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Anyone ever RENTED a GPS with XM?

I am considering renting a 496 with XM for Sun and Fun...anyone have any good/bad experiences? Recommendations?

Thought I'd try this.

MM

Mike, I'll bet a club member will be willing to loan you one for the trip. You selflessly do so much for this club, and the energy that surrounds it.

If I had one, I'd offer it to ya.

Your more than welcome to borrow my Airmap 500!

...It's all I got.

I've seen them advertised for rent here...
http://www.airpowerinc.com/promo3.htm

Good luck

Tracy,

DID consider that....looks HUGE for a 150! However...will reconsider it! Thanks!

MM

Thanks Mark, will check it out...might be a good way to find the one I really like.

I don't have a very fancy GPS; nor do I have WX - don't need it most of the time, so that is why I would only rent one for a month or two.

MM

I would love to find a place to rent a WX receiver for my AV8OR just for the Clinton trip.

Ron,

Crazy as this sounds, I can use my smartphone as a radar and for all TAFs and all current AWOS/ASOS readings from airorts along my routes. There are a combination of apps that allow me to do this for free.

I even have the power adaptor to keep it charged, and if I am not too busy, can text a simple ETA to folks meeting me simultaneously. (I have also been known to order pizza from the air, and have it waiting at FBOs!)

While not nearly as good as XM weather, and totally unsuitable for any flying in "real" weather, the functions are "good enough" for flying day VFR and have served me well the last year commuting to/from work every week.

Someday I will get a GPS with all the bells and whistles - but not ready just yet! The S+F trip is nearly 2000 miles of flying - 20 hours or so. I will explore some options.

MM

Mike,

When I came over there in 09 I had the use of Royson 696 on the control yoke of the Cardinal. To be honest, it didn't seem that big and fitted between the standard cessna yoke without any trouble at all.

I sat, that is, had the seat and me, in around the same position from the yoke as I would have had it had I been in a 150 - I'd imagine the view and position of the unit wouldn't been any real different had I actually been sitting in a 150 at the time.

After using it, I'd have a 696 (or in my case a 695) tomorrow if I could, its only the expence to buy one due to the fact that I had purchased a 495 a short time earlier that stopped me from going out and getting one

My suggestion would be, give the 696 a go

Cheers

Thanks Matt - that is in fact looking like a good option! I watched the demo on that GPS last night on the Sporty's page. The salesman was very convincing, but then it's like waving pizza in my face...

They go for $89 a month, which is really not too bad. Not sure if this includes WX (probably not).

MM

Mike,

Matt kind of beat me too it but I was going to say that a friend of mine got the 696 for his Cessna 182 that he has asked me to put some hours on for him. We went for a FAM flight and that was the first time I'd seen a 696 in person. The thing that struck me and surprised me right from the start was - It's really not that big! From only seeing photos or pictures on line I had pictured something the size of a tablet PC or even a lap top. But it really isn't very big or very heavy and would fit just fine on a Yoke if that is where you wanted to put it. In the 182 he had put it on a Ram floor mount in front of and between the seats. In practice I think his arrangement puts it in the way of the Throttle Quadrant, but heck... It's not my plane it's his and he can do whatever he wants (I just wont have it there when I'm flying it.).

From what my friend was telling me there are a few unadvertised hidden fees with the 696. For example - He was not pleased to find out after purchasing a GPS for nearly $3,000 that he had to then pay several hundred dollars more to Activate it!