying a procedure, it will keep me clear of obstacles.  If I'm VFR, I should be able to avoid obstacles by see and avoid.  We don't typically go into airports where Safe Taxi would be much help.  If we do, I can always pull up the airport diagram on my tablet.

If you aren't sure you want to go Canada or the Caribbean, you could save $250/year until you actually decide to go.  You could then buy an individual North America NAV data for $149 just before your trip.  It's the same Obstacle and Terrain database whether you buy US or North America.  Safe Taxi would be another $60 if you want that.  So at most, it would cost you $209 to buy an individual subscription for your trip.  For us, even one year of not buying everything more than pays for the one time purchase.

You mean for an extra $83 per year for each partner you could be 100% up to date?

 

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2 minutes ago, Mooney_Mike said:

You mean for an extra $83 per year for each partner you could be 100% up to date?

 

True.  But I would have to convince at least 2 of the other 3 to do that.  Terrain doesn't change.  Don't use Safe Taxi.  Those would be a waste of money for us.  I was in favor of doing a one time obstacle update every couple years but could not convince the others.  Now if Safe Taxi showed the location of the fuel pumps and visitor parking at ALL hard surfaced airports I might be interested.  That way I wouldn't have to hunt for the fuel pump when I land someplace new.  Just not worth it for the type of flying we do.

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If you use other devices like the Garmin portables, I have a GPS 696, tablets, smart phones, Garmin's bundle includes those devices and no or little extra cost. I use the OnePak US Standard + Flite Charts  and I get everything for the 750, the 696, and Garmin Pilot for an Android tablet and an Android phone. This is half what they charged a year ago for the 750 and the 696.

United States Standard + FliteCharts OnePak $799.00 Including Garmin Navigation, Obstacles, SafeTaxi, Airport Directory, FliteCharts, IFR/VFR Charts, Terrain, Basemap, and Frequency databases. Also includes Garmin Pilot Premium Upgrade.
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1 hour ago, Bob_Belville said:

If you use other devices like the Garmin portables, I have a GPS 696, tablets, smart phones, Garmin's bundle includes those devices and no or little extra cost. I use the OnePak US Standard + Flite Charts  and I get everything for the 750, the 696, and Garmin Pilot for an Android tablet and an Android phone. This is half what they charged a year ago for the 750 and the 696.

United States Standard + FliteCharts OnePak $799.00 Including Garmin Navigation, Obstacles, SafeTaxi, Airport Directory, FliteCharts, IFR/VFR Charts, Terrain, Basemap, and Frequency databases. Also includes Garmin Pilot Premium Upgrade.

I don't. The plane I'm hoping to buy only has a GTN650 and I use ForeFlight on my iPad so single device plan is best for me.

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I'm currently having a 750 installed and keeping a 430w. Anyone know of the options for keeping both up to date? 

That's likely to be the worst of all worlds since each device uses different data and you likely won't get a bundled discount price. I'd start with a call to Jepp and talk to a sales person. Then do the same with Garmin. Make sure you're sitting down.

Sent from my LG-US996 using Tapatalk

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