Garmin 195...295...296...396....

Mark Hansen wrote:
On 06/01/06 14:15, Robert M. Gary wrote:
I was looking at 2,000 foot T.V. towers the other day. The 296 alarmed
them before I saw them.

It's really a strange feeling flying near those towers even if more than
1000' above them. The thing is they "appear" to be in your airspace while
the rest of the planet "appears" so much further below.

It looks like you're going to trip over them - really makes you want to
keep a safe distance ;-)

Before the days of GPS I'm sure I would never have been able to find
Franklin Field if it weren't for those towers.

-Robert

Dan Luke wrote:
I don't know, but I suspect not. There are also software and hardware
development costs to be covered.

I doubt that has much, if anything, to do with the cost of the 396. In
a free market economy a smart producer will charge what the market will
bear. The cost to "cover" the product only comes into play when
deciding whether or not to produce it, not in determining price.


You can't blame Garmin for charging what the market will bear when they have
a product that everyone wants and there is no competition; that's capitalism.
396s were selling so fast last year, I bet Garmin was wishing they'd priced
them a little higher.

Exactly Garmin knows that everyone has a price they are willing to pay
for the product. By starting prices higher and then lowering them they
are able to charge those that are willing to pay more, more, and those
willing to pay less, less. The concept is referred to as "perfect price
discrimination" in academic circles (the term "discrimination" in this
context not having a negative connotation). Some people mistakenly
believe that new products hit the market with a higher price because
companies are recoving costs, that is not so.

-Robert

On 06/02/06 09:56, Robert M. Gary wrote:
Mark Hansen wrote:
On 06/01/06 14:15, Robert M. Gary wrote:
I was looking at 2,000 foot T.V. towers the other day. The 296 alarmed
them before I saw them.

It's really a strange feeling flying near those towers even if more than
1000' above them. The thing is they "appear" to be in your airspace while
the rest of the planet "appears" so much further below.

It looks like you're going to trip over them - really makes you want to
keep a safe distance ;-)

Before the days of GPS I'm sure I would never have been able to find
Franklin Field if it weren't for those towers.

Well, I was flying out of Executive. From there, you just point the
nose to 150 and wait about 8 minutes ;-)


-Robert




--
Mark Hansen, PP-ASEL, Instrument Airplane
Cal Aggie Flying Farmers
Sacramento, CA

That's not terrain, that's in your obstruction database, which is
separate. And not very reliable.



Robert M. Gary wrote:
I was looking at 2,000 foot T.V. towers the other day. The 296 alarmed
them before I saw them.

Newps wrote:

Robert M. Gary wrote:
Only if you're IFR. I have NavGPS software on my PDA that has terrain
and was really looking forward to it when it came out. Now with all
these hours terrain serves no useful purpose when VFR.

I guess living at the base of the Sierras just gives me a different
priority of features.

-Robert

Newps wrote:
That's not terrain, that's in your obstruction database, which is
separate. And not very reliable.

"Robert M. Gary" wrote:

I don't know, but I suspect not. There are also software and hardware
development costs to be covered.

I doubt that has much, if anything, to do with the cost of the 396.

Sorry, but I guess I don't understand you: the cost to develop and mfr. a
product has little or nothing to do with its selling price?


In
a free market economy a smart producer will charge what the market will
bear. The cost to "cover" the product only comes into play when
deciding whether or not to produce it, not in determining price.

Where's the starting point for pricing?

--
Dan

"Relax; we're cops."
--a cop on "Cops"

"Dan Luke" wrote in message
...

"Robert M. Gary" wrote:

I don't know, but I suspect not. There are also software and hardware
development costs to be covered.

I doubt that has much, if anything, to do with the cost of the 396.

Sorry, but I guess I don't understand you: the cost to develop and mfr. a
product has little or nothing to do with its selling price?


In
a free market economy a smart producer will charge what the market will
bear. The cost to "cover" the product only comes into play when
deciding whether or not to produce it, not in determining price.

Where's the starting point for pricing?

--
Dan

"Relax; we're cops."
--a cop on "Cops"
Real simple.
The start point in pricing for most products is "How much will the market
pay ?"
Then determine what profit can be made relative to manufacture costs.
The more profit the better. If it cost $1 to make, and the market will pay
$100 so be it.
Good companies use high profits wisely, ensuring that some % of the profit
is used to develop the next generation of that product and stay ahead of the
competition.
It is product appeal and competition that ultimately determines the % of
profit not the cost.

-----Original Message-----
From: Roy N5804F ]
Posted At: Friday, June 02, 2006 6:25 PM
Posted To: rec.aviation.owning
Conversation: Garmin 195...295...296...396....
Subject: Garmin 195...295...296...396....


"Dan Luke" wrote in message
...

"Robert M. Gary" wrote:

I don't know, but I suspect not. There are also software and
hardware
development costs to be covered.

I doubt that has much, if anything, to do with the cost of the 396.

Sorry, but I guess I don't understand you: the cost to develop and
mfr.
a
product has little or nothing to do with its selling price?


In
a free market economy a smart producer will charge what the market
will
bear. The cost to "cover" the product only comes into play when
deciding whether or not to produce it, not in determining price.

Where's the starting point for pricing?

--
Dan

"Relax; we're cops."
--a cop on "Cops"
Real simple.
The start point in pricing for most products is "How much will the
market
pay ?"
Then determine what profit can be made relative to manufacture costs.
The more profit the better. If it cost $1 to make, and the market will
pay
$100 so be it.
Good companies use high profits wisely, ensuring that some % of the
profit
is used to develop the next generation of that product and stay ahead
of
the
competition.
It is product appeal and competition that ultimately determines the %
of
profit not the cost.


[Jim Carter] Also know as "value pricing"
[Jim Carter]

Anyone hear anything about what's coming
down the pike next? Seems about 2 year intervals for these portables.


Check out http://www.aviationsafety.com/products.htm They have the Flight
Cheetah and it has some features that the Garmin 396 does not and I think is
very useful. Like IFR Low Alt. overlay, MEA's, the FULL IFR approach, puts
your airplane on the airport taxiways for ground navigation. I don't know
about all of you but I get more lost on the ground they I ever do in the
air., fastest flight level, cheapest AV fuel search, touch screen, etc.

And how about this featu it has a Satellite overlay of the ground below.
So at night with a forced landing, you may be able to put it down in an open
field without needing to see it. Could be a life saver.

It also has an Electronic Attitude Indicator which automatically monitors
your pitch and roll. If you exceed certain parameters that would not be
expected in IFR flight you automatically receive an alert on your display
with the EAI in the corner of your screen. This instant notification
provides you with plenty of time to recover, before it develops into a
serious situation.

I have the 396, but I've been thinking about switching. Further, I bet you
the next Garmin (486 or 387) will have a touch screen...please god...a touch
screen!!!!

Kobra

Can you turn the subscription on and off?


Yes, but there is a 75.00 startup/setup fee. You might have to pay that
plus the one month each time you turn it on. That said, they told me that I
could get the 29.99 one and if I needed to I could upgrade to the 49.99 one
"once in a while", but if I did it too much they might stop allowing that
courtesy.

Kobra