I use this as a yoke-mounted GPS on an almost daily basis. It's very easy to use yet it also offers all sorts of advanced features. The routes are perfect! You do need to update it via pc everytime the sectionals change, but even that is pretty simplified. One of the features that I love is that it keeps track of everywhere you've been, both in terms of airports and your exact flight path. I'm a rancher and a pilot, so having that line to help me remember exactly where I spotted something is a great help. The terrain warnings are pretty accurate from what I have seen, although I am not going to get close enough to a tower to give you a precise answer. This GPS gives you airspace warnings 10 minutes in advance, regardless of distance, and it will offer to route you around them if need be. There's not a one of us who can honestly say they didn't get close to busting some sort of restricted airspace at least once in their flying career. This GPS also allows you to enter in a map marker on the fly literally in a second. This is very helpful when it comes to all the interesting things that we find up there that we want to show our spouses/friends. The instruments it offers are also very quick to respond and are a good way to double check a gauge, save for the altimeter above 6500' in high (6000') density altitude. That being said, never rely solely on these gauges, ignoring what your regular gauges and brain are telling you, it is a backup and only a backup that is only there to slightly assist you.

Above 5500' in Texas with a high density altitude, the altimeter reads about 200' above where you actually are, but you should be watching the altimeter anyway. Once you are on descent it becomes accurate to within a few feet, and I have tested that in a plane with a digital altimeter as well as my analog gauge.

This is a great GPS for those of us that believe that glass cockpits are currently overpriced beyond their usefulness. It should serve pilots of all levels quite well.

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exelent product its very easy to use.

the batery is not what I expect.

How can I use a normal AA battery in this GPS

Many features - good alarming - easy to mark/name locations in flight. Good visibility, low glare. Small footprint, good for in panel mounting. Great to have all the facilities directory info so close at hand.

LI+ battery will only recharge after it becomes less than about one third capacity. It would be nice if it would maintain a more complete charge.

This product is a good blend of the GPSMAP-396 and the GPSMAP-496. It's lower cost makes it a great deal. It was the best choice for my flying.

Nicely packaged.

A better quick reference guide should be produced.

Have not used it in an aircraft as yet. I am still going through the manual.

Aviation and automotive navigation. SafeTaxi diagrams are very helpful. Stick antenna is all I needed on recent trip. Good battery life.

Needed to buy data card to get automotive navigation and download maps onto the card. 512 MB (largest available and most expensive) card will not hold maps for entire U.S., while my NUVI holds entire U.S. and Europe. Needs touch screen as the rocker-button input device is tedious. Had to buy bean-bag mount to be really useful in car and plane.

Pretty good unit, a little pricey, great to be able to use in plane and car.

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Quick set up, easy to use for anyone familiar with flight simulator. Clear screen, mounts to dash and provides a back up set of instruments. Easy to use as a 'heads up display'- you rarely need to lower your eyes which keeps your attention outside the aircraft where it belongs. There is no need to pay extra for features we do not have here in Alaska (like the satellite weather, street guides, etc). Excellent value for the money- top quality features that are used every trip.

Unless I haven't found it, there does not appear to be an option to have a 'split screen' - moving map on one side and hsi on the other for example. Small antenna does not pick up satellites well, the suction cup detached antenna takes care of this with a reasonable view of the sky. No 3d or 'highway in the sky' feature, but those would simply be 'nice to have' items.

Very cool and useful device. Excellent battery life and can be used as a backup instrument panel in an emergency (vac/elect failure). Nice to mount on the seatback in a supercub to give the pilot in the back a clear view of the panel.

You get lost with one of these on board (after spending a few min learning to use it), it is Darwin in action.

My son and I used it to fly our Cessna 150 M from Michigan to Denali Alaska. It proved very helpful in snow, rain and low cloud cover as we negotiated the mountains. The information on the airports who had AVGas and nearby accomodations was excellent. It was accurate, and gave warnings of antennaes sometimes before we could see them in the distance. Well worth the investment.

Other pilot friends who have the 296/396 are jealous. But they are still our friends.

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Simple to use with outstanding aviation features.

So far, none.

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