Garmin GNS430 upgrade to TSO 145/6

[ForkTailedDrKiller]

Has anyone had the TSO 145/6 upgrade done on their Garmin GNS430?

If so, who did it, what did it cost, and was it a painless (ie unexpected $ pain) experience?

Dr :8

[Bang Bus]

Looked at this myself about 6 months back, and found it was about twice the diffierence of buying a waas capable unit v's a 129 from new. (From memory the upgrade was around $3000) Decided that unless I was running 2 units with one 145/6 to assisst with alternate planning it wasn't really worth the investment. I am also fairly sure the unit had to be sent to the factory to be upgraded.

BB

[Rich-Fine-Green]

Units need to be sent back to Garmin.

Expect several weeks turnaround.

[NOtimTAMs]

The upgrade requires sending unit to Garmin USA through your preferred Garmin Avionics shop. There should be a kit that comes back with a new & different antenna (same mounting hole config, though), new data chip (the old chip for the non-WAAS GNS 430 won't work with the new unit) and manuals. You may need to have your GPS antenna coax upgraded to meet the TSO (that can add significant cost in removing/refitting headliners, panel etc.).

Once fitted you get to flight test it of course. Make sure it's set up properly - you want to turn WAAS OFF (as it is not reliably available here and you will get error messages all the time!!) BTW all your user waypoints will be gone and will have to be re-entered - get them copied down BEFORE sending in your unit.

You will have to call Jeppesen to upgrade your IFR data subscription to the WAAS data ( about $50 more a year IIRC). You will also need to have either the new Jepps USB data writer or the Jepps Skybound Datawriter to program your new data card with the data from your new upgraded Jepps subscription. The older PCMCIA Skybound II Datawriter will NOT work with the new Jepps software that you will have to download and install to use your new data subscription. You may also want to get another data chip.

BTW Garmin USA & Jepps USA treat their Australian agents/branches like mushrooms and the above information was hard-won.

[ForkTailedDrKiller]

I have had the TSO146a done on the Garmin 430 in the FTDK.

If anyone is interested, it cost about $4000 all up and took 6 weeks.

In addition to the set being sent to the US for the upgrade, a new antenna/coaxial cable and ennunciator panel are required.

Dr :}

[PlankBlender]

So I take it, Dr, that you have no confidence in the proposed ADS-B subsidy coming through anytime soon, otherwise you wouldn't have spent 4 grand just now..

[ForkTailedDrKiller]

If anyone is interested, it cost about $4000 all up and took 6 weeks

Make that cloaer to $5000 - once I updated my Jepp database subscription and bought a spare data card.

Worth it? Buggered if I know - I am still thinking about that!

Dr :8

[Jabawocky]

When your ADF finnaly carks it and you need the SOLE SOURCE bit happening the TSO 146 will be worth it;)

J:E