Garmin Aera 660 database subscription

[CaptJim]

Question:
My Aera 660's subscription plan is expired about 4 months ago. The reason I have an Aero 660 in my plane because it came with the plane when I bought it a year ago. Since couple of years I always used Foreflight on my iPad & iPhones for navigation. So I didn't renew the Garmin's subscription once it is expired. I was wondering what a person lose without a subscription. I understand the detailed information may not be updated but as a VFR pilot who flies within 2-3 hr radius destinations in CA and with the help of ForeFlight for the currency, I am still able to use my Aera 660's almost 90% of the functions.
Again, the question is; What the subscription for $169 gives to this GPS...?

 

[mandm]

I have the Aera 760, with an outdated subscription you’ll have outdated fuel prices, possibly frequencies and of course IFR charts if the 660 has that. But other than that, it’s fine as is. Especially for VFR in VMC. If you’re scud running, maybe a new tower will pop up or the airspace might change (like Midway did here in Chicago and Lewis suddenly went towered). But I have foreflight and that’s what I rely on. The Aera is a backup.

 

[CaptJim]

I have the Aera 760, with an outdated subscription you’ll have outdated fuel prices, possibly frequencies and of course IFR charts if the 660 has that. But other than that, it’s fine as is. Especially for VFR in VMC. If you’re scud running, maybe a new tower will pop up or the airspace might change (like Midway did here in Chicago and Lewis suddenly went towered). But I have foreflight and that’s what I rely on. The Aera is a backup.

Thank you for your response. Same here. I use my ForeFlight as primary and 660 as a backup. Mostly I set the 3D view on the 660 and not much of the map scenes anyways. Just once in a while I do maps as a backup if I am flying to a new destination for the first time. Nothing more than that...

 

[mandm]

Thank you for your response. Same here. I use my ForeFlight as primary and 660 as a backup. Mostly I set the 3D view on the 660 and not much of the map scenes anyways. Just once in a while I do maps as a backup if I am flying to a new destination for the first time. Nothing more than that...

My opinion is that it is fine. Technically we should do a thorough preflight on the ground anyway. Even with an updated database, you might miss a TFR or NOTAM. I might have missed a closed runway and a temporary tower before, it didn’t even show up at takeoff on a longer xc. But that’s what flight following can assist with too.