Garmin 396 -- Maybe I spoke too soon...

Thanks for the feedback Jay. As a "lite" IFR flyer, I couldn't really
justify the cost of a stormscope in my Warrior. I'm still trying to
justify
an autopilot. However, the Garmin 396 simply changes the product landscape
much like the GNS430 did when it first came out. To get the same
capability
in such a neat package would cost you thousands more.

Since playing with the 396, I have spoken with a friend who has a friend
inside Garmin, and another friend who flies the "Big Iron", and they told me
that:

- Sales of the 396 have virtually shut down Garmin's sales of 430s and 530s.
It is simply superior to their in-panel stuff, and far less expensive. (And
Garmin actually expected this to happen.)

- The 396 has virtually stopped sales of other aviation GPS makes. (I'm not
sure I buy that, as I think the Lowrance 2000c and the AvMap were both
selling gangbusters at OSH, but perhaps all the pro-396 buzz since OSH has
killed them?)

- The 396's weather depiction and ease of use far exceed anything currently
available in corporate or airline service -- and costs tens of thousands
less -- so those guys are lining up to buy them, too.

Garmin truly has a winner here, but it's not quite a grand slam. It will be
when they (a) set up the unit in "portrait" mode (which is far more useful
than a "landscape" view for aviation), and (b) when they enlarge that stupid
dinky screen!

XM weather will soon spread to other makes and models, and the price will
drop. I can't wait!
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"