G1000 SD Datacards

[VetRepp]

I have a 2006 Ovation GX w/ G1000. I recently wanted to add IFR charts database which reside on removable SD cards, 1 in the PFD and 1 in the MFD. I found out that I have the Garmin -41 SD cards, which do not have enough capacity (only @ 120 MB) to load all the databases I was looking at,   (I was considering the Pilot Pak which has Safe Taxi, and Airport directory and other stuff as well). In order to do this I would have to buy new data cards from Garmin - They have a -42 SD card that holds 2 GB and a -43 that holds 4GB. They would gladly sell them to me for $525 each. That is >$1050 for SD cards that can be bought for @ $10 at any computer or Camera store.

My question is even though they have a TSO FAA approved sticker on them, Is there any real difference? The Garmin guy I talked to suggested (but wouldn't say outright) that there was no difference, that is unless I got Ramp checked. Does anyone know what difference there may be or has used other SD cards for this purpose?

Or does anyone have any advice on where to get reasonably priced FAA approved SD cards?

Thanks

[Bob_Belville]

FWIW, my GTN 750 came with 2 TSO's cards. 7.38GB ea. but only 1.66 GB is being used for subscription: US Standard + FliteCharts PilotPak.

[Marauder]

I have a 2006 Ovation GX w/ G1000. I recently wanted to add IFR charts database which reside on removable SD cards, 1 in the PFD and 1 in the MFD. I found out that I have the Garmin -41 SD cards, which do not have enough capacity (only @ 120 MB) to load all the databases I was looking at, (I was considering the Pilot Pak which has Safe Taxi, and Airport directory and other stuff as well). In order to do this I would have to buy new data cards from Garmin - They have a -42 SD card that holds 2 GB and a -43 that holds 4GB. They would gladly sell them to me for $525 each. That is >$1050 for SD cards that can be bought for @ $10 at any computer or Camera store. My question is even though they have a TSO FAA approved sticker on them, Is there any real difference? The Garmin guy I talked to suggested (but wouldn't say outright) that there was no difference, that is unless I got Ramp checked. Does anyone know what difference there may be or has used other SD cards for this purpose? Or does anyone have any advice on where to get reasonably priced FAA approved SD cards? Thanks

If I am not mistaken, the cards also have information pre-loaded and are formatted to make them into Garmin usable cards. Try calling Jepp and see what they can offer them for.

[Cruiser]

Unless the AFM supplement for the G1000 specifically states you must have original Garmin SD cards I do not think it will be questioned during a ramp check.

I have never heard of this being an issue.

[NotarPilot]

Even if the Garmin SD card comes with preloaded software couldn't it be copied and cloned to another SD card for use?

[Marauder]

Even if the Garmin SD card comes with preloaded software couldn't it be copied and cloned to another SD card for use?

I don't know specifically if Garmin cards are this way, I suspect so, but I know that on my Aspen a generic microSD did not work for the Jepp data. It has some sort of encrypted data on it that prevented a generic card from being updatable. I even tried to copy everything over from the original card making sure all hidden files were copied and it still did not work. I ended up buying a second card from Jepp. If you are able to get it on the data on the card and it is readable by the GPS I'm not sure if that is a problem with a generic card. I would think not since the data is current and that is what the reg requires.

[flyboy0681]

FWIW, my GTN 750 came with 2 TSO's cards. 7.38GB ea. but only 1.66 GB is being used for subscription: US Standard + FliteCharts PilotPak.

 

I've used store bought SD Cards to update the NAV database on my GTN but encountered a problem with the map when I used them. The terrain displays black, as if it's in a night mode, and the only way to correct it is to use the TSO'd SD card. Consequently, I have loaded the base map software on a plain old SD Card but it didn't do the trick. I'm thinking that there is some kind of checksum built into the card which makes others incompatible.