Thread: Garmin 696

Garmin has announced the 696. Details here and here.

It doesn't have any dimensions. I figure it will probably fit into a dock that is standard avionics stack width (6.25") and wind up being about 5~6" tall. They are saying 7" diagonal screen, which is MUCH larger than the 396/496.

Hopefully there is enough room in the CT stack to mount this above the SL40/G327 package that is so popular.



Doug

Update:

Garmin lists the size of the unit as 5.7"W by 7.7"H by 2"D. This is the same width as the smaller x96 series, so it should fit into a panel dock.

I emailed Airgizmos, who makes a popular dock for the smaller x96 series (and I believe is the one used by FDUSA). They indicated that they were going to make a dock for the 696.

Now, as for whether it will fit into the CT: The SW appears to have about 9.3" of height available in the center panel (not sure about the LS). I base this on looking at the panel of 537CT (see below), which has a GMX200 MFD (5"H), a G430W( 2.65") and a G330 (1.65"), and that pretty much goes from the bottom up to the carb heat. That's 9.3". So, assuming that the dock adds about 1/2" of height (about like the existing dock), then we're talking 8.2". The SL30/40 are both 1.3"H, so it would be a tight fit to have the SL30/40 under (or over) the 696. The XPDR would have to live somewhere else. If you had an analog panel, it could be moved to the right side and the engine instruments moved around.

Another possibility is to use a RAM mount to hold it in front of the avionics stack and have it extend slightly above the glarescreen. It makes the carb heat and cabin heat hard to get to, but doesn't require lots of movement of avionics.

As a general idea of size, here's a quick-and-dirty mashup, using 537CT as a template (sorry):



Doug

There doesn't look to be enough space to place it as your picture shows. Hope I'm wrong but at 7.7" it won't work if the radio and transponder are there. Hopefully another solution will pop up. If the Cabin and Carb heat were moved over to the left panel about where the "N537CT" is it might work. Any thoughts about that?

Roger H

Yeah, this isn't totally to size - just quick work with MS paint.

You'd probably have to move the SL40 to the VERY bottom of the panel and move the G327 somewhere else. If you have steam gauges, it will fit on the right panel. 537CT looks like the G330 is at the very bottom of the stack.

If you wanted to have both the G327 and SL40 in the center panel, you'd need to move them to the VERY bottom of the stack and then put the 696 on a ball or flexible arm (RAM type) mount, with the unit in front of the panel and extending up to aroudn the top of the glarescreen. You could reach behind the unit to get to the carb heat.

Doug

Isn't Dynon coming up with a GPS driven D-100 replacement with syn vision? Would that maybe fit better in our panels?

I'm sure the 696 is going to be great but without some major panel changes I would have to use it as a kneeboard which would be a shame since this would be the primary (over a 396) nav display.

I checked with Advanced Avionics today since they are in the process of installing a panel in my newly purchased CTsw and they claim the 696 will fit with the SL30 and GTX327. I'm guessing they would have to fabricate a mount as AirGizmo won't have a mount ready for about a month. Now I have to decide if I want to wait or get delivery right away with the 496. It would probably be worth waiting for the 696.

Arnold

I think I would go for the 696. Just remember, you will need a letter of approval from FD which I'm sure would just be a formality.

Sounds like a tight fit.

Arnold, I can't image the 696 will fit with radio, transponder and "heater" controls in the center. I'm curious if the "heater" controls could be moved over to the top/right of the left panel without to much difficulty. That would leave you room for the three items.

John, Dynon is coming out with moving map next year. But....there are two screen sizes. One a seven as we have now and one a ten incher. The ten incher I don't believe will fit in our current panel. The seven incher would be a direct replacement I believe BUT you would be "halfing" the screen to get both the moving map and the flight instruments on the screen at the same time making them both very small. The seven inch Dynon is the same size/resolution as the 696 but by the time you split the screens you're back to the "496 size" for GPS. It's also on it's side vs the "long way" for the 696.

I'm very excited about the 696. I love my 496 other then it's to darn small. I hate to say it but these folks make darn good stuff but at a big expense. I think I want one! The other problem is "gizmo" mounting. The "gizmo" mount for this thing might be to big....we'll have to wait and see.

Darn....if they had just put a COMM in it!!!

Roger H

Advantage Avionics in Chino, CA says it is possible to install the 696 by moving the nav/com and transponder to the top of the panel and installing the 696 below them. The bottom of the 696 will overlap the bezel at the bottom of the panel by 3/4" which should not be any problem.

Originally Posted by Arnold Bronson

Advantage Avionics in Chino, CA says it is possible to install the 696 by moving the nav/com and transponder to the top of the panel and installing the 696 below them. The bottom of the 696 will overlap the bezel at the bottom of the panel by 3/4" which should not be any problem.

Ah, so the 696 would be mouted in front of the panel? That would work, although having the SL40 down low makes the knobs easy to reach.

Doug