How often do you update your maps?

linuxjim

linuxjim

Pre-takeoff checklist
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Jul 8, 2014
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Wilmette, IL
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JJ
I have a 430w and 396. I am VFR. I got the plane last year. I realized recently when one of the airports I fly to changed identifiers that I need to update my databases. What product do you use? Do you get the one time update or subscription? How often do you apply updates

I will be looking into IFR next year. Are there currency requirements when I go from VFR to IFR? Thanks.
 
Update the 430 with a subscription,for the 496 do single updates before major trips or sun n fun
 
linuxjim said:
I have a 430w and 396. I am VFR. I got the plane last year. I realized recently when one of the airports I fly to changed identifiers that I need to update my databases. What product do you use? Do you get the one time update or subscription? How often do you apply updates

I will be looking into IFR next year. Are there currency requirements when I go from VFR to IFR? Thanks.
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I have a subscription, but I'm IFR, well sometimes.

As for you just find someone who knows a little about computers and has a subscription for a 430 or 530 and just copy double dip a update.

For VFR stuff shy of identifies changing it's really not a big deal.
 
Whenever ForeFlight updates them for me on the iPad.
 
Since I'm getting my instrument rating, I subscribed to the 430's nav database updates. But only for the region I'm likely to fly in (eastern half, I think?)

It's trivial to update the database on the tablets, so I never hesitate there.

And, honestly, it's nice to know the database in the plane is up to date. Especially for frequencies, since it's so easy to flip to the freqs page, cast the magic knobology spell and have it show up in the standby area of comm1.
 
Annually, unless I'm looking at an IFR flight, then I do it before I leave. I use one times.
 
For me, it is different for the panel and Foreflight.

Before I fly under IFR, I update the databases in the panel radios. For me, that's about 8 to 10 updates per year. I have a subscription from Jepp.

Before I fly cross country under VFR, I make sure ForeFlight has current data, but for the panel I'm okay with data that's one cycle out of date. Unless it is local, and then I don't need data at all.
 
There is a guy that will send you a nav data card, you send him a check and your old card on Beechtalk. If you need just a one time update, that's the way to go. I don't know anyone I. Their right mind that updates terrain unless they have money to burn. But the Jepp update I mentioned gets what you need.
 
Unit74 said:
There is a guy that will send you a nav data card, you send him a check and your old card on Beechtalk. If you need just a one time update, that's the way to go. I don't know anyone I. Their right mind that updates terrain unless they have money to burn. But the Jepp update I mentioned gets what you need.
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Boy, that sounds, uhh.... real legit. ;)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Whenever ForeFlight updates them for me on the iPad.
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Just to be clear, is there a FF function that auto installs updates? Of do you have to click the "Download" button like the rest of us? Thanks; I would really like to learn there was one.
 
Unit74 said:
I don't know anyone I. Their right mind that updates terrain unless they have money to burn.
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You should update terrain every couple of years- mountains may not move, but cities/lighted areas grow, lakes may be formed or dried up, and people erect radio towers in the strangest spots.
 
warthog1984 said:
You should update terrain every couple of years- mountains may not move, but cities/lighted areas grow, lakes may be formed or dried up, and people erect radio towers in the strangest spots.
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terrain database is not the same as obstacle database.
 
dans2992 said:
Boy, that sounds, uhh.... real legit. ;)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Yes it is. The card doesn't know what aircraft it's going in. And Jepp only allows the download to one card on a single subscription.

I bought my plane and it came with a reader and 10 months of Jepp charts in the deal. Since I hadnt flown IFR in many moons, I either didn't update or would wait 2-3 months between updates. All those updates went unused.
 
Unit74 said:
Yes it is. The card doesn't know what aircraft it's going in. And Jepp only allows the download to one card on a single subscription.

I bought my plane and it came with a reader and 10 months of Jepp charts in the deal. Since I hadnt flown IFR in many moons, I either didn't update or would wait 2-3 months between updates. All those updates went unused.
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...unless you know about virtual machines and copying said virtual machines
 
My iPad is always updated. The charts in the MX20/GNS480 get updated prior to any planned IFR flight at the worst.
 
GTN 650 always updated.
Foreflight always current.
I fly on an IFR flight plan 90% of the time. It bothers me when something's out of date.
 
I have a full sub for the G430w and Foreflight. I keep them up to date because I fly IFR just about every flight and sometimes with minimal upfront notice.

I'd say VFR is up to you - an occasional update to the unit you use the most, probably the 396, will do the trick.

You should do whatever it takes to make sure you fly IFR plans with the panel unit up to date and current maps/plates. In my case that means a sub for the primary NAV unit, the G430w, and a sub for my Foreflight 'map case'. When you get busy up there you don't need any extra distractions.
 
James331 said:
...unless you know about virtual machines and copying said virtual machines
Click to expand...

I can see this working if you dl the update and want to write it to multiple cards, but how would that work to extend your subscription?
 
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