Here is something to be aware of if you are thinking about replacing a Garmin 296/396/496 in your instrument panel.
i decided to replace my Airgizmo mounted 296 with an Aera 660. My decision was in part based on Airgizmo promo material that said their mount for the 660 has the same footprint as the 296/396/496 mount so the mounting screws will be in the same position. Well yeah, the screw holes are the same, but the footprint is NOT exactly the same. It’s the same size rectangular cutout, but a thumb-sized crescent is needed on one side of the 296/396/496 cutout to allow the gps release mechanism to move. This small crescent shaped portion of the cutout is only visible when you remove the Airgizmo. The problem is that the release mechanism on the Airgizmo for the 660 is entirely different, and doesn’t require any crescent cutout, so when you install the new Airgizmo the crescent is now exposed. Looks like the panel edge has a big divot in it.
So now I have to either live with the panel divot or replace that section of the panel and hope I can match the powder coating with the rest of the panel. Not the end of the world, but an unanticipated hiccup that I’ll have to deal with. Wish this had been made clear by the Airgizmo folks but i do otherwise like their products.
i decided to replace my Airgizmo mounted 296 with an Aera 660. My decision was in part based on Airgizmo promo material that said their mount for the 660 has the same footprint as the 296/396/496 mount so the mounting screws will be in the same position. Well yeah, the screw holes are the same, but the footprint is NOT exactly the same. It’s the same size rectangular cutout, but a thumb-sized crescent is needed on one side of the 296/396/496 cutout to allow the gps release mechanism to move. This small crescent shaped portion of the cutout is only visible when you remove the Airgizmo. The problem is that the release mechanism on the Airgizmo for the 660 is entirely different, and doesn’t require any crescent cutout, so when you install the new Airgizmo the crescent is now exposed. Looks like the panel edge has a big divot in it.
So now I have to either live with the panel divot or replace that section of the panel and hope I can match the powder coating with the rest of the panel. Not the end of the world, but an unanticipated hiccup that I’ll have to deal with. Wish this had been made clear by the Airgizmo folks but i do otherwise like their products.