Garmin Aviation

Garmin GPS Comparison

Garmin 496, 495, 396, 296...
Which is the best GPS for you?

With the recent release of the GPSmap® 495, Garmin now has seven aviation GPSmap units (if they release the Garmin 596 this year, as rumored, it will be eight).  So needless to say, one of the most commonly asked question is, "Which Garmin unit is best for me?"

When asked this question, my first response is always a question back:  "Do you want weather on your unit?"  If the answer is "yes," then it's not too difficult to determine the best unit — it's either the Garmin 496 or the Garmin 396.  But if the answer is "no" it becomes more challenging.  The remaining 5 units (actually 7 if you count the still popular, yet discontinued units: Garmin 295 and Garmin 195) can differ quite a bit in both functionality and size.  That's where Tropic Aero's Garmin GPS Comparison comes in.

Tropic Aero's Garmin GPS Comparison page on their website allows you to select different GPS units and view them in a side-by-side comparison.  It makes the decision process a whole-lot easier through the process of elimination.  Click Here to try it out.

Of course, if you still have any questions, you can always contact the Garmin experts at Tropic Aero.  Click Here for contact information.

Garmin 495 – Garmin's newest aviation GPSMAP unit.

While everyone is watching and waiting for the Garmin 596 (I'm just assuming that will be the name, I  really have no idea), they went and released the Garmin 495.

The Garmin 495 is a 496 without weather and City Navigator (automotive navigation).  And by removing these two features, the price of the GPSMAP® 495 is significantly less - $800 less.  But even though it's being touted as a downgrade to the 496, it's really a major upgrade to the Garmin 296.

 

New Features (compared to the 296)

• Garmin SafeTaxi Airport Diagrams - with over 850 airports loaded, you can taxi an unfamiliar airport as if it were your home base.
• AOPA's Airport Directory Data - Everything you need to know about your destination is now at your finger tips:  Fuel, lodging, transportation, food, etc.
• 10 Fold Increase in Resolution on Terrain Mapping
• Private Airports and Heliports - Gives pilots more navigation and emergency options
• 5 Hz GPS Update Rate - This is screaming fast.  Panel Page display for track and rate of turn is practically real-time.

The Garmin 495 is going to be available on April 8th, but I recommend pre-ordering a unit if you want one on or around that day.  Generally dealers sell out of new units before they even make it to their stores.  And since many buy the maximum that Garmin can provide, second and third orders tend to take a week, two, or longer to get in.

For more information or to purchase the Garmin 495, visit Tropic Aero's website -  www.TropicAero.com or CLICK HERE

Garmin has strict pricing guidelines, but Tropic Aero's shipping rates are very low.  And if the unit is being shipped outside of the state of Florida, there's no tax.  Furthermore, if you already have a GPS unit, you can trade it in and really save a lot of money.

Problems with Garmin Aviation Cigarette Plugs

“The cigarette power plug does not fit in my Garmin 496, 396, or 296 unit.”

This is a not-so-uncommon problem found with the Garmin cigarette power adapters, especially the adapters that have the built-in speaker. The female portion of the plug, located on the GPS unit, has two different sized channels. There is a key on the top of the cigarette adapter plug and a different size key on the bottom that allow the plug to slide into these channels. The problem occurs when the height of the keys on the plug are greater than the channels on the unit.

Sometimes the plug will not fit what-so-ever, and other times excessive force will allow it slide in. Forcing it in will enable the unit to work properly, however, another problem is almost sure to occur when it's time to disconnect the plug: The plug will pull apart leaving part of the plug still in the unit. Note: If this has happened to you, I recommend contacting Garmin before purchasing a replacement plug. Everyone I've spoken to with this problem said that Garmin replaced the plug at no charge.

The easiest way to fix this problem is by making the height of the keys on the plug smaller. This can be done either by using a file, razor blade or knife. Since the amount that needs to be removed is minimal, usually a file is sufficient. Make sure you file down both of the keys (top and bottom) until the plug slides snugly into the unit without using excessive force.

If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to post them or call us at 888-280-9272.

View Traffic on Your Garmin 496 and 396

In the never-ending guessing game that is predicting what the Garmin 596 will have that the 496 doesn't (will it even be called the 596?), one of the most commonly asked questions is whether or not it will have traffic.  Few, if any outside of Garmin's walls, are privy to this information, but many people are surprised to learn that traffic is already available on the 496 and 396 units.

When combined with Zaon's PCAS XRX, traffic is overlayed onto the same moving map screen you're accustomed to looking at – similar to the weather and terrain information and alerts.  Traffic is displayed with icons in one of two ways – white diamonds or yellow circles.  White diamonds are traffic that's deemed non-threatening and yellow circles are considered a threat to your aircraft.  Displayed next to the traffic icon are the traffic's relative altitude and its climb and descent trend.  For example:  an aircraft that's 1300 feet above your aircraft and climbing will be displayed with a white diamond icon, +13, and an arrow pointing up.  Likewise, an aircraft that's 300 feet below your aircraft and descending will be displayed with a yellow circle, -03, and an arrow pointing down.

Traffic Alert - What happens if your on a page other than the moving map and traffic becomes a threat to your aircraft?

If your Garmin 496 or 396 determines that your aircraft has threatening traffic, it will display a traffic pop-up in the lower left corner of your screen, regardless of the page you're viewing.  Additionally, your gps will beep and a voice will say, “Traffic Alert.”

 

Requirements and Installation

Hardware needed to display traffic on your 496 or 396 is a Zaon PCAS XRX (MSRP: $1,795) and the Garmin 396/496 Interface Cable (MSRP: $74.99) that will replace your current power cable.  As seen in the diagram below, one end of the cable plugs into the Garmin Power/Data jack, another into the XRX, and the cigarette power style adapter plugs into the aircrafts power outlet.

 

Setup

For step-by-step setup, view your Zaon PCAS XRX owners manual (see Placement Considerations and Compass Calibration) and your Garmin 496/396 owners manual (see TIS setup).

CLICK HERE for pricing/purchase.

Back Up Your Garmin GPS!

Most Garmin GPSMap units come with Garmin's Trip and Waypoint Manager.  This software is great if you want to plan your flight on your computer, rather than your handheld, and then download it into your GPS unit.  But even if you don't use it for that, it's an invaluable tool for backing up your unit.

Transferring your GPS data from your unit to your computer will save you a countless amount of time should your GPS ever lose its data (I'm told that this is extremely rare but personally I'm not taking any chances).  If that should ever happen, it's just a matter of downloading it back into your GPS from your computer.

Are you planning on upgrading to one of Garmin's newer GPS units?  With Trip and Waypoint Manager you can transfer all the data from your old unit into the new one.  Be sure to do this prior to shipping if you're trading in your old unit.

For a list of units that are compatible with Garmin's Trip and Waypoint Manager, Click Here.

What's the difference between the Garmin 496 and 396?

For pilots wanting weather on their portable GPS unit, this is probably the most commonly asked question (The second most asked question is “what's the difference between the Garmin 396 and 296?  Answer:  The 396 has weather).

The 496 does everything the 396 does, so here's a list of what the 496 has that the 396 doesn't, or what the 496 does better.

UNIT SPEED:  The Garmin 496 has a 5 Hz update rate on the maps and panel instruments screens which is noticeably faster than the 396.  This is especially useful when viewing weather - particularly bad weather you're trying to navigate.

GARMIN SAFE TAXI:  Pilots who rarely visit unfamiliar airports probably won't use this feature very often, but those of us who do absolutely love it.  With over 650 airport diagrams installed, Garmin's Safe Taxi will show you an airport diagram as well as your exact location on that airport.  You now have the ability to taxi an airport you've never visited as easily as if it were your home airport.  It is so accurate that it will keep you on the centerline of any taxiway.

AOPA AIRPORT DIRECTORY:  How long are the runways at your intended destination?  Can your aircraft take off and land on them safely? Is fuel sold at the field?  Where is the nearest restaurant?  Is there a courtesy car, or will you need to reserve a rental?  Most pilots know that the answers to these questions and anything else you can think of regarding an airports facilities and creature comforts, can be found in AOPA's Airport Directory.  The 496 comes with directory installed and available at the push of a button.

SMART AIRSPACE:  Both the 496 and 396 will notify you of the airspace that lies ahead.  What Smart Airspace does for the 496 is identify your altitude and only notify you of the applicable  airspace.  So if you're flying at 10,000 feet and there's restricted airspace along your flight path that ends at 5,000 feet, the 496 will not warn you that you're about to enter that airspace. The 396 will.

AUTO KIT:  Available as an optional accessory for the 396, Garmin's 496 comes complete with automotive turn-by-turn instructions including an automotive mount, power cable, and speaker.  For me personally, I don't know how I ever lived without having an automotive GPS.  Whether you need directions to an exact address, or you want to find the closest Cajun restaurant to wherever you are, the 496 will take you to the front door.

If you have any questions or would like to add to anything please feel free to post a comment.  If you would like more information on either one of the units, including pricing, click either one of the following links:

Garmin 496

Garmin 396