I’m looking at a pretty good deal on a GNS 430W and want to have something for IFR approaches in the -7 panel I’m building. I’m concerned however, if Garmin will continue to support these units with updates for IFR? I know they stopped the WAAS upgrade in 2020 to these units. Any intel out there on how long the 430W will be a viable box for GPS approaches?
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Continued support for the GNS 430W
- Thread starter Maxrate
- Start date
Dugaru
Well Known Member
My guess
There's a zillion of those units still in service, and the margin on data updates and the (extortionate) minimum repair charge have got to be stratospheric. I'm sure Garmin would like to upgrade everyone to the newest boxes for five figures, but there's still a lot of money to be made on 430Ws and 530Ws.
There's a zillion of those units still in service, and the margin on data updates and the (extortionate) minimum repair charge have got to be stratospheric. I'm sure Garmin would like to upgrade everyone to the newest boxes for five figures, but there's still a lot of money to be made on 430Ws and 530Ws.
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+1
Very well put. I think they also realize that if they force people to upgrade by completely dropping support they know they will lose business to Avidyne because they have a drop in replacement that will be cheaper than a full retrofit of say a 650.
One could almost say that Avidyne's plug and play drop-in replacement with the IFD440 is the best thing guaranteeing continued support of the 430W.
I sold my 430W a while back and put in the 440 - and it's SOOO much better...
MacCool
Well Known Member
Exactly my experience as well. I was shocked at the upgrade in usability and ease of installation...30 minute swap, including configuration.
MacCool
Well Known Member
30 minutes? Slacker.... I did mine in 25
This is my story, and I'm telling it my way
Well, I had one arm in a sling, and I was wearing a blindfold. Plus, I didn't know what I was doing.
FORANE
Well Known Member
Things didn't go so smoothly when I installed a 440 in place of a 430w. The 430w had great satellite lock, the 440 kept loosing satellite lock. Same tray, same gps antenna, the 430 held position, the 440 lost position every few minutes it seemed. I pulled the 440 out, put the 430w back, issue was completely gone; I pulled the 430w out put the 440 back, gps lock kept recurring.
The other issue, or concern I had, was the 440 ran hot. It was so hot it was uncomfortable to touch. I really wanted to like the 440. It offers much more capability than the 430w. Ultimately I removed the 440. I ran the 430w until a month or two ago when I installed a GTN650xi.
At the current price point of a 430w, they will likely remain viable until mechanical failures lead to attrition.
The other issue, or concern I had, was the 440 ran hot. It was so hot it was uncomfortable to touch. I really wanted to like the 440. It offers much more capability than the 430w. Ultimately I removed the 440. I ran the 430w until a month or two ago when I installed a GTN650xi.
At the current price point of a 430w, they will likely remain viable until mechanical failures lead to attrition.
MacCool
Well Known Member
I recall your posts on those issues and they did give me pause, but fortunately in about 70 hours on the device in my RV-9A I've not had any problems with satellites or with heat. It did come with an Avidyne tray, but I opted just reuse the Garmin tray from the 430W and it slid in and screwed down just fine.
It's met or exceeded all of my expectations. Easy and inutitive to enter data, easy to update maps (although their aborted switch to the new 10.3 software did not go well). I've found the bluetooth keyboard, the easy transfer of route planning from Foreflight, and the IFD100 app to be very, very convenient additions, as well as its FMS functions.
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Ya some day I will upgrade but right now I am sure happy with the 430 I purchased from Maccool. Haha small world.
cajunwings
Well Known Member
430/530 support
At Sun n Fun 4 years ago had lunch with one of the Garmin management types and asked this same question since I had a 430W on hand for my project. He said they were on board to support the 430/530 units for 10 years after production stopped. I asked when did it stop? He said 7 years ago and added that support would continue until they ran out of parts with screens being the first
component to become unavailable. He didn’t say that Garmin is the 900 lb Gorilla in this market and could have someone make any part they want. With all that in mind I got home from Sun n Fun and sold my 430W immediately and found a 650. Your mileage may vary.
Don Broussard
RV9 Rebuild in Progress
57 Pacer
At Sun n Fun 4 years ago had lunch with one of the Garmin management types and asked this same question since I had a 430W on hand for my project. He said they were on board to support the 430/530 units for 10 years after production stopped. I asked when did it stop? He said 7 years ago and added that support would continue until they ran out of parts with screens being the first
component to become unavailable. He didn’t say that Garmin is the 900 lb Gorilla in this market and could have someone make any part they want. With all that in mind I got home from Sun n Fun and sold my 430W immediately and found a 650. Your mileage may vary.
Don Broussard
RV9 Rebuild in Progress
57 Pacer
n82rb
Well Known Member
a new install of a 430 is bad economics. they are on their way to boat anchor status very quickly. the supply of screens is just about gone, and when they are gone, its lights out for support. there will be no secondary market for support,as the manuals are not available to legally repair them, and the surface mount boards are not really easy to do component level repairs.
yes, the avidyne unit is an option to replace them once garmin pulls the plug, but its still a 20 year old design. any other unit be a complete rewire.
the 355 is only 7600 bucks, why not spend a few dollars more and get an in production unit with years of support ahead of it.
as much as i hate garmin, the 430 in its day was a great unit, if you have one, great keep it until it dies, but to install one now, is a foolish idea.
bob burns
RV-4 N82rb
yes, the avidyne unit is an option to replace them once garmin pulls the plug, but its still a 20 year old design. any other unit be a complete rewire.
the 355 is only 7600 bucks, why not spend a few dollars more and get an in production unit with years of support ahead of it.
as much as i hate garmin, the 430 in its day was a great unit, if you have one, great keep it until it dies, but to install one now, is a foolish idea.
bob burns
RV-4 N82rb
FORANE
Well Known Member
It went back to the dealer I got it from after the one flight it took to determine its failure. It was bought new.
Maybe I got a bad one? I don't know. Sure wanted it to work as the IFD has some advantages over the GTN.
