I have a 530w and 430w with the 256meg … 010-10201-21 terrain data cards. The usual terrain database for these is the worldwide terrain and has pretty average resolution. However the helicopter versions of the 530 and 430 allow the use of higher resolution 6 arc second terrain data. In our area this would be the South Pacific terrain data subset available for the H version (with the higher resolution terrain data you can only use a subset of the worldwide terrain data as it consumes so much space).
I was recently told that if you purchase the higher resolution (6 arc second) terrain data for the Helicopter version of either a 430W or 530W and get a 2Gb Heli version datacard (part number ??) and install it to the 2GB terrain datacard… then that card will also work in the aircraft version of a 430W or 530W.
Does anyone know if this is correct?
I would try asking this question on beechtalk.com. I expect you’d get a reliable answer there.
Not from the Garmin rep 
He runs the official line. As will any dealer.
One official line is that your aircraft becomes unairworthy….
I think Kim wants to know if anybody has tried it. Probably not many have since the FW and heli communities don’t overlap much, and very few helis will have a GNS box.
Usually “helicopter” versions of avionics are the same as the normal versions, except they are “ruggedised” and sell for a lot more money. For example a Sandel EHSI sells for almost 2x more but is otherwise the same box. I have one of each in my plane (got the pricey one on a special offer).
I couldn’t get a concrete answer and didn’t want to burn $190 to try so just downloaded the crappy worldwide terrain data offered to Australians. I have a sneaking suspicion had I downloaded the higher res South Pacific Heli subset it would have worked. Tks for thoughts.
