GPS
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 217
Likes: 0
From: Aberdeenshire
It really depends what you want it for, I have a brillian Fujutsi seimens Loox 560 PDA with memory map software and I bought an extended battery.
So I get half mill, quarter mill and 50,000 OS, with moving map, it's light, slim, (it'll fit in an inner jacket pocket), 3 and a half inch screen, and with an extended battery lasts at least 7 hours, with the original as a 3 hour back up, never had to use it though. Oh and it also has Tom Tom for All North America and Western Europe and all my mass and balance calculators for every aircraft I fly and you can web browse on it.
Had it 2 years now, dropped it a few times in daily use and it's never let me down. It doesn't have the features of the 296/496, but for VFR moving map and route planning in seconds it cant be beat. The gps is integral.
Will cost about £500 all up with the map software. Bit less now it's just been discontinued.
Fujitsu-Siemens Pocket LOOX N560 (DISCONTINUED) from Clove Technology
The 50,000 OS will cost you £300 extra.
There was a long thread on all this, I had a quick look but couldn't track it down.
So I get half mill, quarter mill and 50,000 OS, with moving map, it's light, slim, (it'll fit in an inner jacket pocket), 3 and a half inch screen, and with an extended battery lasts at least 7 hours, with the original as a 3 hour back up, never had to use it though. Oh and it also has Tom Tom for All North America and Western Europe and all my mass and balance calculators for every aircraft I fly and you can web browse on it.
Had it 2 years now, dropped it a few times in daily use and it's never let me down. It doesn't have the features of the 296/496, but for VFR moving map and route planning in seconds it cant be beat. The gps is integral.
Will cost about £500 all up with the map software. Bit less now it's just been discontinued.
Fujitsu-Siemens Pocket LOOX N560 (DISCONTINUED) from Clove Technology
The 50,000 OS will cost you £300 extra.
There was a long thread on all this, I had a quick look but couldn't track it down.
Last edited by jemax; 2nd September 2008 at 17:08.
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
From: England
Hi,
Thanks for the input guys,
"Are you thinking dash mount like a 296, handheld or fitted?"
I was mainly thinking Handheld to use in different aircraft. I just tend to find the Garmin difficult to program, but thats probably just me, basically I'm useless
Jemax, that doesn't seem like a bad idea. I wonder if the New Iphone 3G (integrated gps) could be put to any good use for navigating VFR.... or would that be pushing it?
Thanks for the input guys,
"Are you thinking dash mount like a 296, handheld or fitted?"
I was mainly thinking Handheld to use in different aircraft. I just tend to find the Garmin difficult to program, but thats probably just me, basically I'm useless
Jemax, that doesn't seem like a bad idea. I wonder if the New Iphone 3G (integrated gps) could be put to any good use for navigating VFR.... or would that be pushing it?
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 413
Likes: 0
From: leicester
The iphone has the handy feature of google maps and google earth sat photos. But I wouldn't want to rely on phone signals for that.
Garmin's range of handhelds are really things like the etrex (basic), and then things like the 296 are still very portable and good battery life.
Jemax's Fujitsu is a great bit of kit... definately worth a look for the extra features!
MADY
Garmin's range of handhelds are really things like the etrex (basic), and then things like the 296 are still very portable and good battery life.
Jemax's Fujitsu is a great bit of kit... definately worth a look for the extra features!
MADY
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 123
Likes: 0
From: UK
Garmin 495 or 496 , absolutely brilliant, super easy to use (easier than a skymap111c) terrain, great mapping and is portable ( comes with everything you could ever need . Take it out of the aircraft and pre program for the next day. Much better than the older garmin stuff.
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 959
Likes: 3
From: New Zealand
Yup.
What they all need to do is reduce workload and come up with better user interface integration with the coolee cyclic switch. Helicopter pPilots need to keep both hands on the controls.
The phone/pda options IMHO aren't usable by a helicopter pilot as they practically require at least one hand to operate, divert too much attention and don't offer any integration to com and nav radios and course/slope/efis indicators.
What they all need to do is reduce workload and come up with better user interface integration with the coolee cyclic switch. Helicopter pPilots need to keep both hands on the controls.
The phone/pda options IMHO aren't usable by a helicopter pilot as they practically require at least one hand to operate, divert too much attention and don't offer any integration to com and nav radios and course/slope/efis indicators.
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 49
Likes: 0
From: Brussels, Belgium
Garmin 495/496
Hi fellow pilots,
I am this close to ordering a Garmin 495/496 at Transair - almost ready to press the button and see my bank account tumble !! ;-)
Flying VFR in Belgium only so far. Changing a/c all the time (rental). This product sounds like just what I need, right ?
Question is does anyone around this great forum have first-hand experience with Garmin 495/496 in Europe and is willing to share thoughts ?
Thanks in advance and good landings,
L
I am this close to ordering a Garmin 495/496 at Transair - almost ready to press the button and see my bank account tumble !! ;-)
Flying VFR in Belgium only so far. Changing a/c all the time (rental). This product sounds like just what I need, right ?
Question is does anyone around this great forum have first-hand experience with Garmin 495/496 in Europe and is willing to share thoughts ?
Thanks in advance and good landings,
L
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 123
Likes: 0
From: UK
Loewy,
Have used a 496 (comes with street mapping, 495 does not) and it is superb, in the UK at least ! Have used it in France and also has really good depiction of IFR and or VFR zones , topography etc, the Ground prox system is superb(as good as a £25k unit we had before) it can have a traffic input (not tried it) it has a Brilliant Stanby panel (which when you get it you must have a look at , it really is clever with a VSI , Speed, turn and bank etc - all you need as a stby if everything else has gone wrong , and it really works well)
It comes with a cradle for the aircraft and a remote antenna so they can be left in your ac, or it comes with a bean bag mount which goes anywere !.
The only downside is that you cant use the aural warning parts as its not connected to the aircraft intercom, but the screen shows any altitude /terrain alerts anyway, and I beleive it is the same with the traffic (not used it myself)
It takes about 10 seconds to disconnect from the aircraft , and is great if you are at home, for planning etc (saves doing it while in th e aircraft)
If I could I would have gone for the 495, as it costs less and doesnt have the street mapping (so you can use it in a car) which I have never used in the aircraft.
All in all it is superb, but you have to remember it is only hand held, and always keep it in mind that what it does for what it costs !!!
Try Mendellhsons (?) they wree the cheapest when i got mine
Regards
HB
Have used a 496 (comes with street mapping, 495 does not) and it is superb, in the UK at least ! Have used it in France and also has really good depiction of IFR and or VFR zones , topography etc, the Ground prox system is superb(as good as a £25k unit we had before) it can have a traffic input (not tried it) it has a Brilliant Stanby panel (which when you get it you must have a look at , it really is clever with a VSI , Speed, turn and bank etc - all you need as a stby if everything else has gone wrong , and it really works well)
It comes with a cradle for the aircraft and a remote antenna so they can be left in your ac, or it comes with a bean bag mount which goes anywere !.
The only downside is that you cant use the aural warning parts as its not connected to the aircraft intercom, but the screen shows any altitude /terrain alerts anyway, and I beleive it is the same with the traffic (not used it myself)
It takes about 10 seconds to disconnect from the aircraft , and is great if you are at home, for planning etc (saves doing it while in th e aircraft)
If I could I would have gone for the 495, as it costs less and doesnt have the street mapping (so you can use it in a car) which I have never used in the aircraft.
All in all it is superb, but you have to remember it is only hand held, and always keep it in mind that what it does for what it costs !!!
Try Mendellhsons (?) they wree the cheapest when i got mine
Regards
HB
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 439
Likes: 1
From: UK
Garmin 296 is a better bet for helis than the later models. Battery life up to 8 hrs if you use the screen backlight sensibly. Easily programmable via USB. And (for the UK) the street map software add-on is excellent. So you have a device which you can use on the road or use to find exact streets from the air.
RAM do a great suction mount and Robin Aviation in the USA supply a nifty R44 mount for the back of the cyclic.
RAM do a great suction mount and Robin Aviation in the USA supply a nifty R44 mount for the back of the cyclic.
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
From: England
Hi,
I've just been checking out the Garmin 496.
Seems like alot of unneccesary features for a chopper? may be I'm wrong. But it would be nicer with a slightly larger screen though, diag (9.7 cm)
Is it possible to get a knee board mount for the 496? Haven't seen anything as of yet through Google.
I've just been checking out the Garmin 496.
Seems like alot of unneccesary features for a chopper? may be I'm wrong. But it would be nicer with a slightly larger screen though, diag (9.7 cm)
Is it possible to get a knee board mount for the 496? Haven't seen anything as of yet through Google.
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 49
Likes: 0
From: Brussels, Belgium
Thank you so much, Hover Bovver !
Your comprehensive and clear reply is yet another illustration of the quality of this great forum and its people. I think I will go for the 495.
And now the revelation: only after I had sent my message, I realised I had done so in the Heli forum. This is because I had found the GPS thread via the "search" function. I am just a PPL(A) with no rotor experience whatsoever - an intruder in this section (!). But thanks for your answer anyway.
Good landings (or should I say "good stationaries" ?),
L
Your comprehensive and clear reply is yet another illustration of the quality of this great forum and its people. I think I will go for the 495.
And now the revelation: only after I had sent my message, I realised I had done so in the Heli forum. This is because I had found the GPS thread via the "search" function. I am just a PPL(A) with no rotor experience whatsoever - an intruder in this section (!). But thanks for your answer anyway.
Good landings (or should I say "good stationaries" ?),
L
Hovering AND talking
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 5,711
Likes: 1
From: Propping up bars in the Lands of D H Lawrence and Bishop Bonner
wWhy do they need to keep both hands on the controls?
Cheers
Whirls
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 113
Likes: 0
From: South of the border
There's no question Garmin make top quality units but if you don't get on with them or don't think they make a model that meets your requirements then there are plenty of other units on the market.
Have you looked at or considered a FlyAngel? There are now 2 FlyAngel models available, the original model based on the Road Angel Navigator 7000 and the newer model based on an HP 314.
Try a few until you find one that you get on with before spending your hard-earned...
PR
Have you looked at or considered a FlyAngel? There are now 2 FlyAngel models available, the original model based on the Road Angel Navigator 7000 and the newer model based on an HP 314.
Try a few until you find one that you get on with before spending your hard-earned...
PR
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 1,383
Likes: 1
From: ...in view of the 'Southern Cross' ...
Mmmmm ...
I have just started using the Garmin 495.
Its brilliant and the more I get to know it the happpier I am with it.
New Fast (5Hz) update processor speed ... intuitive use good screen quality.
I use it for about 6+Hrs a day doing fieldwork (offshore) in a Bell 412EP and find for this work its much better than the "Freeflight 2101" as fitted in the a/c.
We work an Oilfield with over 320 wellheads and this device makes the job easy!
Go to the Garmin website ... download the user manual and see what you think!
Garmin IS quality, reliable kit.
Cheers
I have just started using the Garmin 495.
Its brilliant and the more I get to know it the happpier I am with it.
New Fast (5Hz) update processor speed ... intuitive use good screen quality.
I use it for about 6+Hrs a day doing fieldwork (offshore) in a Bell 412EP and find for this work its much better than the "Freeflight 2101" as fitted in the a/c.
We work an Oilfield with over 320 wellheads and this device makes the job easy!
Go to the Garmin website ... download the user manual and see what you think!
Garmin IS quality, reliable kit.
Cheers