On Tue, 23 Aug 2005 15:12:18 -0400, "pgbnh" wrote:

And where would you put the 480 in terms of value, ease of use, UI?

I only have experience with the 480 and, I must say, it is simple to use.

From what I have been told, two of its advantages over the 430/530 a

1. Ease of flight plan entry -- you can usually enter it just as ATC reads
it to you as the airways and all relevant intersections are in there. If
you have an airway that has multiple turns at various VOR's or
intersections, you don't have to enter all those fixes, as I'm told you do
with the 430/530.

2. The 480 is certified under TSO-146. This gives you some advantages in
selecting alternates; and also gives you vertical guidance on most GPS
approaches (even the straight LNAV approaches). Although I initially
pooh-pooh'd that idea, having accomplished many non-precision approaches in
my flying lifetime, the first time I executed a GPS LNAV approach into my
home base with the advisory vertical guidance, I became a believer in it's
ability to make the approach easier for me.


Ron (EPM) (N5843Q, Mooney M20E) (CP, ASEL, ASES, IA)