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Unexpected charting expense

kbalch

kbalch

Well Known Member
As part of my SnF vendor visiting mission yesterday, I stopped in to Jeppesen to get a chart package quote for the panel I'll be installing in my -14A.

Imagine my surprise (shock, horror, etc.) to learn that the GTN-750 will require a $2K "unlock" fee in order to run the Jepp charts (unlike the two G3X units). I immediately ran over to check with Garmin whose reps, after some internal consultation, confirmed the situation. They were sympathetic and one of their guys, an RV-10 builder himself, unofficially agreed with my assessment that this is a purely punitive fee, born of the corporate competition between the charting products of Jepp & Garmin, and designed to encourage/force people to use the Garmin charts.

BTW, Stein's guys had also never heard of this Garmin unlock fee for the GTN.

So, given that my choices are to pay the $2K unlock fee to Garmin for the privilege of then paying the annual ~$1K subscription fee to Jepp, or simply acclimating myself to the Garmin charts after all, my plan right now is to do the latter. Less than ideal, but it is what it is.

I figured that this was worth reporting here, in case it might factor into anyone's avionics decision matrix.
 
I think Jep makes a nice chart as well, Foreflight gets $200 to have access so I just continue to use the free gov. charts which work fine for me.
 
kbalch said:
As part of my SnF vendor visiting mission yesterday, I stopped in to Jeppesen to get a chart package quote for the panel I'll be installing in my -14A.

Imagine my surprise (shock, horror, etc.) to learn that the GTN-750 will require a $2K "unlock" fee in order to run the Jepp charts (unlike the two G3X units). I immediately ran over to check with Garmin whose reps, after some internal consultation, confirmed the situation. They were sympathetic and one of their guys, an RV-10 builder himself, unofficially agreed with my assessment that this is a purely punitive fee, born of the corporate competition between the charting products of Jepp & Garmin, and designed to encourage/force people to use the Garmin charts.

BTW, Stein's guys had also never heard of this Garmin unlock fee for the GTN.

So, given that my choices are to pay the $2K unlock fee to Garmin for the privilege of then paying the annual ~$1K subscription fee to Jepp, or simply acclimating myself to the Garmin charts after all, my plan right now is to do the latter. Less than ideal, but it is what it is.

I figured that this was worth reporting here, in case it might factor into anyone's avionics decision matrix.
Click to expand...

So $2k to unlock then $1k a year for Jepps compared to how much for the government charts on Garmin?
 
[ed. Vendor bashing sentence removed. Please read the posting rules, folks. Pretty please. v/r,dr]

We can only hope that just like Garmin came out with the G3X as a result of competition from companies like Dynon, the long awaited experimental IFR GPS navigators will bring sanity to such abusive business practices.

Until then I will continue to get the free navigation, obstacle and terrain database updates from Dynon for the SkyView displays, and a subscription for the GTN-650 NAV only database for flying IFR approaches ($299/year for the US). For me there is no practical gain to buy the full navigation, obstacle and terrain updates for the GTN-650.

Carl
 
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Like Carl, I only buy the Garmin nav database for my 650 so I can fly legal ifr and approaches. I use the free Dynon charts for the Skyview, but mostly depend on Foreflight on my ipad for charting. I also subscribe to the basic package from Garmin for Garmin Pilot, since I have a GDL-50 in the plane and use the Flightstream 510 to update the 650 databases. Doesn't break the bank and I have lots of backup
 
I actually prefer the dynon charts to a sectional. Having all the sectional stuff on the screen is way to cluttered.

Run the sectional on the I pad and nav off the dynon chart.

Bob burns
Rv-4 n82rb
 
If you think this is bad, wait until you need charting for travel outside the USA. Canadian charting carries a ridiculous cost, whether it's on ForeFlight or Garmin or Jepp-supported devices.
 
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I too was shocked when I made the “discovery” about the $2k unlock. Funny isn’t it how they make all this so hard to figure out? I’m grounded now due to the XP-400 buyback but when I get back in the air I plan to use my iPad for charts. Using Garmin Pilot, $150 for a US Premium subscription and $200 for a Jeppesen CONUS USA & Hawaii chart subscription I can have all the bells and whistles and JEPP charts on my iPad for $350 a year. I prefer looking at charts on the iPad anyway. The GTN750 is a bit clumsy when it comes to looking at charts in my opinion.

[ed. Jeffrey, also look at the Fltplan.com Go app. I use GP and have the chart subscription for it, but I also keep a copy of FltPlan on my iPad with EVERY HIGH/LOW/PROCEDURE CHART IN AMERICA ON IT.

The cost for the app and updates? Nothing. It's free. URL: http://imageserver.fltplan.com/ipad/FltPlanGoTutorial/fltplanGo.html v/r,dr]
 
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Canadian_JOY said:
If you think this is bad, wait until you need charting for travel outside the USA. Canadian charting carries a ridiculous cost, whether it's on ForeFlight or Garmin or Jepp-supported devices.
Click to expand...

Or it's free, if you use FltPlanGo on an iPad, Android, or Windows tablet.
 
Snowflake said:
Or it's free, if you use FltPlanGo on an iPad, Android, or Windows tablet.
Click to expand...

I use FltplanGo in addition to WingX. Hopefully now that Garmin bought FltplanGo those free benefits won't disappear since it competes directly with their other apps and products.
 
Snowflake said:
Or it's free, if you use FltPlanGo on an iPad, Android, or Windows tablet.
Click to expand...

Agree entirely - FltPlanGO is what I use for both VFR and IFR charts because it is FREE...

BUT - as I mentioned in my post, Jepp chart data for my GRT EFIS equipment is definitely NOT free. Likewise for the IFR data for my GNS480 navigator - can't get that data anywhere else and certainly not for free, darn it.

If I was expected to buy chart data to display on a panel-mount GPS navigator, particularly if it came with a $2K unlock fee, I'd be telling Jepp where they could stuff their charts!
 
Canadian_JOY said:
If I was expected to buy chart data to display on a panel-mount GPS navigator, particularly if it came with a $2K unlock fee, I'd be telling Jepp where they could stuff their charts!
Click to expand...

Exactly right. Despite almost 30 years of using Jepp charts - and being shocked and resentful of Garmin's attempt to hold me up for that unlock fee - I'll be going with their charting product.

Remember: the punitive, manipulative $2K fee is Garmin's. In my case, it completely achieved its objective of sidetracking my desire to buy the Jepp chart subscription. Of course, that also saves me the ~$1K/yr. Jepp fee.

While I do fly with an iPad, I much prefer to have geo-referenced low-alt plates and approach charts on my panel-mount avionics. That's why I went with the larger screen of the GTN-750 vs. the -650 in the first place. If someone had told me about Garmin's $2K unlock fee (Stein should have known and communicated this fact!!), I would've saved $4K on my panel. As it is, I'm stuck with both the -750 and the non-Jepp charts.

Not happy at the moment...
 
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