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496 upgrade


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This might be a good time to consider an Ifly 740 with the Skyguard ADSB.   

Have been flying with the 720 and Skyguard for a little over a year and am really pleased.

Think I will upgrade to the 740 soon - perhaps before the Page trip this year.

I regularly fly around the Dallas Class B and it will almost scare you to see all the airplanes

on the ADSB .   LOL

Yearly VFR updates are about $70 per year and the system is dead simple to use - very friendly.  

The 720-740 will bluetooth to the skyguard so mounting the skyguard is simple.  There are a couple

of extra antennas you need to go with the skyguard - just be aware of that.

Regards

Rodney

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I upgraded with the Garmin 345 transponder and the Aera 660. The 660 with AirGizmo dock fits in the same space as does the 396/496.

I now have ADS-B in and out and I like it fairly well. Would I like the 696/796 better? Sure. My only complaint is these old eyes would like a bigger display. But, like I said, the 660 fits the same space as a 396/496.

I also fly with an iFly 740 suction cupped on the right side of my panel. I have steam gages on that side and the 740 fits nicely without blocking them.

There are many choices out there with more coming all the time. Life was easier in Henry Fords day. You could have your new ride in any color you desired - as long as it was black!

Have fun and let us know what you do.

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John, do you like the 345/660 combo?  That is exactly the route I'm planning.  I'm surprised you use an iFly instead of an iPad, since the 345 has wireless support to display ADS-B traffic and weather directly into Garmin Pilot.  That's how I plan to use it.

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No hurry here either Ed, that $6k+ is quite a pill to swallow.

BTW, for those who qualify, Aircraft Spruce has a package deal for experimental aircraft only, of the GTX 345 (with WASS GPS option) and the Aera 660 for about $5300.  That's basically like getting the Aera for $100.  The only catch is you have to provide proof that it's for an experimental aircraft by N-number:

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/avpages/garmin11-14327.php?clickkey=2935239

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On 6/6/2017 at 8:11 AM, FlyingMonkey said:

John, do you like the 345/660 combo?  That is exactly the route I'm planning.  I'm surprised you use an iFly instead of an iPad, since the 345 has wireless support to display ADS-B traffic and weather directly into Garmin Pilot.  That's how I plan to use it.

I do like it. I had the iFly so decided to put it to use. Originally I was going to sell it.

If you are going to use the iPad for traffic/weather, what are you going to do with the 660?

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9 hours ago, sandpiper said:

I do like it. I had the iFly so decided to put it to use. Originally I was going to sell it.

If you are going to use the iPad for traffic/weather, what are you going to do with the 660?

Run the autopilot. :D

Honestly, I find Garmin Pilot (or any of the iPad apps) to be easier to use than most of the portable GPS options out there.  If I could run my autopilot from the iPad I'd probably do that as well.  I will probably display traffic and weather right on the map in Garmin Pilot, and just use the 660 as a backup GPS and to set AP waypoints.  That's pretty much how I'm using the 496 now, it's really just an XM weather display and AP steering box.

I guess it's possible I could use the 660 as a dedicated traffic or weather display.  I'll just have to see what makes the most sense and is most convenient.

Did you have your avionics shop install a dedicated switch for ADS-B "anonymous mode"?  I saw in the install manual for the 345 that you can do that.  I like that idea, as 95% of the time I have no interest in broadcasting my identity, I only need that when interacting with ATC.

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I am still waiting for the ILevil beacon for ads-b in-out. May be ready by oshkosh time. :) Wouldn't mind a bom either.

I actually built a little stratux receiver for ads-b in for about 140 bucks. Works great.

 

Rich

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2 hours ago, FlyingMonkey said:

 

Did you have your avionics shop install a dedicated switch for ADS-B "anonymous mode"?  I saw in the install manual for the 345 that you can do that.  I like that idea, as 95% of the time I have no interest in broadcasting my identity, I only need that when interacting with ATC.

I didn't but should have.

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