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	18234 - Garmin GPSMAP 496
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Product Rating:     Date Posted: 2006-11-16 09:38:37

Garmin GPS 496

Posted By: Anonymous

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Comments: I recently purchased a GPS 496. I especially like the airspace alerts, terrain alerts, TFR depictions, AOPA directory, and taxiway diagrams (you can't get lost on a large airport!). On a recent IFR flight, I was able to circumnavigate numerous thunderstorms using the 496 and look hundreds of miles ahead to see what the weather was doing along my route. Using the METAR informnation, I was able to tell what the weather was at my destination and anywhere in between (visibility, ceiling, surface winds, etc.). The storm cell movement direction information allowed me to estimate if a cell would move across my planned route at the time I would be there. With this information, I could tell how much to deviate left or right of course to miss the cell. The NEXRAD radar depiction showed the formation, growth, movement, and dissipation of thunderstorms and seemed to be very accurate when compared to my present position, even though it might have been 5 minutes old. Overall, I see the GPS 496 as a valuable in-flight tool because of the large amount of information available to the pilot. I give the GPS 496 the highest rating for a hand-held GPS.