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GTN 650 IFR Scenario assistance

macrafic

Well Known Member
I have a Q on the use of the GTN 650 and it is best asked by describing the specific scenario.

You are out flying around and decide you want to do a practice IFR approach to a nearby airport. to do this properly, the airport must be put into a GTN flight plan (using Direct To is not sufficient, according to the documentation). To put the approach airport into a light plan, it needs to be part of a leg (I.e. 2 points entered into the flight plan: start and end).

I have been marking my current position on the GPS, creating a waypoint, and using that as the first position of the leg. The approach Airport then becomes the destination for that leg. This has been working OK, but is a lot of button pushing.

Has anyone else found a better way to do this? Is there a feature of the GTN that I am unaware of?
 
Oh there are several other ways to do this. I recommend downloading the GTN simulator App and learning it a bit more on the ground. i will try to answer your question and I'm sure someone will write something easier, better and more precise than I can write. So based on your scenario to do an approach in to the nearest airport you could just hit the Direct button (D->) pick the Nearst APT tab on the left bottom, Pick your airport, then Activate on the bottom right. Now you have the airport loaded in but you want to do an approach and not Direct To. Now hit the Home button, go to Proc, then Approach, pick your approach, Load & Activate.

This is one of I would say 3 or 4 different ways to load an approach.

This is from memory but I believe I'm correct. Best thing you can do is get the app and practice. It makes flying with the $10K avionics much more enjoyable.

Good luck
 
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?Direct To? will do this for you. Then select the desired approach.

Carl

This is what I do, it seems quicker. But you can also just hit the PROC 'button', and type in the airport ID as the destination, then select the approach from the list, the IAF or vectors, etc.
Hint: if I think ATC may give me either direct to an IAF OR vectors, I always enter the IAF option. IF they later say "vectors.." there is a one button push to change the box to "vectors to final".
 
Garmin GTN Similator App

I second this app. Pretty difficult to learn while screaming along at 160+ mph.

There is a learning curve and after awhile things start to click. That said I still have much to learn when it comes down to some unusual tasks and ATC routes.
 
Rick,
The D-> button will only get you going to the selected waypoint/airport, the GTN does not automatically add or change waypoints or destination airports to a flight plan. It only navigates as instructed via the D-> function. Even though the D-> waypoint is an airport, the GTN is only a computer and as such cannot make a cognitive assumption about your intensions for the new waypoint. It simply navigates PP to the Lat/Long of the selected identifier. Even if there is no active flightplan in use, the GTN still cannot designate the new waypoint as a destination just because it has an airport ID.

It is possible to designate it as the destination on the waypoint confirmation window but as you say it requires additional button pushing.

I suggest you use the Flight plan store capability and enter flight plans for each airport you like to use for approach practice. You can activate the stored flight plan before or after takeoff. Now your airport of choice will be the destination. As you select the next flight plan the active will be replaced and then the D-> function will navigate PP to the new destination. Approach selection and load will be available.
Do not make round robin flight plans to multiple airports. The GTN will only recognize the last airport ID as a destination, the others will only be recognized as navigation waypoints to the destination airport.

Hope this helps.
 
This is what I do, it seems quicker. But you can also just hit the PROC 'button', and type in the airport ID as the destination, then select the approach from the list, the IAF or vectors, etc.
Hint: if I think ATC may give me either direct to an IAF OR vectors, I always enter the IAF option. IF they later say "vectors.." there is a one button push to change the box to "vectors to final".

very good advice. I have been burned a few times where they are vectoring me and then finish by saying proceed direct to the IAF waypoint instead of putting me on a final intercept heading and saying intercept the final course. When I had selected "vectors to final" I did not have that waypoint in the flight plan. Fortunately the GRT can display terminal waypoints and flew using them.

Larry
 
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Larry,
A technique you can try is select the approach and "Load" only. Do not select Vectors to final or Activate Approach. This will load all associated waypoints including IAFs into the flight plan. The GTN will continue to navigate to the current active waypoint. Once you get vectored sequencing sill occur as you fly abeam each waypoint. The option is open to D-> to an IAF if assigned or take vectors to intercept an approach leg.
 
Vectors

very good advice. I have been burned a few times where they are vectoring me and then finish by saying proceed direct to the IAF waypoint instead of putting me on a final intercept heading and saying intercept the final course. When I had selected "vectors to final" I did not have that waypoint in the flight plan. Fortunately the GRT can display terminal waypoints and flew using them.

Larry

Larry,

In this situation, if your GTN is on the flight plan page, there is a quick way to retrieve the IAF.

In this example, the RNAV 36 LPV approach is loaded into the GTN, with Vectors selected.

i-jbH799g.jpg


To retrieve an IAF, touch the Approach header as listed on the Active Flight Plan, this will bring up a menu titled Approach Options. Touch Select APPR.

i-8rKmp4d.jpg


This will bring up the details of the procedure you currently have loaded and activated, from here you can quickly change vectors to the assigned IAF, and touch Load APPR & Activate. The IAF will become the active waypoint in your flight plan.

i-f9HM7PX.jpg


Thanks,

Justin
 
Larry,
A technique you can try is select the approach and "Load" only. Do not select Vectors to final or Activate Approach. This will load all associated waypoints including IAFs into the flight plan. The GTN will continue to navigate to the current active waypoint. Once you get vectored sequencing sill occur as you fly abeam each waypoint. The option is open to D-> to an IAF if assigned or take vectors to intercept an approach leg.

Good idea. Thanks for sharing.

Larry
 
Larry,

In this situation, if your GTN is on the flight plan page, there is a quick way to retrieve the IAF.

In this example, the RNAV 36 LPV approach is loaded into the GTN, with Vectors selected.

i-jbH799g.jpg


To retrieve an IAF, touch the Approach header as listed on the Active Flight Plan, this will bring up a menu titled Approach Options. Touch Select APPR.

i-8rKmp4d.jpg


This will bring up the details of the procedure you currently have loaded and activated, from here you can quickly change vectors to the assigned IAF, and touch Load APPR & Activate. The IAF will become the active waypoint in your flight plan.

i-f9HM7PX.jpg


Thanks,

Justin

Thanks for sharing this. Unfortunately, I still use the 430W. I suspect this only works with the new GTN equipment.

Larry
 
The basic function of the GNS 430 and GTN 650 are very similar. The touch interface of the GTN makes page and function selection much quicker.
 
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