Article 42553 of rec.aviation.piloting: Path: matra.meer.net!pixie.mcom.com!news.mcom.com!news.Stanford.EDU!su-news-hub1.bbnplanet.com!news.bbnplanet.com!cam-news-hub1.bbnplanet.com!howland.erols.net!news2.digex.net!news From: Robert Mattox Newsgroups: rec.aviation.piloting Subject: Re: Hand Help GPS Receivers Date: Tue, 17 Dec 1996 18:06:01 -0500 Organization: DIGEX Lines: 62 Message-ID: <32B72753.4136@access.digex.net> References: <01bbda5c$abb2f8a0$f5a720cc@crortiz> <329E82F5.433E@sympatico.ca> Reply-To: alatas@access.digex.net NNTP-Posting-Host: dyn001218.belt.digex.net Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Mailer: Mozilla 3.0 (Macintosh; I; PPC) Xref: matra.meer.net rec.aviation.piloting:42553 ANGELA AND KEN BECKER wrote: > > > I went through the same effort and, even though toys are fun, decided that I > > really didn't need moving map, though AZ is full of special-use airspace. A > > normal VFR pilot (normal = < 120 hrs / yr) could probably get along quite well > > with a Garmin 38 or Magellan 2000 and just program in the waypoints > > themselves. > > > > I bought a surplus Garmin 55 from Avionics Surplus (1-800-SKY-WING) for a > > fairly low price ($239.99). It has an aviation DB, but no moving map. There > > is a CDI to follow, like a VOR. > > > > Does it for me! Now I have more money to keep the airplane up! > > > > Cheers! > > > > Rod Wagoner > > Tucson Electric Power > > > > P.S. - At the risk of sounding promotional, Darrel at Avionics Surplus is a > > good fellow. He gets these deals in now and then and always calls back if > > anything interesting is a-foot! > > > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > > "I was born upset!" -- Barbara Stanwyck in "Forty Guns" > > > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ apreuss@gas.uug.arizona.edu ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > > The best compact unit I have used is the Garmin GPS 90. > It does have a moving map, which is not necessary, but sure does come in > handy at times. I only know Canadian prices--Approx.$1000--I would > imagine its between $5-700 American. It does everything. > > KB I have been using the Garmin GPS-90 for about a year and I swear by it. Used it during my long cross-country and it helped me navigate around SUAs in the DC area thus preventing an early cancellation of my flight. The moving map and the display of SUAs makes VFR flying a bit simpler. Don't rely on it exclusively. I was playing with the GPS during an IFR training flight and lost ALL satellites while flying from PAX to RIC. Lost the VOR too. Bermuda triangle event? Don't know. Moral of the story is, use the GPS as a tool, not as a crutch. A GPS is a wonderful device but is only as good as the operator and the network that supports it. In addition, if you are not careful, you will spend a lot of "head down" time flying the GPS display. Not a good idea. Personally, I've enjoyed my GPS-90. Database updates are a breeze if you have an IBM type PC (Mac users, forget it, I tried). An update once a year may serve your purposes (more often if you fly quite a bit). At about US$150.00 for an update you can't beat the convenience of having instant access to the latest information about airports throughout the region in which you fly. Bob -- ========================================================= Robert Mattox mailto://alatas@access.digex.net Washington, DC =========================================================