Garmin GPS296 Xmas wish

I still have my 296, it is a good unit, but find the updates absurdly expensive. I just can't understand why these updates are so usorius, when updates for other Garmin units are relatively more affordable. This has given me a really bad taste for Garmin business practices. Please Santa, ask Garmin to offer more reasonable updates for the 296. I don't need any more capability and I don't want to redesign my panel. If memory space is the problem, I don't even need the whole US database.

I find that my 396 continues to work quite well with a 2005 data base! It provides a good back up to my primary ifly 740b,which you will find cost you $70 per year for as many updates as you want. Not to mention that the ifly is a great VFR large touch screen with a lot more functions. And have found that the 396 pretty much still know where 99.99% of the airport still are. I think i can count on one hand the number of new airport built around here in the last 10 years.

Dennis,
With regards to the database, it’s not the new airports, it’s the old ones that are now closed that can screw you. Low on fuel and navigating towards the airport in the database, I passed one airport on my way, and not too far away I could see the outline of the airport in the database. As I got closer, it looked weird, and as I flew overhead I looked down, and all of the runways were covered with solar panels. Quick 180 back to the other airport. The airports had similar names, and while preflight planning on current sectionals, I saw the “new” airport with a different identifier than what was on my 496 database, and thought they just changed the identifier..... close but no cigar. I updated the database for $90 through my avionics guy. Never again.

496 for $40

I updated my 496 last year at Sun 'N Fun for $40. As I recall the 396 and 296 were the same price. I only update mine once every three or four years. It's also my backup, so it doesn't need to be absolutely current.

I think it was Gulf Coast Avionics, but several places were doing Garmin updates. I only update the aviation data, the geographic data doesn't change much and long as I'm not scud running it doesn't matter!