Garmin GNS 430/530 owners lost their minds when the company announced last year in a service advisory (23018 Rev. A) that comprehensive repair service for the entire series of GNS navigators is becoming limited.
Frankly, we think the hysteria wouldn’t have been nearly as intense if the GNS wasn’t such a huge success. Everyone knows that the venerable Garmin GNS navigators represent the most popular avionics line ever produced. Plus, even with a feature set that dates back to the late 1990s, the GNS navigator simply works well for so many applications.
And so with tens of thousands of these units in service, and after 25 years of support, is it really time to paint them yellow and use them as wheel chocks? Not hardly.
Conspiracy theories
To get the full story on what’s going on with GNS navigator support, we sat down with Garmin’s Jim Alpiser and asked if Garmin builds obsolescence into its products as many have speculated. We heard his laugh echo across the entire state of Kansas. In our estimation, the conspiracy theory doesn’t have much merit because over the years we’ve actually chided Garmin for stretching the production run of its aviation products as long as it does, and this includes the G1000, introduced in the early 2000s and still an OEM standard to this day.
We took a trip down memory lane and looked back to the very first Garmin aviation GPS, the GPS 100. It started as a plop-it-on-the-glareshield portable before Garmin gave it a new lease on life and added an aviation database and panel-mount installation kit. The GPS 100 AVD essentially paved the way for the GNS navigators, but not before the first IFR GPS navigator—the GPS 155—came to market. It (and the VHF comm-equipped GNC 250/300) had a long production run before Garmin injected new life into it with the “XL” series. It had a stark moving map display and a basic LCD screen. But these were sold in big numbers, both in the aftermarket and as original equipment in some new aircraft.
The company continued to support these units for years, even after introducing the GNS 430, but ultimately pulled the plug when it couldn’t get replacement display assemblies. History is repeating itself with the GNS products.
“That’s pretty much where we are at this point and time with the GNS 430. We’re not discontinuing all support for the GNS products, and there’s considerable support that we plan to offer for years and hopefully decades to come,” Garmin’s Alpiser told us.
Back in January of this year, Garmin issued Revision B to its Service Advisory 23018, stating that effective immediately, display repairs for the WAAS and non-WAAS 400-series navigators are no longer available and have been discontinued. The Advisory goes on to say that other repairs for both WAAS and non-WAAS 400-series navigators will continue to be available for as long as possible. Similarly, Garmin will continue to support the larger GNS 500-series navigators, but we suspect display availability for these units will eventually be unavailable.
“The reality is that the display module (sourced from an outside vendor) used in the GNS 430 only has eight colors, and the technology behind the unit means there is no realistic way for it to be re-tooled without completely redesigning it,” Alpiser said.
The other issue to consider is that compared to newer units, the GNS products are simply from a time where internal memory was relatively limited, partly to keep pricing down. And upgrading the chip set for more memory means having to spend more money—something that just isn’t practical for a unit this old.
Still, Alpiser also noted that Garmin continues to look for alternative components to keep the GNS products going, but cautioned that those investments need to be cost effective—particularly for the end user paying for repairs.
At what cost?
In our estimation, the $1979 flat-rate repair cost for a GNS 430W ($2410 for the GNS 530W) is right at a threshold that might not make sense for a unit of its vintage, especially one with questionable future parts support. For many, the $2000-plus repair investment could be better spent on something newer and with more capability. The flat-rate factory repair service includes repairing the GNS to original specifications and carries a six-month warranty.
On the other hand, we think there are situations where a trip to the factory for repair might make sense. Maybe you’re the original owner of a later-model GNS that’s been especially well cared for. It might have low time on it, be installed in an aircraft that’s always hangared and have been periodically serviced. Common wear-and-tear items include the display lens (not the actual color display), bezel keys and knobs. These are components that simply take a beating and eventually wear out. Use caution when cleaning that display lens—using a harsh cleaning product is a sure way to trash it.
But if it goes back for repair and Garmin finds that the GNS 430’s display is faulty, it charges a $500 assessment/handling fee to return the unit back to the customer, unrepaired. At press time, Garmin said it was offering a trade-in program, paying between $1000 and $1750 for a functional GNS 430 or GNS 530 against a current-production unit. For a GNS 430 that isn’t repairable, it’s offering $650 for it. The idea is that Garmin can salvage some of the functional components for future support of other GNS units. The $500 assessment/handling fee should be waived if you buy a new product. Again, Garmin might use some of the parts inside for restocking the parts bin.
Given the age of the GA fleet and the fact that many aircraft were delivered with GNS 430 navigators as original equipment, some have criticized Garmin for not thinking beyond a 25-year support life. Still, we remember firsthand the challenges of supporting aircraft delivered with ARC/Cessna, King, Narco and Collins avionics at the same 25-year time frame because of the obsolescence of some service parts. The seven-segment display assemblies used in ARC/Sperry radios is just one example. If you can’t get them because they’re made by a third-party vendor, the only thing to do is redesign the product and again, that’s questionable from an investment and re-certification standpoint.
“We don’t want to invest millions of dollars to make these products last forever and then have to charge ridiculous amounts of money to repair them. That point and time has come with the GNS 430 and GNS 530 and we’ve made those decisions quite a long time ago knowing that reasonable repair prices just wouldn’t be possible,” Alpiser told us. But he pointed out that 25 years later, these units are far from throwaway, even pointing to the used market as a source to find replacements. We took a look.
Resale value still high
Despite Garmin’s announcement that support is becoming limited because of the display issue, we were surprised to see used GNS units holding value on the used market. Of course, you’ll need a good eye when surfing the online forums and classified ads because there are multiple versions of GNS units, all priced differently.
The very early GNS 430s and GNS 530s didn’t have WAAS capability (a factory upgrade was available that included a new antenna and internal GPS engine), and these are the cheapest. A well-cared-for non-WAAS 430 might sell for around $3000, while one with WAAS sells for around $5000. The larger GNS 530W might sell for a whopping $7000 or more.
No matter what you buy, we suggest buying one from a reputable source. Avionics shops that are also Garmin dealers might be the best source because they’ll have traceability—and the ability to at least function test the unit—before selling it. We think ones that have recently been back to Garmin for repair are the best because chances are the display lens and bezel keys will be in good shape and you’ll know that the unit should have good receiver boards. There’s a lot packed into these units. This includes a comm transceiver, VHF navigation receiver, GPS engine, that thorny display module and a bunch of other electronics.
Would we buy a used GNS for a new install? No way. When you consider the current cost of a cherry unit, the installation kit and the WAAS GPS antenna, we think it makes sense to simply buy something newer.
Filling the hole
Aside from sliding another GNS unit into the tray, Avidyne’s $14,000 IFD 440 has been a popular option for those who don’t want to rewire. Garmin’s replacement for the GNS 430W—the $13,795 GTN 650Xi—has different wiring, so installers will need to re-pin the existing connectors and change the tray and connector backplate.
The Avidyne unit is mostly compatible, but will require additional wiring for an audio callout interface. Avidyne has been aggressive over the years with GNS trade-in programs and we’ve reviewed the IFD products favorably. We’ll look at the current IFD line in an upcoming article. Still, we suggest getting a good demo of an IFD before buying. If you’re used to Garmin logic, the IFD feature set will be quite different. That’s not to say it’s bad, but for many users there will be a sizable learning curve.
If you want to stick with Garmin, in addition to the GTN 650Xi and larger GTN 750Xi touchscreen navigators, Garmin’s 2-inch touchscreen navigators seem to be a logical replacement for a GNS 430. This includes the $8995 GNX 375, which is a WAAS IFR GPS with built-in ADS-B In/Out transponder and moving map display.
It doesn’t have a built-in comm radio, so you’ll need to add a separate transceiver. Garmin’s $7895 GNC 355 does have a VHF comm and the same feature set as the GNX 375, but without the ADS-B transponder. For standalone IFR GPS, there’s the $5895 GPS 175.
Worth mentioning is that all of these replacement navigators are compatible with the
GI 106A and other Garmin nav indicators, including the GI 275, G5 and larger Garmin flight displays.
Filling the shoes
One reason the Garmin GNS series is so popular is because it simply serves so many missions. VFR pilots may only use a fraction of the unit’s capability, which means they aren’t in any hurry to upgrade—and those who spent big for a GNS installation will be even less motivated. Even for IFR flying, it’s tough to argue that a GNS 430 or 530 simply gets the job done, even if it has aged graphics and a utilitarian feature set.
But the takeaway is this: We see no reason to abandon a good GNS 430 in the near future, but be ready to replace it if a display fails. Garmin says this is rare, and only 1 percent of owners might be faced with it. Sourcing other major parts might be an issue in the future.
Treat your unit right and make sure the avionics cooling system is up to snuff because excessive heat is one way to kill any display prematurely. Still, if you’ve heard enough and are ready to pull the plug on your GNS proactively, the good news is that you can sell it for decent money, for now, anyway.
