PMA 450B with or without marker beacon

Lucky man

Lucky man

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Lucky man
Hi All,

I'm a VFR pilot updating my panel and then looking to get my IFR ticket. Should i get the PMA 450b with our without the marker beacon feature?

Thanks for yer thoughts

Dale
 
I don't see much need for the marker beacon. I may have heard a marker beacon once in all of my flying, and I have never needed one.
 
I had the pma8000bt. It was a great audio panel. It had the marker beacon. I honestly found it more distracting than helpful.
 
Do you even have a marker beacon antenna on the aircraft? If you don't, that's a pretty easy decision. If you do, the cost difference is pretty minor, however, flying in the US, marker beacons are pretty rare these days, even if you were IFR rated.
 
I would go always with a device that adds another level of safety. But id you decide against the marker beacon, I would consider the PAR200B instead. You can never have too many radios.
 
I have a 450 w/marker and have not heard it for years. FAA has taken most markers out since GPS became integrated into ATC system.
 
midlifeflyer said:
Would you install an ADF receiver for that reason? Personally I wouldn't.
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Panel real estate and payload are rare commodities in most GA aircraft. I personally decided to get rid of ADF and DME during my panel upgrade in exchange of other layers of safety like a back-up battery system and a second navigator.
 
aggiepack said:
Panel real estate and payload are rare commodities in most GA aircraft. I personally decided to get rid of ADF and DME during my panel upgrade in exchange of other layers of safety like a back-up battery system and a second navigator.
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I was really just wondering what additional level of safety you see with marker beacons. My question assumes the available panel real estate and acceptable W&B.

There are only 103 NDB approaches in the database, some with more than one approach using the same NDB. Even with the FAA move to get rid of most if not all of them, a number of those are probably based on NDBs that are either currently out of service never to be repaired or otherwise slated for removal. Even with the real estate, it would not seem there was enough safety enhancement value for the cost of adding one.

Or, apparently, retaining one. You got rid of your ADF and your DME. I don't know a way to easily verify the numbers, but I've seen posts indicating there are only about 20 marker beacons left. If the cost differential is inconsequential, sure, why not include it. But I just don't see the additional level of safety you are referring to. Especially compared to DME which, in case of a GPS failure, provides both a situational awareness and choice-of-approach benefit.
 
I like leaving mine on in route to surprise me as I fly over airports. It’s a conversation starter for my passengers, some who are startled by the “alarm” :)
 
Given that the price delta is a tenth of an AMU or two, I'd say the presence of an antenna would be the deciding factor. An hour and a half of avgas is not worth sweating.
 
Walt said:
I have a 450 w/marker and have not heard it for years. FAA has taken most markers out since GPS became integrated into ATC system.
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I don't even think GPS has much to do with it. They took out the middle marker nav penalties back before I got my instrument rating (and that was in the cusp of IFR GPSs existing). Outer markers were never really required for anything, and inner markers were only found at the bigger airports.
 
asicer said:
Given that the price delta is a tenth of an AMU or two, I'd say the presence of an antenna would be the deciding factor. An hour and a half of avgas is not worth sweating.
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It is when you need 2 hours of avgas.
 
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