BeechSundowner wrote:
On Oct 13, 3:12 am, Sam Spade wrote:


If you see it as hitting a nerve, so be it. From my perspective I see
far too many light airplane pilots bitch because they have to pay for
RNAV data.


While I honestly don't mind paying a subscription price for RNAV data,
I'd say the price for what I get is way out of line as compared to the
paper product. Since my flying is local, and I carry paper charts and
plates as backup, I can't afford the rediculous yearly fee.

I just got around to updating my 430 card (3 years old) as I was to
take a XC from MS to OH to an airport that only had a GPS approach (no
ground based approach). I never made that trip and spent over $300 on
ONE approach not to be used. If this airport would have had a ground
based instrument approach, I still would have my 3 year old card in
the unit.

I would think the data once established is harvested electronically
for updates. Price for subscription with the advent of computers
should be coming down, not going up.

I'd have to agree with Jas. Maybe you have the means and money, but I
am a low end airplane owner. I can't justify putting 15K into somebody
else's pocket for rental fees, yet I don't have quite the full means
to maintain a plane on my own so something has to give. Partnership
is not an option I want to consider (and shouldn't have to).

The price for subscription does not promote safety. Reasonable to me
would be no more then $50 per year.

I can't imagine how someone could afford to buy and install a Garmin 430
but not be able to maintain a current database.

That is really a different, but related issue, to updating a handheld.