Why buy a GNS430 over a GNC355?

[Hunt-man]

My 480 still works. Shoots all the approaches. Radio and nav work.
Garmin just stopped supporting it.
That will happen to the 430 someday.
And Garmin will release new and better stuff, that will be cheaper.
Yes a 750 would be nice but it's a lot of money. They are much easier to operate than the 480 or 430.

 

[Doug Reid]

Is there anything all in one system that has GPS/COM/transponder....with ADSB?

I have a KX155 for a secondary radio so I would ike an all in one if possible.

You can install a GTN750 with remote transponder, audio panel and remote ads-b ...not exactly all in one, but only one control panel.

 

[unsafervguy]

I thought they stopped making screens for them

stopped, they have not made screens for them for over 10 years. thats the problem, the supply is getting very low. when they are gone, thats it, no more. i do not know about the boards or components, but they have to be getting a bit low on those also. i would be very amazed if most of the chips in it are still available. a new install of a 430 is stupid, plain and simple. if you have one and it works great, keep it, its was a great unit. if you have one and it quits, think about it. but do not install one now.

 

[flyer770]

Closest I can think of is a GTN-750 which will control a remote ADSB transponder (335 or 345 remote) from the touchscreen. But that's a lot of AMUs.

The Avidyne 540 series will do the same. And like the GTN, it can be remote or panel mount.

 

[NealRomeoGolf]

I just put a 355 in my plane. I have a kx155 as second radio and nav. I can do LPV on the 355 and ILS/VOR on the kx155. I would never buy an old GPS at the prices people still want for a 430 when the new ones just came out.

 

[flyingcheesehead]

You want the modern technology, and I'll give you a cautionary tale as to why.

I bought a KLN94 awhile back. Seemed like a really good deal, and a capable unit. I've been flying with it for awhile VFR and have been quite happy. It runs my autopilot and can guide me to where I want to go. I have now started IFR training and need to update the GPS periodically.

The technology for this thing is ancient, mostly from the late 90's. I had to find a computer with a late 90's/early 2000's operating system to download the program that loads the database into the GPS. And I had to use a PC (I'm Mac based) to get the data from Honeywell, who by the way hasn't supported this product in a decade.

Not only are you buying the GPS, but you're buying into the support technology. I'd buy the newest shiniest thing you can, because as least it'll be using today's technology, and not that from yesteryear. When the little PC I got to do all this finally bites the dust I don't know what I'll do. Probably get a new GPS.

That, and you're going to spend a fortune putting the fool thing in your panel. Might as well have a new one for the same price, you get a warranty and everything. Anything goes wrong with your 430 and its tough luck Charley.

Bingo! All of this! We had a KLN 89B until late 2017, and we used to joke about using smoke signals to update the database. That sucker was PRIMITIVE. We had to buy an old university surplus laptop that had Windows XP and USB but still had an old 9-pin serial port to hook into the GPS update port in the plane. Download the database onto a USB stick at home, take it to the airport, run an extension cord in the door because the laptop was so old the battery was completely trashed, and then sit there while it downloads the update at 19,200 bps. It was all very early-90s.

Now, with the GTN+FlightStream 510, I get in the plane, launch Garmin Pilot on my iPad (which has already automatically downloaded the updates), and push the Start button that appears on the screen. The whole thing takes about 20 seconds unless you have the FliteCharts, which does still take some time (plates for the whole country are kinda big).

Plus, the installation cost - If you're keeping the plane for any length of time, would you rather spend $$$$ on installation costs of the oldest usable thing every several years, or just put the money into getting a new one that'll last for a while? I'm sure the people who installed 430s in 1999 are glad they got the latest greatest thing then, since it's still usable now and would have been cheaper in the long run.