Folks, wanna see Garmin in Meridian ??

[Steve Dra 7,580]

Hey Eco,I've used FSnav 4.x forever and love it to death! I also have the FSAvionics 530 and I can tell you a few things it can do that FSNav can't:1. Show roads, lakes and railroads. This feature of the Garmin brings true vfr sight-seeing flights to a whole new level! I was quickly amazed about how many real roads are accurately reproduced in Flightsim 2002! You just look at the Garmin display, see a road marked with its correct sign, then look out the window and see that road below you...very cool! Try it in your hometown and you'll see what I mean. :) 2. Calculate MSA. Its been a while since I've tried it, but I think I remember trying this feature flying from one mountainous area to another. It updated the MSA as I flew and kept me off the mountaintops. :)3. VS profile. This is a pretty nice feature. You can set it up to descend at a certain rate and be at a target altitude at a target position. Let's say you want to descend at 1400fpm and want to be at 3000ft, 10 miles from the airport. Just dial in those numbers and the Garmin will let you know when you need to start descending at 1400fpm to hit that target. But the best thing is that it also shows a VSR (Vertical Speed Required) window that tells you what VS you need at to descend at if you couldn't hit your original VS profile! A perfect example of when to use this is if ATC holds you at an altitude for other traffic during your nicely profiled descent, and you still need to hit those targets...but 1400fps won

[Guest]

Do any of these allow GPS Approaches?Jason

[Steve Dra 7,580]

...is worth a thousand words (as they say). :)(I hope I don't get yelled at for posting pics here...but they are very relevent to the subject! ) :)Any approach with the little gps text next to it is a gps approach that the Garmin will load and execute....very nice indeed. :)http://ftp.avsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3e0e9e95501153ad.jpgRegards,Steve Dra

[michal 44]

>Do any of these allow GPS Approaches? In all likelihood they all do. A revolution don't you think so ?. The one approach that could not be flown in FS until now ...Michael J.http://hifi.avsim.net/activesky/images/wxrebeta.jpg

[Guest]

So does this mean it includes a database of all GPS Approaches or do you have to manually add them? And if there's already a database included, is it easy to edit that database to add new approaches as they are published?Jason

[Guest]

Steve : how is it possible to make such a comment ? The limitations of the module approach are well known. You can't resize, re-scale, add a module to a 2D panel let alone a virtual cockpit. Try doing this with any module :http://www.fsd-international.com/temp2/rxpgns530_fsdsv.jpgThat is just a rough panel edit without the correct VC textures to suit the gauge.Michael's opening comment earlier was correct and Michael J does know his avionics I'll give him that. This really is exciting programming by Jean-Luc and it is hard not to be enthusiastic about this sort of innovation ... it's so darn smooth.

[michal 44]

Yes, Jeppesen database does include GPS approaches. But as to your second question I wonder whether real GNS530 has such feature. You are not likely to see something implemented that does not exist in the real unit.Michael J.

[Guest]

Garmins database updates are a subscription base product that is updated on a 28 day cycle.Regards,Jim Rhoadsp.s. This is for the realworld units. I fly 3 different aircraft that have either 430's or 530's in them and I think it is about $75.00 a pop for the updates. Could be more now, I havent checked latly and I dont buy them. ;-)

[Tabs 2,790]

OMG Steve - that VC shot is unreal!! I'm really getting excited for this plane - how long are we looking at (approx.) before it's released?

[Guest]

We have slipped the 4th quarter.Many things have come up and we want to do the best job possible on this aircraft. We still anticipate no problem with a January delivery.And no, dont ask me which day...;-) Regards,Jim Rhoads

[michal 44]

>OMG Steve - that VC shot is unreal!! I think Steve's shot is not from the Meridian.Michael J.http://hifi.avsim.net/activesky/images/wxrebeta.jpg

[Guest]

That's correct. It's the Meridian Garmin stuck in our Seneca. The GNS530 in the Meridian is intergrated with the AP and the rest of the avionics : it's ~not~ integrated in the Seneca. Yet ;-) Jean-Luc's Garmin is a GAUGE and can be used in a VC just as a normal gauge can with the appropriate work to support it. A lot of simmers don't appreciate the functional differences between a module, and a gauge.

[Guest Jet]

I'm trying to follow this.You buy the electronics pakage from Flight1 then install it in any aircraft of your choosing...or does an aircraft come with it.Should I be thinking of this more as a panel type of add-on??Thanks all.

[Guest eko]

Steve Dra:Thanks for the insight regarding the FSAvionics unit. I can see what the differences are much clearly now.Regarding the concept of a gauge vs a module. I also prefer the gauge approach as well. The ability to integrate it into a panel provides more realism IMHO, and being able to at least see it in the VC is an added bonus.With a program like FSNav, it makes sense for it to be a module... for although it can be used as a flight instrument, it's primary service is that of a moving map flight planner.I am curious as to the statement that the Garmin included in the Meridian will not be a gauge you can use in other panels. I am assuming this will be accomplished by making its coding depend on other gauges of the panel being present alongside it... I am just fishing here, of course.I do not like this approach. One of the great appeals of a commercial package, for me anyway, is much more than just the airplane/panel itself. Being able to "re-use" the included gauges on other aircraft/panels is a very big incentive for me to purchase something.If the Garmin unit is to be sold stand-alone in the future anyways, there seems to be no reason as to why the unit which will come with the Meridian can not be added to other panels as well. Unless there is some technical hurdle which needs to be overcome for this to be possible, and/or because it is a marketing/sales decision.More information/clarification would be nice on this subject. Jim, Steve? :-)

[michal 44]

>If the Garmin unit is to be sold stand-alone in the future >anyways, there seems to be no reason as to why the unit >which will come with the Meridian can not be added to other >panels as well. For me, and unless I have missed something, the situation is simple.The Merdian's GNS will be fully integrated into the panel but it will not be "ready" from the software point of view to be plugged into another aircraft. In order to transplant it to another aircraft some wires have to be cut and nuts unscrewed ... One can imagine that at some point Flight1/RealityXP will be provide you with a tool-box (for a fee or free) to accomplish this job.I may be in minority but I will always prefer this unit to be custom-fit to individual aircraft rather than just being a stand-alone moving map with only generic connection with the rest of the panel. Michael J.