Garmin Aera vs ATC
The latest ATC clone on the market, the Garmin Aera, certainly deserves a closer look by anyone considering a handheld GPS. After many years resisting the touch screen interface, Garmin has finally yielded to customer demand for this type of device.
The Aera comes in two flavors, the 500 series and the 550 series. The specifications of the Aera 500 series are a nearly perfect match for the AV8OR.
| Screen Size |
4.3" |
4.3" |
4.3" |
4.3" |
| Price |
$850 |
$750 |
$1,650 |
$595 |
| Resolution |
Blocky
WQVGA (480x272) |
Blocky
WQVGA (480x272) |
Blocky
WQVGA (480x272) |
Sharp
WVGA (800x480) |
| Touchscreen |
 |
|
|
|
| Database |
Jepp |
Jepp |
Jepp |
|
| Terrain |
|
|
|
|
| Street Maps |
|
|
|
|
| Obstacles |
|
|
|
|
| Private AP |
|
NO |
|
|
| Airways |
|
NO |
|
|
| Sectionals |
NO |
NO |
NO |
$195* |
| App. Plates |
NO |
NO |
NO |
$195 |
| Taxi Diagram |
NO |
NO |
|
|
| HighRes Topo |
NO |
NO |
|
$195* |
| Airport Dir |
NO |
NO |
|
|
| HSI |
|
NO |
|
|
| VNAV |
NO |
NO |
NO |
|
| VILS |
NO |
NO |
NO |
|
| E-Landing |
NO |
NO |
NO |
|
| Fuel Prices? |
NO |
Limited |
NO |
|
| Cones Safety |
NO |
NO |
NO |
|
| XM Upgrade |
NO |
|
NO |
|
|
(Aera 510=$1495) |
$523 |
(Aera 560=$2200) |
$595 |
| Lifetime Subs |
NO |
NO |
NO |
|
| Annual Updates |
$495 |
$229 |
$495 |
$115 |
*$195 MaxNAV / UltraTAWS upgrade
Obviously the lower end Aera 500 and AV8OR lack many of the standard features of the ATC and cannot be upgraded with sectionals or plates. The closer match to the ATC is the Aera 550 but it's cost is $1155 more than the ATC and is not upgradable to weather. So if you're looking for XM WX you'd have to go with the 560 which is $2200.
One thing that should also be pointed out for is the hidden cost of data updates for the Aera. Many customers find out too late that keeping data up to date will cost $495 a year. We often hear of pilots who forgo updating the data on their Garmin units due to the expense. Flying around with old navigation data doesn't make a lot of sense. Hopefully there aren't very many pilots doing this. In contrast, Anywhere Map data/software annual subscriptions are just $115 per year and lifetime subscriptions are also available.
 Also See the Anywhere SST Duo
• 7" Touch screen
• Built-in GPS
• Pocket Plates 3
• Built-in street navigation
• Optional with XM weather
• Optional UltraTAWS
* Features of this product are protected under US Patent numbers 6,804,585 and 7,167,782. Other patents may be pending. |