iPad or Garmin GPSMAP695?
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Join Date: Apr 2011
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iPad or Garmin GPSMAP695?
Hello everyone
I'm looking for some real life users of ideally both the GPS695/696 and the iPad with software such as AirNav Pro.
What are the advantages of the Garmin? My flying to date has been 80% VFR and since attaining my IMCr I've been venturing further afield. My next years flying is to take me up to Inverness, across to Holland, down to the south of France etc and I'm wanting a good portable solution.
The aircraft I'm flying is an Archer 2 which at present, doesn't have a GPS. The club I fly from insist this is going to happen soon, but with me heading to Jersey, the Isle of Man and Shannon in the next 2 weeks, I want to have a plan B. Or more realistically, make my iPad my plan B.
What I do like about AirNav is when enroute, I can tap an airfield and list all of it's frequencies, tap an airspace and quickly see it's lower and upper limits etc etc - but I am always conscious of the fact that the iPad wasn't built with air navigation in mind.
A YouTube video says the Garmin is great for battery life, the nav features and that it can link into an exterior antennae and use the iPad for Jepp approach plates, plogs, a PDF reader and where possible, download the latest TAF/METAR if able to pick up a 3G signal.
Would love any thoughts and pros/cons of running the 695 with iPad as a backup
Cheers
Lee
I'm looking for some real life users of ideally both the GPS695/696 and the iPad with software such as AirNav Pro.
What are the advantages of the Garmin? My flying to date has been 80% VFR and since attaining my IMCr I've been venturing further afield. My next years flying is to take me up to Inverness, across to Holland, down to the south of France etc and I'm wanting a good portable solution.
The aircraft I'm flying is an Archer 2 which at present, doesn't have a GPS. The club I fly from insist this is going to happen soon, but with me heading to Jersey, the Isle of Man and Shannon in the next 2 weeks, I want to have a plan B. Or more realistically, make my iPad my plan B.
What I do like about AirNav is when enroute, I can tap an airfield and list all of it's frequencies, tap an airspace and quickly see it's lower and upper limits etc etc - but I am always conscious of the fact that the iPad wasn't built with air navigation in mind.
A YouTube video says the Garmin is great for battery life, the nav features and that it can link into an exterior antennae and use the iPad for Jepp approach plates, plogs, a PDF reader and where possible, download the latest TAF/METAR if able to pick up a 3G signal.
Would love any thoughts and pros/cons of running the 695 with iPad as a backup
Cheers
Lee
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Please bear in mind that I will be selling my 695 now that my 795 is running well now. My 695 had an interface that was designed purely with aviation in mind whilst the iPad is a generic device. I think that I am in the minority who really dislikes the Air Nav pro interface, it just seems like a mess with small confusing iconography. I do have JeppTC, JeppFD, AeroPlus WX also on my ipad. The 695 has great battery life and I have never had to resort to my spare battery. VFR and IFR terminal plates are much clearer on the iPad.
I bought a 695 then an Ipad and did not pause for a second before ordering a 795. The 795 was buggy when launched but three firmware updates have made it all much better, although I have abandoned the flawed 3D view.
I would not want to be without my iPad, I just don't like it in the cockpit.
I bought a 695 then an Ipad and did not pause for a second before ordering a 795. The 795 was buggy when launched but three firmware updates have made it all much better, although I have abandoned the flawed 3D view.
I would not want to be without my iPad, I just don't like it in the cockpit.
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What are the advantages of the Garmin?
The GPS in my Ipad2/3G is junk. It cannot be relied on even as a backup for a backup.
Would love any thoughts and pros/cons of running the 695 with iPad as a backup
Just don't rely on it for something you absolutely need in the cockpit, because unlike paper it can pack up. You can't get a Genius Bar appointment at FL100
But it is not a backup for a GPS. Not unless you run it with one of the very few i-device-compatible bluetooth GPSs, and then you have yet another battery powered gadget to manage.
Incidentally, Memory Map have just updated their IOS app. Guess what they have done? They have removed the wifi map download feature, so the only way to get maps into the Ipad is with Itunes
I'd like to know what these people are smoking.
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Thanks both.
I went down to Flight Store today and picked up the 795. I purchased the Chartview key and then made the 18euro payment to Jepp to upgrade my digital subscription with them, which now means I have my full IFR plates on the 795.
First thoughts - it feels good, solid even. The touch screen isn't as responsive as the iPad, but for the purpose it's more than suitable. It has the features of the 430's I've used in the past, and creating a flight plan is a doddle. Clicking on the airfields or 'NRST' gives you all the info you require, from elevation, procedures, frequencies and now all the approach plates which has you geographically overlayed onto the SID/STAR - nice! That is one thing JeppTC didn't give the user, which it's massively needing on the iPad IMO.
I live just within the ILS feather of Leeds Bradford, and it shows my location on the IFR plates and VFR map perfectly.
Creating the flight plan is super easy, just enter the ident / vrp / etc and it gives you the options - touch screen is super easy
I'm going to take it for a test flight tomorrow as I have a decent flight ahead of me on Monday and want to be comfortable with its features / how to's etc.
One thing that does feel 'awkward' is the RAM mount with the cables. The Archer I fly has the 12v cig socket about 5ft away - so the cable here is likely going to be needed to be extended. Also, the cable always has to be on - another mass of cables around my feet to worry about!
Would be nice to be able to download weather via WiFi to it (I know the XM versions arent available here) - but I guess there is always VolMet enroute.
IO540 - regarding MemoryMap, I gave it up as a bad job. I found it very buggy, the data it was presenting was ludicrous (258kts apparently in a spam can!) and altitude all over the place. I did get along with ANP to a degree and I did use a dedicated GNS5870 (I always carried 2 of them with me...for battery outages!) which did work well. I think the iPad will always be with me, just for things like emails, AeroWeather Pro, extra set of Jepp plates etc as it is the perfect reader.
I went down to Flight Store today and picked up the 795. I purchased the Chartview key and then made the 18euro payment to Jepp to upgrade my digital subscription with them, which now means I have my full IFR plates on the 795.
First thoughts - it feels good, solid even. The touch screen isn't as responsive as the iPad, but for the purpose it's more than suitable. It has the features of the 430's I've used in the past, and creating a flight plan is a doddle. Clicking on the airfields or 'NRST' gives you all the info you require, from elevation, procedures, frequencies and now all the approach plates which has you geographically overlayed onto the SID/STAR - nice! That is one thing JeppTC didn't give the user, which it's massively needing on the iPad IMO.
I live just within the ILS feather of Leeds Bradford, and it shows my location on the IFR plates and VFR map perfectly.
Creating the flight plan is super easy, just enter the ident / vrp / etc and it gives you the options - touch screen is super easy
I'm going to take it for a test flight tomorrow as I have a decent flight ahead of me on Monday and want to be comfortable with its features / how to's etc.
One thing that does feel 'awkward' is the RAM mount with the cables. The Archer I fly has the 12v cig socket about 5ft away - so the cable here is likely going to be needed to be extended. Also, the cable always has to be on - another mass of cables around my feet to worry about!
Would be nice to be able to download weather via WiFi to it (I know the XM versions arent available here) - but I guess there is always VolMet enroute.
IO540 - regarding MemoryMap, I gave it up as a bad job. I found it very buggy, the data it was presenting was ludicrous (258kts apparently in a spam can!) and altitude all over the place. I did get along with ANP to a degree and I did use a dedicated GNS5870 (I always carried 2 of them with me...for battery outages!) which did work well. I think the iPad will always be with me, just for things like emails, AeroWeather Pro, extra set of Jepp plates etc as it is the perfect reader.
