When Garmin announced recently that it was “sunsetting” support for the GNS 430 and 530 navigators, aviation let out a little collective gasp. There are thousands of these units in service and are still being bought and sold on the used market, more than two decades after they were introduced. Some believed the end was near for these useful and beloved radios but, like so much in life, it’s not that simple. The real situation is far more nuanced.
Larry Anglisano, editor in chief of our sister publication Aviation Consumer, got Garmin’s Jim Alpiser to explain the company’s current thinking and to bring some clarity to the issue. Spoiler alert: The key component that Garmin can’t replace is the display, but that is involved in a small percentage of repair efforts on these navigators.
