What Garmin Subscription Should I get???

MaydayMayday

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Aug 22, 2020
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I have a ForeFlight Pro subscription and dual Dynon displays and a GTN. I only intend to fly in the Western US. I am currently on the free Garmin coupon so after this update expires I will need to pay.

Is anybody familiar with the Garmin subscription service and can give some suggestions for an economical service?

Thanks
 

jabarr

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Oct 22, 2010
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Sorry that I don’t have an answer to your question but I had to chuckle when I saw the words Garmin and economical in the same sentence!:)
Blue skies!
 

MaydayMayday

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> I saw the words Garmin and economical in the same sentence!

I was watching the "How To Update Your GTN" video Garmin has and the pretty flight instructor girl talks you through the process and the video shows her using the subscriptions payment page of the website and the dollar amount on the screen for the subscription that she was purchasing and it was like !!!950 BUCKS!!!

Im sure my neighbors heard me dropping some F Bombs...

Hence the reason for my post...
 

dlloyd

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Get all the charts for your Foreflight, get all the charts from Seattle Avionics for your displays. From Garmin, only buy the database, $299/year. Every couple years maybe the obstructions and terrain as a one time purchase, it is already on your Foreflight and Dynons.
 
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MaydayMayday

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> Get all the charts for your Foreflight, get all the charts from Seattle Avionics for your displays. From Garmin, only buy the database, $299/year. Every couple years maybe the obstructions and terrain as a one time purchase, it is already on your Foreflight and Dynons.

I like how you think!!!

Thanks for the advice
 

kellym

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Get all the charts for your Foreflight, get all the charts from Seattle Avionics for your displays. From Garmin, only buy the database, $299/year. Every couple years maybe the obstructions and terrain as a one time purchase, it is already on your Foreflight and Dynons.
Precisely. You only need the $299 subscription for the GTN to legally fly approaches and other IFR.
The Seattle Avionics and/or Foreflight give you electronic flight bag of all charts. The obstacle and taxi charts are the biggest ripoff of the Garmin data.
 

rfazio1951

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You don't really need the Seattle Avionics charts for your Skyviews. I've got them and never use them. I'm going to let the subscription expire. You get free updates for the Dynon screens from Dynon. You need the GTN 650 updates $299, and you need to keep Foreflight updated if you use that also. You'll want the Foreflight Pro Plus which gets you the geo referenced IFR approach plates & Taxi diagrams.
 

jnmeade

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And for those of us who don't use Foreflight? What would it cost to buy the iPad and Foreflight compared with Seattle Avionics or some other alternative?
 

rfazio1951

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I forgot what the Seattle avionics charts were, probably close to the Foreflight cost. But Foreflight gives you so much more. I can’t imagine flying IFR without Foreflight. The pro plus version of Foreflight is $199 per year.
 

kellym

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I forgot what the Seattle avionics charts were, probably close to the Foreflight cost. But Foreflight gives you so much more. I can’t imagine flying IFR without Foreflight. The pro plus version of Foreflight is $199 per year.
Seattle Avionics is $99 a year, or often they offer Black Friday lifetime subscriptions. It is Sectionals, Low and Hi enroute, all approach plates and airport diagrams, all geo-referenced. No it is not Foreflight, won't give you platform to do flight planning etc. OTOH, far cheaper, and puts the chart on screen right in front of you, oriented either track up or north up, with your position and any traffic shown right on the chart.
If you prefer to look at the charts on Ipad, that isn't nearly as bright, and will crash when it overheats, at the worst time...your choice.
 

swatson999

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I think the original question was what *Garmin* subscription the OP purchase...
 

MaydayMayday

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> Seattle Avionics is $99 a year, or often they offer Black Friday lifetime subscriptions.

Good information...THANKS!!!

I am fortunate enough to get the ForeFlight subscription from work so it looks like the Garmin nav database is the ticket.

THANKS AGAIN everyone for your advice!!!
 

dlloyd

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I never could get used to either sectional or low enroute charts on my Dynon display. North up was okay, just either not enough chart or too small to read. Track up for a chart is unfathomable. That said, I found it very handy on an instrument approach to have the procedure displayed right beside your PFD information and your little airplane tracking right down the lines on the approach plate. That is worth $99! And then you also have the charts available if you left your Ipad on the glareshield while you're eating lunch and it just gives you a blank look.
 
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