NOT Happy with Garmin...

[scottfromiowa]

You added the ass...You agreed that you are an elitist as defined: "The belief that certain persons deserve favored treatment by their perceived superiority as in financial resources".  O.K. If you know for a fact that Garmin could not upgrade the software to allow synthetic vision on the 696 platform I'll take it as golden information.  I like my 696 and other Garmin products as stated.  I will be using my wife's I-pad II in the cockpit...as stated.

I actually called you a winey elitist based on your comments.

[AndyFromCB]

Scott,

I don't know it as a fact, but based on my experience in the software industry, graphics take a lot of processing power and I'm possitive Garmin designed the hardware to the minimum specs required to make the original 696 software run at a decent response level. Short of breaking apart a 696 and the current unit, we'll never know, but a lot has changed in the last 4 years hardware wise and I am possitive Garmin has not spent a single penny extra making 696 future proof. I use the iPad too as I find the MX200 database, terrain and chart updates outrageous. But I do like for weather and displaying my WX500 information. While I know SV was on their mind and probably in design stages when they released 696, software has a tendency to keep up with hardware. That's one of the reasons why I didn't get an Acclaim, I thought a Bravo would be a lot cheaper to keep up avionics wise. I don't like being tied to one company either, being MAC or Garmin. Plus I really like Aspen, their open interface and most of all, for an elitist ass such myself, their service and support ;-)

As you can see, I don't get offended very easily. Next time I'm in the NE corner of Iowa, I'd gladly buy lunch and talk bird hunting, which I still do my a very old and worn down 870. It still works just peachy. I don't know about the support and their service, as the Remington never needed either after thousands of shells fired ;-) I'm glad something still works as advertised.

Plus I don't think I should be treated any better with a M20M than someone with an old Piper Arrow (like me), or a new Cessna Mustang. I was just making a point that Mooney might not be in business anymore because they have spent years treating their customers like crap and I see incompetance more and more as my years progress everywhere. 

[scottfromiowa]

Now if you want to talk shotguns...I'M THE ELITIST.  Nothing but fine spanish SxS's (AYA & Arrietta) for me.  I am in a way different pay grade and know you were just frustrated and venting...I apologize.  No one knows better than us that maintaining and upgrading an aircraft is CRAZY...but we love them, so we do.  Hope your problem gets resolved soon.

Scott

[AndyFromCB]

I'd love one of those (SxS's), or five actually, but the significant other thinks that a weatherproof house is more important, so if it's not the insulation, then it's the doors, then it's the windows and I've been doing all the work myself too so I see my trusty 870 sticking around for a long, long time. 

I do appologize as well, I have posted some fairly cynical posts today. I was just frustrated beyond all belief when I realized that MAC essentially forced Zaftronics into a no win situation years ago. Same with B&C altenators on Ovation. They choose to do this by putting 3rd party parts under their own part numbers. And now they are willing to neither release the part makers from their exclusive contracts or order the parts until a specific number is on their plate. This will be even more of a problem with the G1000 equiped airplanes as the time goes by. I really think we would be a lot better off in a long run in MAC once and for all went Tango Uniform and the type certificate data would become public domain. I bet you that voltage regulator would be $400 and available from aircraft spruce.

[scottfromiowa]

.410/.28/.20/.16 & 12.  Yep, five is the magic number.  My significant other would never let that happen either.  Hopefully something (one way or the other) will occur with MAC soon.  That's a raw deal regarding the reluctance to release the thrid party entities to make parts and continue to support the fleet...if they will not.  The Porsche/Mooney folks sure got hammered.  I (as all know here) have been known to also have a cynical streak from time to time.  Watching my Brewers go down to Cardinals.  It's '82 all over again...