"Allen" wrote in message
. ..

"Steve Foley" wrote in message
news:68Ijj.10440$ac7.7748@trndny03...

I'll probably look around for a lightly used 295. There's a
manufacturing
defect in the Pilot III's that made all of the screens shrink. They were
perfectly usable ten years ago, now they're all too small


If I were you I would look for a 296. The 295 does not have a built-in
ability to charge the batteries. If you lose the ship's electrical power
you have only the remaining battery life. The 296 will charge the
batteries
while in use; if you lose the ship's power you should still have fully
charged batteries.

I have a 295 and that is the only drawback between the two. I use ni-cads
and have to remember to charge them between use.

295s are selling for $250 to $500 on Ebay. 296s are $900 to $1100. I can
sneak a $500 purchase by she-who-must-be-obeyed. $1000 would generate
questions.

Keeping a package of Duracells in the plane is a cheap fix.