Which GPS would you buy?

[Lood]

I'm looking to upgrade a little bit from my Garmin 196. I have the following in mind and would like to get a better feeling for what's hot and what's not. I'm looking at the following portables:

Geopilot II Plus, Garmin Aera 500, Bendix King Av8tor - or should I rather stick to the 296/ 396/ 495/6 series?

Any input and advice would be appreciated.

[Ned Gravel]

I bought the AV8OR because of the price, and it is ready to receive in-flight weather from XM (requires a separate receiver with a cable to join the two).  Sunlight readable, easy to use, cheap.

I have a GPS in the panel.  Its job is to help fly the airplane and reduce workload. My AV8OR's job is to help me with situational awareness and keep me in tune with the map on my kneeboard.

 

 

[Lood]

How do you find the touch screen in turbulent conditions? I used a PDA a couple of years ago and did not like it at all. I'm pretty sure though that the current touch screens that you can use your finger on must be easier than having to use a stillus.

[231Pilot]

The 496 is easy to operate, and the pricing is good right now with the introduction of the new models.

[Ned Gravel]

Using the touch screen in turbulance requires patience.  But it does work with just your finger.

Remember that I use the handheld only to enhance my own situational awareness - nothing else.  I set it up so that the aircraft is centred and the range rings approximate a lost engine glide distance from the planned cruising altitude.  Then I tend to leave it alone. Modifying the display in flight becomes easier to get other bits of info (like time to a waypoint) if the cockpit workload allows and things are not shaking up too much.

If I had been able to afford it at the time, I would have probably opted for a 496.  But the AV8OR met the most pressing needs at a price I could afford, in a year when the overhaul really cut into any other purchases.

[Amelia]

If I win the lottery, (I know, tough to do, when you're too cheap to buy a ticket) I think I want an AnywhereMap Duo. It looks as if it would fit very well in my Mooney's snug space, has all the goodies I like so much in the current old AWM handheld, but the GPS is built in, it's fast, solid-state, so high altitude doesn't matter, lifetime subscriptions are available, and the detail in the new charts looks amazing. And the whole thing is still cheaper than the Avi8tor and far cheaper than Brand G, which seems to have a license to steal.  Finally, the support people are so very kind to a befuddled old lady trying to squeak another couple of years out of her outdated equipment.

 

[Magnum]

I use a Garmin 695. I had the 296 and 496 before, the 695 makes data entry much easier with the turning knob. Screen size is the maximum you can still put on your yoke. I can't say anything about weather, as we don't have that in Europe. But I have it connected to the Zaon XRX traffic system and the intercom. I really like it when it talks to me :-) I would buy it again immediately.

I have a convertible tablet (Fujitsu Siemens P1620), too, but only use it for flight planning and looking up approach plates (no approach plates in the Gramin for Europe...). I prefer to have dedicated buttons instead of a touch screen and don't want to fiddle around with a lot of cables and antennas, so I have no experience with the new Garmins.

[Magnum]

I just saw that you live in South Africa, so you won't need XM weather. You can buy the Garmin 695 instead of the 696, it is cheaper. The 695/696 don't have approach plates, AOPA directory and safe taxi diagrams outside the US.

[GeorgePerry]

My vote is still for the 496.  The 696 is too big (IMO) and the new arrivals from Garmin don't really do anything the 496 doesn't.  With the price reductions on new and reconditioned 496's it makes them the best thing going.

[Lood]

I tend to agree that the G695 is a bit too big - specially in my '67 F. Well, thanks for all the feedback everyone! It seems then, seeing that we don't get XM weather in South Africa, the Garmin 495 would be a good choice. Has anyone got any experience in the 495?