More Portable GPS’s

Last time around I spoke about the differences between portable and permanently installed units. There are also 2 main types of portable units – purpose built and general.

The purpose built units are those from Garmin, Lowrance, Bendix-King and AvMap. They consist of a “sealed” unit that cannot be upgraded like a computer – although mapping data is field upgradeable. The main advantage of a unit like this is that since they cannot be fiddled with a whole lot, they tend to work all the time. The disadvantages of these models is that they cannot be upgraded – every few years a new model comes out with new features and you will need to throw away the old unit and buy everything new (trade-ins are sometimes available to reduce this cost).

The non-purpose built units are typically based on PDA’s, Tablet PC’s or UMPC’s and come from Control Vision and PCAvionics. The vendors of these models combine a computer from a third party with their own software package that provides mapping and weather services. These units provide great upgradeability and the ability to add different pieces to tailor it to exactly what you need. Of course, the disadvantage to all of this flexibility is less stability. Are they unstable? Most of the time no and manufacturers take great pains to test their configurations thoroughly before they offer it for sale. But in some configurations, with different PC’s, GPS units or some odd ball software package – they certainly can be.

Which one do I use? I use a PDA with the AnywhereMAP WX software package from Control Vision. I purchased the PDA and software from different sources and put the system together myself. I was able to save money on the purchase and then add weather later small incremental cost. If I had used a purpose built unit I would've spent more money upfront and then had to buy a whole new unit when I added weather. As for reliability, I did have a problem with a GPS module that I had to replace and one version of software that had problems with weather (Control Vision fixed the problem within a couple of days). Overall I have been very pleased with the performance and reliability of the unit.

Next week will be a list available models.

Clear skies and tailwinds!
Mike

Continental Express flight 3407

Our prayers and thoughts are with those who died in the crash of the Q400 along with their families. Airplane crashes often cause a large number of casualties and are true tragedies because most of them are avoidable.

Please, do not pass judgement too soon - it will take the NTSB awhile to determine the final cause.

Clear skies and tailwinds!
Mike

Portable GPS’s

Why Portable
One of the problems of owning an airplane is that everything you install in it permanently must be approved by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). On the surface this sounds like a good idea, and for many applications it is the “right” thing to do. However, because the costs of certification are high (think $50,000 for a certified incandescent light bulb) and the number of customers is relatively small, the cost of this requirement is quite obvious. Another problem is that the government moves glacially, while the electronics industry moves at Mach 3. So, the equipment that is installed in older planes cannot be upgraded cheaply to the “latest and greatest”. But, the FAA does allow for non-approved devices to be used for “situational awareness” as long as they are not permanently affixed to your aircraft – aha a useful loophole!

Difference between Portable and Installed
The major difference between the two is that a portable GPS cannot be certified for IFR use. You can get an older, cheaper certified GPS installed few a few thousand dollars to navigate in the system, fly approaches and generally satisfy the government. Then, you can add a portable GPS that has all the bells and whistles – such as weather, approach plates, etc. for less than a third of the cost of a certified system. Portable GPS’s can have their power hard wired to the plane and they can have mounts that are permanently attached to the plane without changing their “portable” status, making them just as useful and available as their certified counterparts.

The next installment will cover the different types and models.

Clear skies and tailwinds!
Mike

The Day the Music Died

This week marks the 50th anniversary of the plane crash that killed Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. Richardson (the Big Bopper), along with their pilot died when the Beech Bonanza they were flying in crashed in bad weather. There's an excellent write up on the AOPA Website.

Reviewing accidents is not some morose exercise, but a good way to learn from the mistakes of others.

Clear skies and tailwinds!
Mike

Busy Week

It’s been a busy week around here as I prepare for my company’s first trade show. We’ll be at the Dallas Market Hall on February 27 & 28 for the Small Business Expo. I hope to meet lots of business people and get them excited about what private aviation can do for their businesses!

Of course, because of all the prep I have not had time to write a review this week. However, I have thought about what to cover on future installments. So you can look forward to:

• New versus Used Airplanes


• Personal ownership versus Company ownership


• Portable GPS comparisons


• Aviation Gadgets


• Giving back to the community

See you next week – clear skies and tailwinds!
Mike