Hi all,
as a long aera 500 user, I updated to aera 660.
Main reasons: Better power options (easily accepts USB, 500 shows problems), higher resolution, better visualisation (speed tapes)
My first impressions are very positive! I use it mainly as In-Flight-Entertainment as Cockpit-OK and jumpseat are history. It is so cool. I am in Australia, here are the screenshots:
http://www.vorticity.de/pub/FRAMEL.ZIP
Pretty cool: Higher resolution, 3D-View with Tape presentaion of SPD,ALT,VS. For general aviation I would rate it more as a dangerous toy distracting from real flying... Very good also: Safer Taxi with very good airport charts
Some issues are slightly annoying, also compared to the 500 and should be fixed in a software upgrade. As there are:
1. The presentation field 'Numbers' is missing - in the 500 it could be configured with information like SR/SS at position, time since airborne and much more - it's missing. Can only be shown via Map>Menu>ChangeDataFields ... Not very operational
2. Present Position can only be shown by Map>Menu>MeasureDistance... Or by touching the screen with the finger: Very appropriate: Position to the tenth of a minute, determined by fingerprint ;-)
3. UserWaypoints can only be entered by typing, better also by scrolling
3. Direct to Destination ICAO-ID only via Waypoint or nearest airports (within 200nm) or recent. No, I want to enter any ICAO-ID supported!
4. Option Landscape/Portrait is nice, but it turns to right so that GPS-Antenna and USB-Power are on on top, into field of view - better, if it would also turn to the left to let both cables go downward out of field of view.
5. It were nice if Screenshot-ON could be set as default so as to be ON when Power is switched on, if so wished
6. The screenshot release button is almost, in Portrait completely (!) hiding the digital TRACK on the Compass arc - very disturbing and so easy to correct. Position it bottom left, 30% up. OK for both Portrait/Landscape
7. Terrain is perfect as it was, nevertheless in 3D-View I would like to see 'Terrain above' in red...
All in all, after more than 5 year a very nice improvement. Used to the 500 you will feel at home with the 660. And Garmin showed that touchscreen can be appropriate to serious operations!
Hope this first impression helps! Enjoy, Bernd