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Garmin SportPac

D

DeltaHotel

Member
One of the items listed in the Engine/Propeller/Instrument package is the Garmin SportPac. I have googled and looked on Garmin website and have had no luck in finding what items are included in the Sport Pack. I am hoping that the GPS is not the 496. I think the 496 is over kill for the RV-12. I would prefer the 495 or 396. I also like the 327 transponder and the Transcal encoder. Maybe Van will offer some choices on these items. But if he is going to furnish the wiring harness, choices may not be possible.
Delta Hotel
S/N 027
Waiting for wing kit!
 
DeltaHotel said:
One of the items listed in the Engine/Propeller/Instrument package is the Garmin SportPac. I have googled and looked on Garmin website and have had no luck in finding what items are included in the Sport Pack. I am hoping that the GPS is not the 496. I think the 496 is over kill for the RV-12. I would prefer the 495 or 396. I also like the 327 transponder and the Transcal encoder. Maybe Van will offer some choices on these items. But if he is going to furnish the wiring harness, choices may not be possible.
Delta Hotel
S/N 027
Waiting for wing kit!
Click to expand...

I belive that it was a 496 that is installed currently. With the unfortunate cost increases for the Rotax, I would hope that Van's would do an "economy" package - using an MGL engine monitor and either some basic steam or MGL Alt/Airspeed/etc. gauges. No need for Gyro/artificial Horizon type stuff. Add that to a Icom Radio, a cheaper Transponder, and a Lowrance 2000C, and you will save a bundle and still have a very capable VFR flyer. But maybe that'll be for the E-AB builders to do.

On the issue of the "sportpac" I couldn't find any reference to it either. My question for the experts is since the GPS is technically a portable or not a fixed part of the panel... would you have to install a 496... or could you use a 296 without violating the E-LSA parameter? DJ
 
Garmin Sport Pack includes the following:
GPSMPA - 496 w/ Panel Doc
SL-40 Com
TX-327 Transponder

What I don't get is why they include the 327 and not the 320? Granted the 327 is a nice transponder but for a plane that will mostly be flown VFR and clear of class Bravo airspace, it will probably spend 90% of its time on 1200.

As for why the 496? It has some very nice features the others don't have and it integrates very well with the Dynon.

A few of the features I have really come to appreciate as a VFR pilot is the weather. That feature will let you plan an route, such as heading north from SnF last week. It allowed me to miss most of the rain.

The other thing that I really like is the vertical navigation feature. Humming along at 8,500' and it tells you when to start letting down for your airport. Even better is the glide slope display on the Dynon. The 496 defaults to 500 FPM decent rate but you can change that, if you like.

The other nice feature that I have used more than I thought I ever would is the ability to pop the 496 out of the plane and use it to find a hotel or restaurant once you are driving around a strange town.

Again, my recommendation would be to keep the 496 as it is worth every dime and dump the 327.

Here is one thought. Since the 496 is not part of the plane, the docking station is, why can't you use any x96 you want?
 
The 327 plays very nice with the Dynon, 1 wire to use the integrated encoder. Subract the cost of a harness and encoder and it gets pretty close to a wash.
 
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