It looks like the cable is not a 'standard' x96 connector. And I have not seen a data cable advertised anywhere. Hopefully that will follow.
Jim S
Paul,
For the last couple of years I have been waiting for a good unit to enable electronic approach plates in the cockpit to get rid of all the paper/clutter. My understanding is that you will not see yourself (gps position) flying over the approach plate in the 696 the way you do for instance on the MX20. If having IAPs electronically were the primary reason for purchasing an electronic unit as opposed to the rest of the gps functions, is the Sony e-book reader with plates loaded a viable alternative or is the functionality so superior for this function in the 696 that makes it worth selling off the old 196 (only used as an emergency back up right now) and purchasing this?
Is there any way to load in your own approach plates as opposed to the $400 update subscription?
Last, any idea how long a fully charged unit will run on batteries only before needing to be recharged?
Like everyone else, I have been gobbling up the information on this unit. It looks like the perfect GPS for my 8A. However, I just cut up some cardboard to the proper dimensions to fit it on my (still) naked panel. This mama is huge! I am wondering if it can be configured to operate horizontally, which gives me some chance of making it fit.
I don't thing a landscape orientation is in the works...
Cheers,
Stein
Hey Paul....did you happen to notice the real life scanned Satellite images available at a certain zoom distance? Just curious to see you were surprised by some of the things I was?! Did you notice they have all different kinds of airplanes/helicopter to use as an icon (high wing/low wing/jet/helicopter), but no rocket or space shuttle - did you yell at them about that?!?
Did you notice they have all different kinds of airplanes/helicopter to use as an icon (high wing/low wing/jet/helicopter), but no rocket or space shuttle - did you yell at them about that?!?
They already do, it's a GNS-430W and an GMX-200....I can only imagine that Garmin will fix that problem in fairly sort order and build out an IFR certified relplacement for the 430W with some of the 696 functionality. I only hope they're nice to us and allow some kind of upgrade path...and make it the same size so we can swith them out!
Anyone heard anything they can talk about?
- Peter
If you plug your 496 weather antenna into the 696 will it get the weather on the 696?
Thanks,
Jason
Paul,
How the heck did you get selected to be part of the beta program?
The full plan is 2 GRTs (stacked like in Paul's -8) on the pilot side and eventually a 3rd GRT on the copilot side. Flying solo, PFD on top, Nav on MFD#2, engine info on MFD#3. A 496 is planned embedded in the radio stack (SL30+Icom200+G327+PS7000) to provide GPS (GRT GPS is b/u) to the GRTs +provide XM WX.
Question for Paul and Stein: Do you think there is enough information on the new 696 to replace MFD#2 from the GRT plan? From what I can see, the 696 really eats up a lot of panel space and I am not sure I can fit it and still maintain cockpit flow.
Do you have a pic of the 696 in your plane. Is the 696 in place of the 396/430 combo? I'd love to see how that fits. I just cut the mock up panel for (2) HX and 495 plus a std radio stack. (RV7)
Peter,Well I'm designing my panel now with dual AFS and a garmin stack. The 696 will be easy to fit in but it raises another question in my mind. With everything this new unit does, I'm not feeling great about putting money in to the good old 430W that was going to be at the center of my stack. The 696 seems to kick it's arse but I need the 430 for IFR.
I can only imagine that Garmin will fix that problem in fairly sort order and build out an IFR certified relplacement for the 430W with some of the 696 functionality. I only hope they're nice to us and allow some kind of upgrade path...and make it the same size so we can swith them out!
Anyone heard anything they can talk about?
- Peter
Does the $3250 for the 696 include the XM antenna and cable. thanks Lyle
Stein,
Are you going to be selling them?
A little off thread, but where did you get those little mirror's
so from what i can tell it allows instrument approaches in the flight plan. any idea about whether it will accept departure procedures, STARs or SIDs?
thnks
With the user interface for Flight Plans as nice as it is on the 696, I would most likely want to go the other way - do the flight planning, waypoints, and course deviations on the 696, and have them upload to the 430. Let's face it, the 430 interface is a dinosaur. Imagine a course line on the 696, and weather springs up along it. Cursor over, grab the line, drag it out to clear the weather, and have the 430 (and your autopilot) follow along. Now THAT would be trick!
Paul
Paul
This raises and interesting topic which probably needs its own thread, but can you load a flight plan on the 696 and then dump into your GRT system? I?m not even sure the 496 does this.
Mike
You've got to wonder if Mr. Bertorelli of AvWeb really believes that the 696 displays "flight attitude" and "airspeed" as he states.