GNS 430W obstacle/terrain data card

[Steve]

From: ProductSupport@garmin.com [mailtoroductsupport@garmin.com]
Sent: Wednesday, January 09, 2008 10:16 AM
To: Glenn See
Subject: Re: Garmin 430W obstacle data card (KMM1918847I10971L0KM)

Dear Glenn See,
Thank you for contacting Garmin International,
With regard to purchasing a "spare" Terrain/obstacle data card, the price of the card is $280.00 and can be purchased by calling us at 1.800.800.1020.

With Best Regards,
Jason W
Product Support Specialist
Pilot Operations
Garmin International
913-397-8200
800-800-1020
913-397-8282 (fax) Att: Jason W
www.garmin.com

 

[SCCutler]

So I guess you pull it from the plane,. update it, and return it, or cough-up $280.00 to have a rotable spare.

Goody.

You got yours back?

 

[One Short]

How often do you have to update "Terrain Data"?
Expect for St Helens, I haven't heard of any mountains moving lately.

Barb

 

[mikea]

How often do you have to update "Terrain Data"?
Expect for St Helens, I haven't heard of any mountains moving lately.

Barb

If they're in there, cell towers sprout like dandelions. Also construction cranes.

 

[Sticky1]

If they're in there, cell towers sprout like dandelions. Also construction cranes.

Shouldnt be flying that dam close to the ground anyway

 

[Steve]

Got it back.

Jesse can tell you some of the items identified during the post-shop-visit shakedown flight.

The Garmin/Jeppesen cartel thrives. Separate proprietary card programming hardware and software for the individual NavData and obstacle data cards only available separately from the respective companies.

Is it legal to fly with an outdated obstacle data card?

So I guess you pull it from the plane,. update it, and return it, or cough-up $280.00 to have a rotable spare.

Goody.

You got yours back?

 

[SCCutler]

I would not imagine expired terrain data would be an issue; terrain data is advisory-only anyway, and not required for IFR flight.

Is the nav data card a different form-factor than the old-style 430- i.e., will it no longer be programmable with Skybound?

 

[bbchien]

I program my 430W with Skybound.....

 

[mantakos]

430- i.e., will it no longer be programmable with Skybound?

The 430W navdata cards are the same form factor, but higher capacity, as compared to the 430 (pre-waas). I program them using the Skybound USB device. There was an older PCMCIA version (Skybound II, I think), which I don't think works with the newer cards.

The obstacle/terrain card fits into the second slot in the 430W, and while it has an identical form factor, you actually have to buy a separate Garmin programmer to program that card.
-harry

 

[Steve]

fwiw spike, there are 3 databases to maintain current on the 430W, navdata, obstacle data, and terrain

Terrain is not updated on a scheduled basis, the other two are.

and yes to keep the scheduled updates installed you need two separate card read/write interface devices, both of which use USB connectivity

something to look fwd to on your upgrade

I would not imagine expired terrain data would be an issue; terrain data is advisory-only anyway, and not required for IFR flight.

Is the nav data card a different form-factor than the old-style 430- i.e., will it no longer be programmable with Skybound?

 

[SCCutler]

Well, then. What is cost for the obstacle / terrain update subscrips?
(edit) - not like I am not gonna get ';em!

 

[mantakos]

Well, then. What is cost for the obstacle / terrain update subscrips?

Well, as of last March, it was $35 for a single update, or $195 for a 1 year subscription, and updates were released every 56 days. I haven't had reason to get updated info since then.
-harry

 

[Bill]

Well, then. What is cost for the obstacle / terrain update subscrips?
(edit) - not like I am not gonna get ';em!

I need to talk with Brent, but I think our plan was the nav susbscription for the 430w, of course, and upgrade the 496 for terrain/obstacle/nav once a year.

 

[bjohnson]

So I guess you pull it from the plane,. update it, and return it, or cough-up $280.00 to have a rotable spare.

Take laptop to FBO with Wi-Fi, hang for an hour or so and your done. I have noticed the WAAS data updates take longer.

I need to talk with Brent, but I think our plan was the nav subscription for the 430w, of course, and upgrade the 496 for terrain/obstacle/nav once a year.

We subscribe to the Nav Data Full US only on the 430. I think terrain updates are only available once a year and are pricey.

 

[Steve]

Let me know how that works out over time.

Take laptop to FBO with Wi-Fi, hang for an hour or so and your done. I have noticed the WAAS data updates take longer.



We subscribe to the Nav Data Full US only on the 430. I think terrain updates are only available once a year and are pricey.

 

[AirBaker]

Shouldnt be flying that dam close to the ground anyway

Just not at night or in low vis.

 

[ErikU]

Why would you need to update your terrain database? The terrain doesn't move. The towers rarely move, and honestly, if you are worried about towers than you are probably too low!

 

[Steve]

New towers are being built continously. Terrain is less an issue, but when the chips are down one might find him/herself in a situation one might not otherwise consider. If there's a plane with 100% reliability I'd like to know about it.

Are current nav data cards considered part of the "all available information related to the flight" the FAA expects?

The real point of the OP is the price of the obstacle data card itself. Is it reasonable?

I don't think so and I advised Garmin of same.

Why would you need to update your terrain database? The terrain doesn't move. The towers rarely move, and honestly, if you are worried about towers than you are probably too low!