496 to 660?

P

Phil Berggren

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Apr 13, 2020
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Anybody swapped the Air Gizmo panel dock 496 to the Aera 660? I understand the new AG mounts in the same hole. Wondering about power, and data cables to the com and transponder? Probably not the same, that would be too easy.
 
I was investigating installing the 660 in my 496 hole. I understand the mount fits the same hole. I've not heard of anyone who has done it yet. Did you pull the trigger?
 
BrianSchiff said:
I was investigating installing the 660 in my 496 hole. I understand the mount fits the same hole. I've not heard of anyone who has done it yet. Did you pull the trigger?
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I did not. Ended up with an ipad, Garmin Pilot. I did talk to an avionics shop who had done a few installations, though. I never got a decent quote.
 
I find the 496/296 to be the hottest GPS ever. I set mine up so they show four fields on the right - distance, speed, track, and bearing. The little map on the left is semi-useful. The numbers are big enough to see with my distance sunglasses, and tell me everything except the name of the next waypoint, which I usually know.

To stay IFR current, I use an HSI page with the same four fields on the right. It has a horizontal flight director, and a glide slope that I have tricked into going all the way down. The KN-53 is primary, but the GPS is more accurate. I can shut off the air, and go to minimums using only airspeed, altitude, and the GPS. With a safety pilot, of course.

So my question - do you think I could do that with a 660? I know I cannot with Foreflight.
 
Yes, Garmin Pilot. Still learning it. Visibility/glare seem not the best. I agree, hard to beat the old 496, esp with Sirius weather. This upgrade was the cheapest path of least resistance. No clue on the 660 question.
 
ok, thanks. I've got a Decathlon project that's in its infancy and I was planning to do round airspeed and altitude straddling an iPad. Would appreciate any updates you can provide as you use it and decide you like it (or don't).
 
My problem with iPad is mostly that track and bearing are displayed so small as to be useful only for really young eyes.

Being used to sectional charts, I got lost south of LAS with a featureless iPad map. Opening up the entire sectional cured that.
 
Have barely used it but fairly unimpressed with Garmin Pilot on the iPad. Doesn’t properly display ete,eta when in direct mode. Synvision page is misaligned with the cdi partially cut off the screen. Very difficult to see at times. Could be a function of old eyes and sunglasses lenses, but often have to remove sunglasses to see it. When searching for nrst and other info the entire screen dims making it even harder to see. I’m on the free trial and will demo Foerflight also if I can.
 
Aha! Thx! Once I get used to GP am sure I will quit my whining. Very nice just to have around the house for planning and etc.
 
Phil Berggren said:
Have barely used it but fairly unimpressed with Garmin Pilot on the iPad. Doesn’t properly display ete,eta when in direct mode. Synvision page is misaligned with the cdi partially cut off the screen. Very difficult to see at times. Could be a function of old eyes and sunglasses lenses, but often have to remove sunglasses to see it. When searching for nrst and other info the entire screen dims making it even harder to see. I’m on the free trial and will demo Foerflight also if I can.
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thanks for the additional info. Foreflight seems to be pretty widely used, maybe you'll like it better. Not happy to hear you don't think it's bright enough though.

i use Avare on my android cellphone, I wonder if there's a mount for the smaller android tablets....hmmmm
 
If you don't like the digital maps on Pilot or Foreflight, you can set them to display sectionals. You just have to make sure the charts you need are downloaded. Brightness of display can be adjusted, both in Pilot and on the device itself.

If you are using polarized sunglasses, that is the problem, not the device. The only time you need polarized is on the water. If you have old geezer eyes like me, sunglasses with reader inserts like these are awesome: Tifosi Readers

I'm trying to decide on my XC setup for my new Super D. I have a GDL-50. When I rented a 182 for VFR XC, I flew with a panel-mount GNS 430 as primary and a 10" tablet running Garmin as alternate. The tablet pulled GPS WAAS and ADS-B weather and traffic from the GDL-50. I carried a phone also running Pilot with built in GPS as contingency. Emergency nav was VOR, visual reference, or pilotage. PACE.

For the Super D, planning on flying with GDL-50 feeding GPS WAAS to tablet and phone. Am wondering whether I should consider buying an Aera 660. Seems like that would be duplicative of the GPS and AHRS capabilities of the GDL-50, so the main reason to get it would be increased reliability over tablet and phone. Thoughts?

Also trying to decide whether I trust AHRS on the GDL-50 enough to get out of inadvertent flight into IMC while on XC. I have a habit of delaying departure and turning day trips into night flights for the last 30 minutes. In theory the electronics in the GDL-50 are the same thing as I would get in an electronic AI or PFD, but I have more confidence in a built-in AI certificated for IFR. I don't want to waste $3K on a G5 or RC Allen 2610 just on gut feeling, but a built-in AI would always be on and ready for use in an emergency, unlike a phone or tablet where I would have to take deliberate steps to set it up and put it on the AI page. Thoughts?
 
A quick response for now, if I were upgrading more/again I would consider maintaining Sirius/xm. If you're out of ground station weather range you're kinda on your own, eg camping out. So I bought the gdl 50 for the ipad and kept the existing 496 with Sirius for now, but not sure that was right. But consider those variables/antenna/compatability when choosing a receiver .
 
I have flown a lot of fancy stuff (rated in the A320) but I gotta say, a 496 with a weather subscription is the best I have seen.

I need bearing, track, and distance, in big numbers! I get that, plus ground speed, by getting a four element column on that normally semi-useful map page. I cannot see the bearing and track on the iPad without changing glasses. Rather look out the window.
 
I'm very happy with this upgrade from a Garmin 496 and XM to a 660 with GDL-39, hardwired. Will mount under panel.

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Goodyear said:
I love that screen size! Can you flight plan through blue tooth?
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You can with Garmin Pilot, but not ForeFlight. It's perfect. Size is perfect. Pops in and out easily. Screen WAY easier to see in sunlight over the 496. Very intuitive interface--like all the new Garmins.
 
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