GTN 750 vs GTN 650 + Aspen PFD

[Mike A]

So I am soliciting opinions:

 

As part of my financing of my new bird, I incorporated some avionics upgrades.  Originally I was looking to put in a GTN 750, GDL88 ADS-B receiver, GMA-35 Audio, and JP-730 engine monitor.  After looking at some other people's set ups and doing some thinking, I am now considering nixing the GTN 750 and related ADS-B and Audio Panel for a GTN 650 and having an Aspen Pro PFD installed.  No matter what the JP-730 is getting put in.  

 

What are yalls thoughts?  Who has experience with the 750/650 and is the difference worth not putting in an Aspen PFD?  As is, I don't have a HSI, so upgrading that would be a massive plus.  I'd even consider picking up a 430W and going with an additional MFD as well if people who use them see real benefits.

 

 

[Marauder]

Sounds like you are struggling with the same decisions I made a few months back. For me, wanting the HSI was a big consideration in my final decision. After years of flying without it, I find it a nice addition.

 

The 750 is nice and was my primary consideration until those pesky guys at the avionics shops starting showing me the Garmin & Aspen PFD/MFD stuff. It didn't take long before the 750 went "bye-bye" and the 650 was in -- not because of the glass but because of the HSI. Whether I bought a 750 or 650, I would still have needed the CDI and the PFD addressed that with additional features.

 

I elected to go with Aspen because of the feature sets. After the installation began, I found money to do the MFD and haven't regretted it. What I absolutely love is once the 650 is setup, I almost never look at the 650. I will obviously do so to load an approach or change a frequency, but all of my situation awareness and navigation is done with the Aspens in front of me.

 

My advice is to do a lot of research on what you want and need. The quotes offered to me varied tremendously. As well, there were features that I did not know existed until I asked about after the installation began (like full AP reversion support). One thing you will love is the GPSS capabilities.

 

I'm sure others will come along with additional thoughts.

[Oscar Avalle]

Well, my two cents: I had a Sandel and a 430 (WAAS). I decided to go for the 750 (audiopanel and transponder) and a PFD ASPEN (plus a JPI 830). I added to the Panel a Garmin 795 with a ZAON PCAS. The combination works great. I considered upgrading the 430 to a 650, but I really don't see any major advantage in doing so. I mainly use the 430 for the stormscope. The 750 is an excellent MFD.

 

But as Maurader mentioned, shop around.

[smccray]

When I bought my plane I was planning on an Aspen and keeping the GNS480.  I received some good advice to learn to fly the plane and get comfortable with it before making big investments.  Now, I'm not considering removing the king HSI for the Aspen.  Steam guages aren't the same as the G1000 I learned on, but they're perfectly adequate for my kind of flying.

 

I did add the JPI830 and a Garmin 796 linked to the 480.  I love the panel now and the only thing I'd like to have is GPSS, but I'm not planning to add that at this point.  When the HSI needs an overhaul, depending on the price, I may look at the aspen at that point.

[larryb]

I recently put in the following:

 

GTN 650

single Aspen

Aera 796

GDL88

GTX327 transponder

SL30 navcom

GMA350 audio panel

 

Here is my thinking:

 

It just grated on me that the 750 is $5K more expensive than the 650 when the mfg costs must not be that much higher. However, now that I have traffic display, the 650 screen is getting crowded. A lot of things going on, and the larger screen would be nice. But this requires the remote txp and audio panel (if I want the 796 too) and that introduces a single point of failure that I didn't like. The 750 would be nice, but I don't think it really adds capability compared to the 650.

 

Instead of the 750 I got the 796 panel docked. This gives me more screen, emergency battery backup, more functions, xm radio, xm weather, terrain voice callout, 500 foot voice callout,  checklists, better vnav, etc. There are a lot of features on the portables that are not on the certified units. Software updates come much more frequently on the portables. I like a clean install with it in the panel vs. on the yoke. I think the combo of a certified and portable is the way to go.

 

The GDL88 is great. I love the traffic. It seems every other flight I've made a course change based on that info alone before I saw the other aircraft. I fly in a relatively crowded airspace. I probably will cancel the xm weather now that the GDL88 is installed.

 

I really like the Aspen too. I did not have an HSI before. It also gives you an RMI display for multiple nav indicators. I kept my original mechanical ILS indicator as a backup. GPSS from the Aspen is a great feature add too.  I also figured that having the Aspen is as good as having a backup vacuum system. The one thing I bought that I don't think I really got the value for is the Aspen SV. I would pass on SV for sure if you want to economize.

 

Larry

[Bennett]

Malexandergt,

I'm glad to see that a some members of this forum have revised their panels to use the Garmin GTN series. I suggest that you go to the Members section: Bennett, and review my earlier posts

and Pireps about the GTN750/GTN650/Aera 796/GDL88, and the remote transponder and audio panel units, along with the Icarus SAM for GPSS steering. I chose not to install the Aspen

evolution unit/s for several reasons I outlined in one of my postings. Some folks love them, but after having about two years looking at altitude and airspeed tapes, I prefer old fashioned

round gauges for altitude and airspeed. Obviously there is no one best solution for everyone, and personal preferences and willingness to pay (outrageous) prices for certified avionics are

paramount. Have fun laying out your panel.

For the GTN owners: Software 4.0 has just been announced, and I am having it installed this week. Frankly, at this point I do not know what is in it, but I have just a couple of things I hope they have addressed in this release.

[wishboneash]

For the GTN owners: Software 4.0 has just been announced, and I am having it installed this week. Frankly, at this point I do not know what is in it, but I have just a couple of things I hope they have addressed in this release.

 

From the Garmin website... mostly some updates useful for helicopters plus a few others...

 

 

GTN 6XX/7XX Main Software Version 4.00 adds a number of new capabilities and features to support Helicopters. It contains the following changes:

• Added helicopter configuration settings

• Added helicopter features including:

o Helicopter Terrain Awareness and Warning System (HTAWS)

o Pilot selectable capability for Reduced Protection Mode operation for HTAWS

o Navigation down to 10 knots

o Mark-on-Target

o Remote Go Around activation

o Display of heliports on maps

• Added support for ARINC 429 Radar Altimeter input

• Added enhanced lighting curves for backlight and keypad lighting

• Added enhanced Map Range Ring markings

• Added support for metric fuel units

• Increased allowable manual input of fuel flow and quantity

• GTN 7XX only; added pilot-on-the-right configuration to audio panel control layout and 3D audio

[Bennett]

I just picked up my airplane from LAC Avionics who updated the software. If you have the GMA35 (I think that is the correct ID), remote Audio panel, you also get an "improved interface"

with the KAP series of autopilots. Didn't ask how this relates, but I do like having all the avionics up to date. I was told by the aviation shop gurus that there were also a bunch of minor

"improvements" and fixes for small problems. I couldn't tell the difference between software versions flying the airplane back to San Carlos.