New Garmin 396

In this thread you mention syncing the 430 to the 396. I can not find
any documentation or installer who is aware this can be done. Can you
point me in the right direction for some info?

Thanks,

Mike Burrill


Richard Kaplan wrote:
"Jonathan Goodish" wrote

For a portable weather system--no question about it. However, if you're
an aircraft owner and never move the weather system, it's a moot point.

Less significant, yes. Moot, no. It is still a piece of equipment which
needs either a quasi-permanent power connection to ship's power or else
regular recharging or replacing of batteries.

None of this is relevant for renter pilots. If I'm considering a 396
primarily for weather, why wouldn't I use a small TabletPC, which has a
superior display and orientation compared with the 396, and WxWorx on
Wings software, which provides a superior weather display? Throw a
small Bluetooth GPS on the glare shield and you can see where you are in

It is relevant to renter pilots in particular because it is by far the
easiest way to put both GPS navigation and weather in a rental airplane.
Sure you can set up an XM receiver, Bluetooth GPS, and PDA whenever you rent
a plane, but that is a lot more work then plugging in a 396

relation to the weather. Entering a flight plan into a Tablet or PDA
isn't a big deal

Yes it is if you are talking about an IFR situation when you need to enter
flight plan or navaid info into panel-mount IFR equipment and then duplicate
it in a portable GPS and then reprogram both when you receive changes in
routings or approach clearances enroute. For VFR flight this is not a huge
issue; for IFR flight the convenience from the crossfed data is HUGE.

and I probably wouldn't hesitate to use the Tablet or
PDA for primary enroute navigation if I had a panel mount that wasn't
doing anything other than navigation anyway.

That is fine for VFR but not IFR.


sure how that would be much different for VNAV guidance than using a
Garmin portable--unless you're referring to specific software features
in the Garmin.

Yes, I am referring to the "Vertical Speed to Target" feature of the Garmin
portables (and some Lowrance units as well). This is a highly desirable
feature for executing a deadstick landing when VFR or especially IFR or at
night.


I'm not saying there aren't advantages to the Garmin portables, but if I
had an IFR panel mount, I'm not sure that I'd run out and drop $2500 on
a Garmin portable just so that it can sync my flight plan.

If you had a Garmin 430 or 530 in your panel, it would be downright silly
not to add a Garmin portable GPS given the advantages it offers.. it could
be any portable model since the 195. Once it is a given that you add a
Garmin portable, then it does not make much sense to have a Garmin portable
GPS for backup nav and a separate portable weather system. The realistic
options at that point are either a Garmin 396 or else an older Garmin
portable GPS plus panel-mount weather.


renter pilot, the 396 would be an ideal system due to its easy
portability. If I was an owner serious about certified weather uplink
and features not available on the 430/530, I think I'd investigate
selling the 430/530 and buying another certified system that can better
serve my needs.

There is no such thing as certified weather uplink -- it is easier panel or
portable.

Weather on the 430/530 themselves are marginal.

The apparent best IFR panel weather datalink options at this point are
either a Garmin 430/530 coupled to panel-mount EX500 multi-function display
for weather (an expensive option) or else a Garmin 430 coupled to a 396
portable for weather and terrain.

no obstacles, terrain, or weather capability, so it has been relegated
to storage.

That is one of the key points... the terrain feature of the 296 is
stupendous and ought to be considered the Product of the Year -- in many
ways its terrain implementation is superior to that on much more expensive
panel solutions such as an MX20 or an EX500.

--------------------
Richard Kaplan

www.flyimc.com

The Garmin 430/530 installation manual documents a connection from the
430/530 serial output to the 195/295/296/396/196 serial input. Set the
430/530 to "Aviation Out" and the handheld to "Aviation In" and use the
combined data/power cable available from Garmin. It should take less than 2
hours of avionics tech time and under $100 of parts.

--------------------
Richard Kaplan

www.flyimc.com

The finished install with the permanent data/power cable looks like this:


www.flyimc.com/newpanel.html


--------------------
Richard Kaplan

www.flyimc.com