GPS Options

weirdjim

weirdjim

Ejection Handle Pulled
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weirdjim
I've been flying with a Garmin 295 strapped to the yoke for quite a few years and it is just a pain in the butt to work with. What I'd LIKE to find is the slide-in replacement for the old Apollo FlyBuddy Loran that is now a hangar paperweight. They don't seem to be available used any place I've looked (like TAP and Ebay). That means one of two things. 1. They were junk and they are all in the scrap pile. or 2. They are great and nobody is getting rid of them.

Suggestions for a cheap permanent mount GPS purely for VFR work? No bells. No whistles. Nothing but a moving map is really necessary.

Thanks,

.
 
I think EdFred hung a detachable experimental moving map....and it was legal
 
Answer #2. It's the former Apollo, later UPSAT, later GarminAT GX-55. Slide out the LORAN, swap the antenna, slide in the GX-55, get your A&P to sign the log, and you're in VFR business. They were fairly cheap on the used market, like $1000 or so. Problem is, Garmin stopped making them some years ago, and when the LORAN shutdown was announced, every one on the market got snapped up despite the market price more than doubling. Only way you'll find one now is if someone with a GX-55 decides to upgrade, or crashes and totals the plane.
 
What's your budget? Off the cuff can't go wrong with a 430W, replace your nav/comm and add a cert GPS, seen some yellow tagged units on eBay for not too much.
 
NineThreeKilo said:
What's your budget? Off the cuff can't go wrong with a 430W, replace your nav/comm and add a cert GPS, seen some yellow tagged units on eBay for not too much.
Click to expand...

Don't want comm with GPS, don't need cert GPS, and I'm the A&P who is going to sign it off.

Thanks

.
 
The GX 55 is pretty good. The map is pretty small, if that is important, but the unit is easy to use and does the job well.
 
How about ripping out the LORAN and velcroing an iPad to the panel?
 
Some of the consumer electronics using aviation aps are pretty affordable.

As a fellow A & P, what would be the sign off for a non permanent vfr only GPS?
 
Off In The Jungle said:
Some of the consumer electronics using aviation aps are pretty affordable.

As a fellow A & P, what would be the sign off for a non permanent vfr only GPS?
Click to expand...
If it's not "installed," there's nothing to sign off, and the FAA has said velcro attachment isn't "installed."
 
The Garmin 295, is ancient. I'd even consider the Garmin 430W as ancient, considering it's outdated graphics. There are too many good moving map "portables" on the market, to be stuck with a relic, just because it fit's in the panel. Especially, when it's just for VFR. I've been using a Garmin 696 on a fixed mount (plane has joystick). It's graphics, brightness, and computing power.........is years ahead of the old 295. Of course, it's now been replaced with the seven hundred series of Garmins.
 
To be frank, I can't see the value of putting a VFR GPS in the panel, as the only thing it will do that a handheld solution won't do is drive the instruments. Pull out the LORAN for the weight savings and get an iPad.
 
gprellwitz said:
To be frank, I can't see the value of putting a VFR GPS in the panel, as the only thing it will do that a handheld solution won't do is drive the instruments. Pull out the LORAN for the weight savings and get an iPad.
Click to expand...

Geesus Khrist ...

I've GOT an IPad with Foreflight. I'm working on my magazeene column using X-flight (or whatever it is called). I simply wanted a VFR GPS replacement for the Apollo Loran. Is it all that difficult to understand? Simple. Cheap. Panel mounted. Is that too difficult to understand?

Sheesh.


.
 
weirdjim said:
Geesus Khrist ...

I've GOT an IPad with Foreflight. I'm working on my magazeene column using X-flight (or whatever it is called). I simply wanted a VFR GPS replacement for the Apollo Loran. Is it all that difficult to understand? Simple. Cheap. Panel mounted. Is that too difficult to understand?

Sheesh.


.
Click to expand...

Yes, it's very difficult to understand. I wouldn't trade the brightness of my Garmin 696 for the I-pad in a million years, and wouldn't install a GX-55 if it was gaven to me. IMO....... I pads are secondary information, as they can be hard to see, much of the time. Some things, are just no longer worth the trouble. P.S. -- in my case, the plane is "experimental" catagory. My portable GPS does drive the A/P & fuel totalizer, as well as loading frequencies to the comm.
 
If you don't need IFR none of the IFR units (430/480/530) are going to deliver anywhere near the bang for the buck as one of the handheld units (either a Garmin unit with builtin XM weather data or an iPad with one of the external datalinks).
 
weirdjim said:
Geesus Khrist ...

I've GOT an IPad with Foreflight. I'm working on my magazeene column using X-flight (or whatever it is called). I simply wanted a VFR GPS replacement for the Apollo Loran. Is it all that difficult to understand? Simple. Cheap. Panel mounted. Is that too difficult to understand?

Sheesh.


.
Click to expand...
Hey, if you want it, go for it! I am just saying that I don't see the value! If you do, then get it! What's the problem?

Sheesh

:)
 
flyingron said:
If you don't need IFR none of the IFR units (430/480/530) are going to deliver anywhere near the bang for the buck as one of the handheld units (either a Garmin unit with builtin XM weather data or an iPad with one of the external datalinks).
Click to expand...

I have flown a lot of hours in a 152 with an aera 510 mounted to the yoke, it worked very well. I'm not sure of the dimensions of your loran, but I think the 510 (or cheaper version, w/o XM) would fit.
 
Im with the others, I dont see the value on installing a old VFR GPS in your panel. I mean if you just CAVU VFR you got a compass, eyeballs and a chart anyway.

For a $$ value point, the loran is a paper weight, a old VFR GPS is only a step above that.

If I was a AP IA and wanted to dig into my panel, I'd do up a IFR GPS (like a 430 or 430W), having a /G aircraft, something someone could learn GPS apprchs on and having a nicer nav/com all in one... that's a much better ROI (for your money AND time) IMHO.

I'd say for a VFR only, just use a portable with a Ram mount or something, but to each their own.
 
A 496 with a snap in mount for the panel would be a good choice.
 
Why do you think it matters what you want? When we decide what you should have we'll let you know. Otherwise, sit on it.:rofl:

weirdjim said:
Geesus Khrist ...

I've GOT an IPad with Foreflight. I'm working on my magazeene column using X-flight (or whatever it is called). I simply wanted a VFR GPS replacement for the Apollo Loran. Is it all that difficult to understand? Simple. Cheap. Panel mounted. Is that too difficult to understand?

Sheesh.


.
Click to expand...
 
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