Which GPS for flying in the USA and Europe?

[German guy]

Hi everybody,

I would like to purchase a new handheld GPS, but can't find one that fulfills my needs.

As I live and fly in Europe, but also travel to the US quite regularly, I would like to have a GPS which I can use in both regions. I currently have a 'Atlantic' Garmin 196, to which I have added a second base map, so that I can now also see the major roads, cities, lakes and the coastline in the US. Before I go flying on either of the two regions I simply load the right Jeppessen aeronautical data base into the GPS.
This makes it fully usable in Europe AND the US.

As my wife and I will travel to the US again this Christmas, I thought it might be good to have a GPS with us, which is able to display terrain and airways. The Garmin Aera 500 would be my choice, however it seems like neither the trick with the second base map works with it nor that I could load the European terrain data base into it, in case I purchase an 'Americas' version.

I know that some of you also fly in the US and other regions of the world!? How do you solve this problem? Any recommendation for tricks with the Garmin Aera or suggestions for other handheld GPS?

I already looked at all kinds of GPS, but all seam to have the same problem. However, the manufacturer's websites don't go into this detail, so that it might work with some devices, even so it is not announced.

Cheers,

Oliver

 

[Cap'n Jack]

Oliver- I'm pretty sure you can purchase Garmin maps for other parts of the world than the one you live. So you would buy a Garmin with the European base map, and also purchase maps for the USA and upload those with MapSource as needed. You would reload the European data upon retuen. I use an old G V but I've loaded road maps for the carribean and South America into it. I honestly don't know about the aviation data but I expect it to work the same way.

Your best bet is to call Garmin directly.

 

[German guy]

Hi and thanks for your reply.
From what I know, the road data does not include the terrain information.

I however just saw at Sporty's, that there is a SD-Card for the AV8OR for Europe available. The text says, that it includes all the data. Maybe I should simply send an e-mail directly to the GPS-manufacturers.

Cheers, Oliver