Quit whining and learn how to use the thing! You have had it three years
now and still haven't learned the following:

1) Press the NRST button
2) Bump the rocker switch on tab to the right (WX)
3) Scroll down the list of closest airports and select any with the
flag indicating there is a METAR.

That's a great feature to use when you're in familiar territory. On a long
cross-country flight, however, it's pretty much useless, since "nearest"
might (and probably will) bring up an airport that's no where near your
course line. Hell, it might even be behind you, which doesn't do you a
tinker's damn worth of good when you're flying toward deteriorating
conditions.

Face it -- it's a stupid box, with a stupidly slow processor. The 496
COULD be awesome, but Garmin hasn't done a thing to improve it in several
years -- nor will they, until some other manufacturer forces their hand.

Mark my words -- as soon as AvMap (or ANYONE) comes out with a GPS with
integrated weather, the new Garmin 596 (or whatever they call it) will
address every one of the issues we're discussing.

Until then, why spend the money on R&D? As a stockholder, Garmin's approach
makes perfect sense. As a user, it sucks.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
Ercoupe N94856
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"