Anybody here with experience swapping GNS430 to IFD440?

[ChickenHouse]

Has anybody swapped a Garmin non-WAAS GNS430 out and an Avidyne IFD440 in lately? We did understand that advertised plug&play is only valid for swapping GNS430W out IFD440 in. What is necessary to swap from the non-WAAS, only pulling new coax cable and mount a WAAS GPS antenna, or is there anything else required, i.e. changing pins and fumbling electronics?

[alex90]

But why would you do that? I would have thought the GTN650 would have been a better purchase to replace the old 430....

[Big Pistons Forever]

The GTN 650 is not rack compatible with a 430. It is a whole new install from scratch with basically nothing from the 430 install reusable. If the 430 is non WAAS then even the antenna must be replaced.

A friend of mine who was looking at the 430 to 650 upgrade was quoted $ 5500 for the install.

However the 650 functionality is light years ahead of the 430

[27/09]

I don't know for sure, but I'd expect just new coax and aerial. So far as I know the 430W plugs in, in place of the 430. Researching Garmin's info on replacing the 430 with the 430W will give you a good steer on what you need to do with the IFD440.

[alex90]

BPF,

And the IFD440 is a direct replacement? I see that it is roughly the same unit price between the IFD440 and GTN650. I would have thought you’d need to replace everything anyway... time those 90s cables get changed!!

;-)

[ChickenHouse]

A fellow foristi called me and explained what to do, thankee for that. We will do new cables, the WAAS GPS puck and the tray modification to get the 430 installation to 403W standards. The IFD440 should then just slip in.

Just for the records. We did compare Garmin to Avidyne and took about a year of opinion building before we decided on IFD. Here the list of major decision points: 1. GTN is major work and all the tray and cables have to be changed, IFD is slide-in/slide-out once the GPS is WAAS - money-wise we now estimate install 2k vs 6k which is a lot of flying only to let somebody do cables, 2. GTN is Touch-only and we tried it several times on a demonstrator in turbulent IMC = not for us, the IFD is touch-if-you-like or use the old fashioned and proven buttons, 3. talking to both, Garmin and Avidyne, was unpleasant, but Garmin takes a slight notch on arrogance, 4. features like IFD100 (iPad mirroring) BT WiFi all out the box with no long list of costly add-ons are nice-to-have, 5. Jeppesen from start is a plus for our people, 6. usability of the IFD FMS functions is more like we are used to from heavy iron, the Garmin menulevelfetishism feels outdated side by side, 7. yes the IFD is a bit more plasticky but the Garmin does not deliver the electronics quality expected from nice housing material. And a final word on cables - we did install the GNS430 4 years ago and changed all old wirings already.

For me, case closed. Thanks.

[rjtjrt]

Chickenhouse

Thanks for the comparison points that were in the decision. Really good to read.

I hope you will come back after a few months of use and report on the IFD. A real world user report will be great to see.

[ChickenHouse]

Chickenhouse

Thanks for the comparison points that were in the decision. Really good to read.

I hope you will come back after a few months of use and report on the IFD. A real world user report will be great to see.

I'll do. tencharacters

[alex90]

Very interesting comparison!! Good read - thank you!