Jeppesen UK / European Approach Plates on Garmin 795?

[Peter Mundy]

Of course you can also print the JeppView plates as PDF and load them into the 795 without problem

[ArcherII]

Hey Peter,

Yes, agreed, and I was going to do that, but two things. 1) The 795 doc viewer doesn't allow you to sort files into any order, so you'd have to scroll through all your documents to find the right one (not ideal in flight), 2) you'd lose any integration with the nav.

Apparently, item 1 is going to be fixed in a software update, so that might end up a good interim solution.

[peterh337]

Yeah, you make a valid point, but I guess it's a little like saying 'why bother having your contacts on your phone, when you just need a paper contact book'. I'm sure we could all 'manage' this way, but it doesn't mean it's the nicest/easiest, etc.

My concern was mostly concerning the backup scenario.

Unless you are flying in bright lighting conditions (which unfortunately is often the case in high altitude IFR) then a device with a good LCD provides a usable approach plate display.

If your phone loses its contacts book or packs up altogether, it's not going to affect you when you are airborne. It might be a hassle on the ground but that's different. Most of us use stuff on the ground which we would never rely on for critical in-flight functions (e.g. laptops). That why (don't laugh) on long trips I bring a spare phone (Nokia E51) and a backup of its whole config on the laptop. Also (don't laugh) I chuck a backup laptop in the boot, where it stays.

In addition, it's a lot less hassle to keep them up to date on an electronic device.

Absolutely so, but printing them out is not related to the updating process.

[Hum]

Not sure why Archer 2 isn't just using the GARMIN430W fitted to the panel of his aircraft........If the database is up to date it's got every approach plate on the planet in it .....

Am I missing something? How do you get plates on a 4/530? I am aware that one can load sids, stars and an approach in a flight plan, but plates... don't think so..

[ArcherII]

Well, I can say, that after a world of pain, and small boat of cash, I now have approach plates on my 795.

For those who want to do the same, this is the step by step process :

1) Go to fly.garmin.com - log in and buy the Jeppesen ChartView Unlock Key ( $500 )
2) Phone Jeppesen customer support (forget the website), and ask them for the following data service :
"GARMIN AERA 796/795 ELECTRONIC CHARTS"
It looks like the product code might be G796SW
They may well tell you this product doesn't exist, or is only available in the US, but this is not true, as I have it running right here on my 795.
3) Download their (awful - sorry Jeppesen, but it really is) Jeppesen Service Update Manager, which they sometimes call JSUM, just to be a little more confusing.
4) Log into JSUM using your username and password from the website - your username is actually your email address!
5) You should then get a screen with a white box in it telling what services you've subscribed to. If this comes up telling you to call a US phone number, call them, and tell them that you services have not been set-up properly.
6) Once sorted, you should have "GARMIN AERA 796/795 ELECTRONIC CHARTS" listed as a service, with a Cycle Date, and "Updated Remaining" = 1. And if you click it, then at the bottom of this application, there should be a Current Selection Status window telling you your JeppView Serial Number, and saying that the service is ready to download.
7) Put an SD card (if not already in there) into the 795, and connect it (using the main usb port on the body of the device) to your PC.
Wait until you get some windows (assuming you're not on a mac) pop ups saying you can browse the SD card, and make sure you can browse to the SD card from your PC>
9) On JSUM press "START", then browse to the SD card (for me, it had to be onto the SD card, and not directly onto the device). The window at the bottom of JSUM should change to "Downloading (0%)", and should rise, downloading the package.
Once finished it should start "programming" the SD card, and should eventually say "Programming successful".
10) Unplug your 795 and if you don't get a window pop up telling that your charts are installed and an OK button, try removing and re inserting your SD card.
11) To test if it's working, click on an airfield you know to have an approach plate, then click the rectangular button underneath the map to browse to that facility, then the TERPs button should be activated, to the right of Info, Freq and Directory. Clicking it should bring up all the plates.

Couldn't be easier!!

[ArcherII]

PS. I will say this. A chap called Charles at Jeppesen customer support was so extremely helpful, so credit where credit is due.

[WAPflyer]

Thanks for your posting. Very helpful.

You say "approach plates", so I'm assuming you have the IFR service. Did Charles mention their VFR aerodrome service (similar to, but much better than the Pooley's Flight Guide) ? Do you know if that is available yet too?

Thanks in advance

Howard

p.s. For the record, there is no version of JSUM for Mac OSX yet. One has to run Windows to get the download.

[ArcherII]

Hi Howard,

Sorry I don't know. I'll send an email and try to find out.

[peterh337]

Good post Archer.

You should put it on a website so many others can benefit from your sweat and blood; something which I am extremely familiar with after dealing with Jepps "customer" "service" which at the UK end comprises of a certain female employee to whose PC emails go and she loses a lot of them; she also likes to reply anonymously which is a particularly disgusting form of corporate behaviour I ended up with about 30 emails trying to buy their Raster Charts CD. I once phoned them up and asked for "the person calling herself Customer Service Representative" and she hung up the phone

I had a look at the 795 in my local pilot shop today. The display looks OK but I have to say that at my grand old age (54) I would not be able to read a Jepp plate of that size. And Jepps were cleverly designed to render readably on an 800x600 LCD, which all the old tablets were ~10 years ago. I would have to get bifocals. Presumably you are a youngster But wait till you get to 45 Or perhaps you have bifocals?

[ArcherII]

Hey Peter.

Yeah, you do indeed need to zoom in a bit to read them properly. Not ideal, but you can clearly read the profiles without having to scroll around and the pinch zoom makes it very easy. I'm honesty delighted with the 795.

[WAPflyer]

...and what area of coverage did you subscribe to?

H

[ArcherII]

UK and Ireland. And will upgrade for a month when I'm going further afield.

[WAPflyer]

i.e. can you see the plane on the procedure plates as you fly the procedures?

[Peter Mundy]

yes - but not on SIDS and STARS

[ArcherII]

OK, the helpful Charles at Jeppesen has confirmed that the VFR charts are not yet available, which it sounds like may be to do with a specific type of database used by Garmin, but that they are working on getting them released asap.

Re the "plane on the charts". I hadn't realised this, but noticed yesterday that the plane does indeed appear on the charts, so it looks like they're georeferenced. Typically though, this just made me disappointed that you didn't have another plane on the vertical profile!! (never satisfied!).