Wanna see an Aera 510?

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poadeleted20

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I plan to bring my new Aera 510 to the NE Flyers meeting at Lancaster PA (KLNS) next weekend. After one 3-hour flight with it, I'm really happy with it. Only problem is I had to hide it under my hat on the right seat to avoid excessive distraction.
 
Ron Levy said:
Only problem is I had to hide it under my hat on the right seat to avoid excessive distraction.
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Did you say partial panel? Use one of these...doubles as a turn coordinator.:D
 

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Ron, any updates, now that you have had a chance to use it some more?
 
Dave Theisen said:
Ron, any updates, now that you have had a chance to use it some more?
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Nope -- still love it. Only thing I might add is a technique issue -- if you find your fingers are too fat sometimes, try using the eraser end of a pencil to tap the screen (I'd stay away from hard/sharp objects like a PDA stylus).
 
Ron Levy said:
Nope -- still love it. Only thing I might add is a technique issue -- if you find your fingers are too fat sometimes, try using the eraser end of a pencil to tap the screen (I'd stay away from hard/sharp objects like a PDA stylus).
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I'd look for something less abrasive than a pencil eraser, and IME PDA styli are not sharp enough to damage a touch screen unless you jam it straight in hard. Keeping a stylus tilted away from screen normal should prevent an accidental turbulence induced jab.
 
Ron- update?

I am getting close to buying time.

Thanks!
 
SCCutler said:
Ron- update?

I am getting close to buying time.

Thanks!
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After three months with it, I have yet to find anything I don't like about it other than some of the restaurants in its database not being open any more, or being open under a new name/cuisine.
 
I don't need the weather, so I am going with the 500. I have a buddy thats a Garmin dealer, he said he could make me a pretty good deal on one.
 
I've been looking at the 500 or 510 too now, especially after upgrading my car GPS from an ancient Magellan 2000 to a new Garmin Nuvi 255W, Wow, that thing tracks satellites faster than I get get my radio set to some good tunes, nice and easy to view, and the same 4.3" screen as the Aera series.

So,.. anyone want a Lowrance Airmap 500 for a great price? I'm thinking the Aera 500 is enough for me, especially for my flying style and short XC flights. I can't see getting the weather since I'm not IR rated yet and even if I was, wouldn't be travelling super far till my daughters are in college,... and at that time, I hope to be able to still afford flying. :lol:
 
Rob Schaffer said:
I've been looking at the 500 or 510 too now, especially after upgrading my car GPS from an ancient Magellan 2000 to a new Garmin Nuvi 255W,
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Too bad you didn't go for the Aera first, because at the touch of the screen, it turns into a Nuvi, and you could have saved over $100.
I'm thinking the Aera 500 is enough for me, especially for my flying style and short XC flights. I can't see getting the weather since I'm not IR rated yet and even if I was, wouldn't be travelling super far till my daughters are in college,...
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Keep in mind that there is no weather upgrade for the 500 or 550 -- if you change your mind later, you'll have to trade up to the 510 or 560.
 
Ron Levy said:
Too bad you didn't go for the Aera first, because at the touch of the screen, it turns into a Nuvi, and you could have saved over $100..
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Wife uses the Nuvi a lot and I save a bunch of airports to it just in case something happens and she has to come pick me up someplace nearby, she can angrily load the kids in the car and follow the directions. Hasn't happened yet, luckily. :redface:

Ron Levy said:
Keep in mind that there is no weather upgrade for the 500 or 550 -- if you change your mind later, you'll have to trade up to the 510 or 560.
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Thanks, but the cost difference between the 500 and 510 is quite a bit of flying for me, and currently my use of Flight Service and the type of flying in the mid-atlantic I do now with the kids doesn't necessitate paying out the difference now and not using it.
 
What is keeping you away from the Bendix King AV8OR? It is less $$ than an Aera 500, and you can add weather later if you want it.

I've had mine for a couple months now, and am happy with it.

Tim

Rob Schaffer said:
Wife uses the Nuvi a lot and I save a bunch of airports to it just in case something happens and she has to come pick me up someplace nearby, she can angrily load the kids in the car and follow the directions. Hasn't happened yet, luckily. :redface:



Thanks, but the cost difference between the 500 and 510 is quite a bit of flying for me, and currently my use of Flight Service and the type of flying in the mid-atlantic I do now with the kids doesn't necessitate paying out the difference now and not using it.
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Troska said:
What is keeping you away from the Bendix King AV8OR?
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For me, the extra brick you have to lug around for the weather. I need simple and compact with a minimum of wires around so I can carry the unit with me when giving training in other folks' planes; hence, the 510. All I have to carry is the unit, the power plug and cord, and the XM hockey puck antenna and cord, and that all fits in the pocket of my flight jacket. Note that the 40-series hockey puck that comes with the 510/560 is smaller than the 30-series that came with the 396/496.
 
Troska said:
What is keeping you away from the Bendix King AV8OR? It is less $$ than an Aera 500, and you can add weather later if you want it.

I've had mine for a couple months now, and am happy with it.

Tim
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That's another good option, I'll research it some more. AOPA thread on it wasn't looking promising in comparison to the Aera series. Would you mind sending me a PM, so we don't hijack this thread, with some of your pro's & con's. Especially about updates.
 
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I suppose my question - since most of your flying is relatively local pleasure flying with the girls, is there necessarily a need for anything beyond whatever cheap handheld you can get? Just a thought. I've seen a lot of people spend a significant portion of their flying budget on toys, the features of which they rarely use fully. Not wanting the weather I'd think is smart in your case.

When it came time for me to buy something, I got an AnywhereMap on a tablet PC from a friend used. The price included a lifetime subscription to the approach plates (oh do I ever use that...), the WxWorx box, and a spare GPS receiver. Hard to beat the deal I got there. I'm sure a similar deal exists out there for you.
 
Ron Levy said:
For me, the extra brick you have to lug around for the weather. I need simple and compact with a minimum of wires around so I can carry the unit with me when giving training in other folks' planes; hence, the 510. All I have to carry is the unit, the power plug and cord, and the XM hockey puck antenna and cord, and that all fits in the pocket of my flight jacket. Note that the 40-series hockey puck that comes with the 510/560 is smaller than the 30-series that came with the 396/496.
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That is the biggest thing I dislike about the AnywhereMap. That WxWorx box and power supply is a real pain.
 
Ted DuPuis said:
I suppose my question - since most of your flying is relatively local pleasure flying with the girls, is there necessarily a need for anything beyond whatever cheap handheld you can get? Just a thought. I've seen a lot of people spend a significant portion of their flying budget on toys, the features of which they rarely use fully. Not wanting the weather I'd think is smart in your case.

When it came time for me to buy something, I got an AnywhereMap on a tablet PC from a friend used. The price included a lifetime subscription to the approach plates (oh do I ever use that...), the WxWorx box, and a spare GPS receiver. Hard to beat the deal I got there. I'm sure a similar deal exists out there for you.
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Well, Lowrance and LEIextras are not supporting the aviation market much anymore. I can't do a card exchange to get new updates, so I"m still looking at the charts current from October before I went to Windwood, which is probably ok for VFR awareness. I know you can download updates with a Jepp Reader, but I can't get that to work on my crap-VISTA machine. Its not a priority, I'm happy with my Airmap 500 and like the battery life and use of AA's if I need it. But the time is soon approaching to have a reliable system with current info.
 
Most VFR GPSs have relatively old databases, and I know that the handheld in my Aztec has an outdated database (but is current on the approach plates). For your use, I wouldn't worry about it being outdated, but I can see support being an issue.
 
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