WAAS GPS | XM Weather | Approach Overlay | 3D Terrain | Terrain Alert | Traffic Avoidance | EAI | Charts_
  Approach Charts | Flight Planning | Fastest Flight Level | Fuel Price Search | Taxi Positioning | Database Updates

 
 
Garmin 496 & 396 Vs Flight Cheetah FL 190 Comparison  
  View Live Video Demonstrations Here
 
How does the Flight Cheetah FL 190 with XM Weather compare with the Garmin 496 and or 396? Here is a side by side comparison in 4 major areas.  
1. Actual Cost      
What is the actual cost of ownership of the Garmin 496, 396 and Flight Cheetah FL 190?
Cost Comparison    
    Flight Cheetah FL 190 & XM Weather   Garmin 496   Garmin 396
Display Cost   $2,495.00   $2,795.00   $2,195.00
* Annual Navaid Data Subscription   $199.00   $720.00 !   $490.00
Total Cost 1st year   $2,694.00   $3,515.00   $2,685.00
 
* With more than a 350% higher annual subscription cost how does the Garmin 496 data updates compare with the Flight Cheetah's? Click here to find out.  
2. Screen Size          
All the technology in the world is of no use if its not easy to use. Over the years, more and more information has been added to moving map screens yet many displays are no larger than they were 10 years ago.  The Garmin 496 display is approximately 6.9 square inches, only the size of a standard business card. Throw in even a little turbulence, and you can easily see how challenging it can be.  The FL 190 screen is a little more than 21 square inches, approximately 204% larger.  Hardware dimensions for the Garmin 496 are 5.7 " W x 3.2" H x 1.9" D and for the Flight Cheetah FL 190 they are 5.7 " W x 9.0" H x 1.0" D.    
3. Cables          
No one likes lots of cables in the cockpit, so how do the systems rate?   
Click here to see        
4. Features          
Both systems are portable Multi-Function-Displays, so how many functions do they really perform?  Or in other words, how much useful information are they really going to provide for you in flight?     
A comparison of 22 separate features between the two displays gives the Garmin 496 the advantage in 3 areas and the Flight Cheetah the advantage in 12 areas with 7 other areas that both share a particular feature.  Graph refers to Garmin 396 which has the same screen size as 496    
Comparison of Garmin 496, 396 & Flight Cheetah FL 190  
       

Garmin 496

  

Flight Cheetah FL 190

  

Garmin 396

  
         
Web Connectivity  

 

  

 

      
     

Not Available on the Garmin 496

  

Available on Flight Cheetah

   Not Available  on the Garmin 396  
You can seamlessly transition from getting your pre flight information to flying with a moving map in the cockpit with the same display .  The Flight Cheetah has Wi-Fi wireless connectivity so you can access  information online from your hotel room or among the growing list of FBO's with Wi-Fi wireless connectivity.    
Route Planning              
  Both displays have flight planning as well as allowing for modification of flight plans.   Available on Garmin 496   Available on Flight Cheetah   Available on Garmin 396  
Taxi Way Positioning              
  You can view your current position on the taxiways from the NOS US airport diagrams. This is particularly helpful at unfamiliar airports.    Available on the Garmin 496   Available on Flight Cheetah  

Not Available on the Garmin 396

 
WAAS GPS              
  Both displays benefit from WAAS accuracy. The Flight Cheetah uses this added increase in altitude accuracy to provide altitude alerts during the approach phase.   Available on Garmin 496   Available on Flight Cheetah   Available on Garmin 396  
Contour Terrain Mapping              
  Both provide contour terrain mapping and allow you to overlay your navigational data on top of the map.   Available on Garmin 496   Available on Flight Cheetah   Available on Garmin 396  
Airways              
      Not Available on the Garmin 496   Available on Flight Cheetah   Not Available on the Garmin 396  
High and Low enroute Airways are available on the moving map screen.  You can also set enroute altitude alert to immediately alert you if you deviate from a given altitude.  
Terrain Alert Mapping              
  Both displays provide a terrain alert map. In addition they monitor your current position in relation to surrounding terrain to provide an alert.   Available on Garmin 496   Available on Flight Cheetah   Available on Garmin 396  
Obstacle Alert Mapping              
  Both displays monitor  approximately 100,000 towers in the US  providing automatic alerts.   Available on Garmin 496   Available on Flight Cheetah   Available on Garmin 396  
Approach Overlay              
      Not Available on the Garmin 496   Available on Flight Cheetah   Not Available on the Garmin 396  
The Flight Cheetah displays provide a complete overlay of all segments of the approach.  The Garmin 496 will only show you the FAF and the MAP, nothing else. Neither system is certified for IFR approaches.  
Displays Approach Segments with Altitudes              
      Not Available on the Garmin 496   Available on Flight Cheetah   Not Available on the Garmin 396  
The Flight Cheetah displays altitudes of the segments associated with an approach, including Low Altitude Alert Indicator if you deviate from your minimum altitude.  
Electronic Approach Plates, SIDs & STARs  

 

  

 

      
  Flight Cheetah displays over 12,000 NOS digital approach plates.  Easy toggle mode allows you to quickly view your approach chart in enlarged screen view.  SIDs, STARs and taxi diagrams are included.   Not Available on the Garmin 496   Available on Flight Cheetah   Not Available on the Garmin 396    
Holding Patterns & DME Arcs                
  When the workload is at its highest having all this information right in front of you makes all the difference in the world.   Not Available on the Garmin 496   Available on Flight Cheetah

 

   Not Available on the Garmin 396    
High & Low Altitude Enroute Chart Overlays                
      Not Available on the Garmin 496   Available on Flight Cheetah

($99.00 Option)

   Not Available on the Garmin 396    
High & Low Enroute Chart Overlays display your current position on the chart. You can even overlay live weather on top of the chart.  Enroute Chart overlays are planned for Q2 2006.    
Enroute Altitude Deviation Alert                
  Altitude deviation functions off of WAAS GPS altitude providing a visual alert deviation reminder of which altitude and direction to maintain.   Not Available on the Garmin 496   Available on Flight Cheetah   Not Available on the Garmin 396    
XM Data Link Weather                
      Available on Garmin 496   Available on Flight Cheetah   Available on Garmin 396    
Both displays provide XM satellite weather and allow you to display live weather over your navigational information.    
Pilot Log                
Pilot Log

 
 

An automatic logbook also calculates flight time and automatically records departure and arrival locations.

   Available on Garmin 496   Not Available on the Flight Cheetah   Available on Garmin 396    
Com Link                
      Not Available on the Garmin 496   Available on Flight Cheetah   Not Available on the Garmin 396    
Have you ever wished you could hear that last clearance again? In busy airspace, you may not get a chance to ask the controller to repeat it. Imagine how nice it will be to replay that clearance, or even radio calls from other aircraft. Com Link gives you an instant playback of missed communications. Available Q2 2007.    
XM Radio                
   

Receives XM Satellite Radio’s 130-plus audio channels with additional subscription.

   Available on Garmin 496   Not Available on the Flight Cheetah   Available on Garmin 396    
Artificial Horizon                
 

The optional artificial horizon is a fully functioning 3-axis attitude indicator based on an independently powered solid-state-accelerometers. 

  Not Available on the Garmin 496   Available on Flight Cheetah

($795.00 Option)

   Not Available on the Garmin 396    
Traffic Alert                
  Both displays interface with traffic, giving you direction, altitude and distance of other traffic. The two systems provide quite different coverage.
  Available on Garmin 496

($4,995.00 Option)

 

   Available on Flight Cheetah

($1,995.00 Option)

 

   Available on Garmin 496

($4,995.00 Option)

 

    
To View areas of coverage for the Garmin 496 TIS interface Click here   To view areas of coverage for the Flight Cheetah XRX Click here    
Fastest Flight Level Search                
      Not Available on the Garmin 496   Available on Flight Cheetah   Not Available on the Garmin 396    
The Fastest Flight level Search automatically computes the fastest flight level based on the latest XM weather data link winds for each level.  It also automatically computes, based on your aircraft's performance, the flight level that will save you the most fuel as well as the most time.    
Electronic E6B                
 

Garmin electronic E6B calculator allows you to manually calculate winds aloft, density altitude and true airspeed.

   Available on Garmin 496   Not Available on the Flight Cheetah   Available on Garmin 396    
Auto Search Cheapest Fuel Prices                
      Not Available on the Garmin 496   Available on Flight Cheetah   Not Available on the Garmin 396    
Updated at the rate of 50 FBO's every weekday, Cheapest fuel price search automatically displays the cheapest fuel prices for your route of flight. The auto scrolling display feature quickly shows you the cheapest fuel price along your route.    
Marine Compatible                 
  Navigate while viewing your current position on on marine charts.   Many Options Available on Garmin 496.  View here   Many Options Available on Flight Cheetah View here   Many Options Available on Garmin 396.  View here    
Auto Street Atlas  Compatible                
  Navigate unfamiliar areas.  Find any street address while viewing your current position with easy to use voice commands.   Many Options Available on Garmin 496.  View here   Many Options Available on Flight Cheetah View here   Many Options Available on Garmin 396.  View here    
4. Upgradeability and Value        
Comparing both companies over the years reveals different philosophies for its portable products.  The Garmin portable display philosophy can best be summed up by the 196, 296, 496 model.  Each product introduced represents an incremental improvement, but requires the replacement of the entire display.  Aside from providing small software upgrades, the day a new portable Garmin GPS is introduced it is essentially in an "end of life phase" of planned obsolescence. This can get expensive.  
What do Garmin customers say who own a Flight Cheetah?   Click here to find out.  
Garmin 196 WAAS Introduced at $1,049.00  
Garmin 296 Terrain Introduced at $1,795.00  
Garmin 396 XM Weather Introduced at $2,495.00  
Garmin 496 Taxiways & faster processor Introduced at $2,795.00  
Since 1998, the Flight Cheetah line has brought 7 general aviation firsts to market, including 1st portable MFD and 1st satellite data link weather. The Flight Cheetah's software has always supported upgrades as new functions become available, without requiring the purchase of another flight display. This means you do not have to make a decision of either spending a lot more money to bring the latest technologies into the cockpit or going without.  
   
We have attempted to make this comparison as accurate and complete as possible, if you find anything important missing please send comments to Sales@aviationsafety.com  
Garmin is a registered trademark of Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries.  
            

 

 

 

 

 

Copyright 2008 | True Flight, Inc.