Zoom Zoom,
I own and have used a 295 for over 4 years.
Good:
I enjoy the ability to combine the colour moving map and large readouts for altitude, ground speed, course, track, X track, destination and ETA all on the same screen, and the ability to quickly zoom in and out on the moving map.
It gives early warnings about entering controlled air space, can do Vnav etc, and of course has lots memory for preplanned routes and weigh points as well as a ‘direct too’ button for access to pre-entered commonly used destinations and a ‘nearest’ button for when donk’ stops.
It is relatively easy to change destinations in flight, or you can use the cursor to do so. ‘Paging’ through the screens will give access to an HSI, GPS position readout etc, and thing I find handy, local sundown and sunrise times. Different screens provide access to each airport frequencies, runway length, etc. I'm sure you can Google lots of info on what it can do for you.
If I mount it on the Yoke, or on top of the panel there is no problem with reception using the small antenna mounted directly on the unit, but Garmin do provide a remote antenna with the unit.
Bad:
Battery usage, if used on internal batteries the life is only about 6 hours. (6 AA batteries) If you have the ability to use onboard power, then it’s not a problem. On a couple of occasions when I did not pay attention when turning it on, I inadvertently adjusted the contrast to the extent that I did not think it was ‘on’. Just be careful.
In short it is a very good unit, and I have been very pleased with it. I’m sure the 296 and the 396 are better still, but given that I only fly VFR, and that most of my flying is done in the relatively flat region of the Mid West, I have no need of terrain readout, and for now I do not see any need to upgrade.
300 U.K. pounds sounds OK, since a 296 costs about $1500.00 new in the U.S., but I have no idea what the cost is in the U.K.
Regards,
W.B.