Jeppessen or Garmin databases

[redbaron1982]

Hi all,

I need to update the databases in my Mooney (it has a GNS 430W and an obsolete MX20).

Also I use foreflight.

My analysis is that it makes more sense to get Jeppessen databases (nav, obstacle and terrain) that go for around 500usd per year and that would allow me to use them in the 430W, Foreflight and (not sure yet) navdata and charts for the MX20.

Am I correct? Garmin databases go for almost the same amount and they would cover only the 430W.

Is there anything I would lose by using Jeppessen's over Garmin's?

[gacoon]

Databases are the same, decision is based on costs and extras. 

[Ragsf15e]

2 hours ago, redbaron1982 said:

Hi all,

I need to update the databases in my Mooney (it has a GNS 430W and an obsolete MX20).

Also I use foreflight.

My analysis is that it makes more sense to get Jeppessen databases (nav, obstacle and terrain) that go for around 500usd per year and that would allow me to use them in the 430W, Foreflight and (not sure yet) navdata and charts for the MX20.

Am I correct? Garmin databases go for almost the same amount and they would cover only the 430W.

Is there anything I would lose by using Jeppessen's over Garmin's?

I’ve never heard that buying from jepp gives you foreflight as well?  Foreflight is its own subscription.  For just a 430w, I use garmin as its a little cheaper than jepp and i get the whole US instead of just the western states.  Make sure you have the correct loader as the jepp and garmin ones are different and are not interchangeable.

Do you intend to use jeppcharts in ff? Maybe that comes with a subscription. I don’t use them though. I’m partial to the government ones.

[midlifeflyer]

6 hours ago, gacoon said:

Databases are the same, decision is based on costs and extras. 

The only significant difference between the two I've seen (and people will disagree on its significance) is that Jepp does not include the localizer version of ILS OR LOC approaches. Jepp only has the ILS - no localizer step-downs. Garmin has two entries, one for the ILS and one for the LOC. 

Whether there are others, I don't know.

I don't know what you mean by the Foreflight reference. 

[Greg Ellis]

9 hours ago, redbaron1982 said:

Hi all,

I need to update the databases in my Mooney (it has a GNS 430W and an obsolete MX20).

Also I use foreflight.

My analysis is that it makes more sense to get Jeppessen databases (nav, obstacle and terrain) that go for around 500usd per year and that would allow me to use them in the 430W, Foreflight and (not sure yet) navdata and charts for the MX20.

Am I correct? Garmin databases go for almost the same amount and they would cover only the 430W.

Is there anything I would lose by using Jeppessen's over Garmin's?

Does that subscription to Jepp include obstacle and terrain?  I was stuck with Jepp for a while because I had a GNC300XL and the Navdata was only offered for it by Jepp.  When I went to renew after updating my navigators, I spoke to a guy at Jeppesen and he stated that it only included the NavData and not obstacle or terrain.  I switched to Garmin charts because for my two navigators I was able to get Nav, obstacle and terrain for $669.  For just Navdata only from Jepp it was $663 for two navigators.  I would have had to add Obstacle and Terrain from Garmin individually which would have raised the price for the Jepp considerably more than Garmin.

Also, I plugged in the MX20 into Jepp and they said it was not covered.

[redbaron1982]

A clarification regarding Foreflight, what I meant to say is that with the Jepp subscription I would get Jepp plates into Foreflight at no extra cost, I still need to pay the Foreflight subscription though.

Regarding MX20, if you go to shop.jeppesen.com and select MX20 it doesn´t show up in the bundles section but it does show up in the "individial avionics databases" section. So this kind of answer my question of one bundle to handle all the avionics. I´d have to separately buy the NavData for the MX20 at $232/yr + the Garmin Bundle for 430W and Foreflight at $491/yr

[Rick Junkin]

38 minutes ago, redbaron1982 said:

A clarification regarding Foreflight, what I meant to say is that with the Jepp subscription I would get Jepp plates into Foreflight at no extra cost, I still need to pay the Foreflight subscription though.

Is this correct? I've been paying for two separate Jep subscriptions, one for Foreflight and one for my 430W. I'm not aware of a combined subscription for both, can you point me to info about how to do this?

Cheers,
Rick

[EricJ]

Get one of the free EFBs like Fltpln Go or Avare and you get plate and chart updates for free.

There should be an option to put the free government approaches on the navigator as well, but, apparently, somebody likes the revenue stream. 

[redbaron1982]

40 minutes ago, Rick Junkin said:

Is this correct? I've been paying for two separate Jep subscriptions, one for Foreflight and one for my 430W. I'm not aware of a combined subscription for both, can you point me to info about how to do this?

Cheers,
Rick

I'm not sure, that is what I understand from shop.jeppesen.com, when you get to buy the databases there is a bundle option:

And seems to include both the charts and nav data for GNS 400 and ForeFlight.

[Rick Junkin]

1 hour ago, redbaron1982 said:

I'm not sure, that is what I understand from shop.jeppesen.com, when you get to buy the databases there is a bundle option:

And seems to include both the charts and nav data for GNS 400 and ForeFlight.

I'm inclined to agree with you. I have an active subscription with Jepp so I logged on and tried the live chat to get clarification/confirmation. Unfortunately the person I was chatting with gave irrelevant and incomprehensible answers to my question, which I restated clearly twice. I'm guessing english as a second language and reading from a script. As a former Boeing employee I am embarrassed.

I currently have a Jepp subscription through Foreflight that is $199/year and a separate subscription through Jepp for my GNS430 at $450/year. The $491 bundle price is indeed a bargain if it includes both the GNS430 and Foreflight. However based on my experience today and in the past trying to communicate with Jepp I recommend getting feedback from someone who is using the Garmin data and has experienced their customer support.

And Greg is correct, Jeppesen does not offer the terrain and obstacle database for the GNS430. On the other hand I've never felt the need to update mine while flying with Foreflight and it's terrain database.

Cheers,
Rick

[jaylw314]

FWIW, most people don't update the GNS4xx/5xx obstacle/terrain databases regularly, but it obviously shouldn't hurt.

In the GNS 5xx, the Garmin USB card reader for the obstacle/terrain memory card also works for the IFR database memory card if you use the Garmin IFR database.  If you use Jeppensen, you need a different USB memory card reader (Skybound) which runs around $70.  I think this also applies to the GNS 4xx series.

Another small gotcha is that the Garmin IFR database requires an internet connection to a Windows computer.  It does not run offline using a download and does not have an Android/iPhone app.  The Jeppensen app can run off a download but still requires Windows (although I think there's a kludge workaround for iPads).  I'm not sure if those last two points have changed in the recent past, but I'm sure someone will pipe up if they have.

I use the Garmin IFR database, which has been $300 annually for the US the past few years.  Jeppensen might have a better deal if you fly outside the US regularly (Garmin has North America for $400).  I've always used Fltplan Go or Avare for the tablet, they're both free and use the FAA charts, so updates are headache- and money-free.  Obviously, if your plan is to use Foreflight, that would probably be a factor in terms of choosing.

Edited March 7, 2023 by jaylw314