I fly ILS approaches regularly but today I tried a "Bloc" as no ILS was available. The flight was CYHZ to CYQI.Around 50 miles out I activated the approach and GPS then took me straight over the airport, I assume to the VOR and then circled to the right.I took over manually and flew on a downwind course until around 15 miles past the runway 06 and re-engaged GPS and NAV.GPS then took to the runway approach heading.Is this correct, and does selecting a VOR or NDB approach work in the same way?Previously I thought a dotted line course was shown on the GPS but this time there was nothing.

I assume you chose the BLOC 06 approach. What did you select for your transition? Vectors, OTVIN or QI?I do not recommend "Vectors" because quite often, depending on your direction of entry, you will be 'vectored' to the exit point of the extended "leg" and won't really have time to get established on final well.I flew the final part of the route using both OTVIN and QI with excellent results.BTW, when you "Activate" an Approach, FS treats the approach as a new flight plan, and deletes the previous plan from the GPS display. You will see only the Approach "plan" on screen, which means if you are too far away, you won't "see" anything at all. You need to be within the zoomed range of the display to see the Approach plan.Because of this, I recommend that you "Load" the Approach, but do not "Activate" it until you are ~20nm from the airport.

I looked at the approach plate and the approach code in FS9.On the plate, it is shown as BLOC NDB(GNSS) 06. In the GPS, there are two approaches, BLOC 06 and NDB 06 which are identical. The GPS doesn't show it (probably the FS9 data are old) but the NDB 06 should be shown as a "GPS overlay" approach. I'm not a pilot, but I believe that you can, legally, use the GPS as your primary navigation device on the NDB 06 approach (even if the NDB is unserviceable).The BLOC 06 approach has an altitude of 800 ft (FAF), and if you chose the "vectors to final" this is the last clearance altitude ATC will give you. It is marked with the "iron cross" on the chart (on top of NDB QI), and normally ATC will vector you outside of this point a couple of miles. Note that on a VtF, the GPS will give you the range and heading to the FAF. You also have the alternative of two transitions, one "full" and one "dme". Both are shown with an entry atlitude of 1300 ft and if you request the transitions, that is where ATC will clear you (typ. you will be cleared direct to the entry point).In nav db language, the approach is IF-CF-CF to the runway. Note that if you are using the GPS only (i.e., the NDB 06) the chart says your minimum is 560 ft, whereas if you use the localizer backcourse, you can go down to 460 ft.The missed approach in the GPS is shown with the dotted line and again in nav db it is just CA-CF, meaning you climb on a course of 061 to 1800, then continue on 061 until over the AC NDB. At this point the GPS approach/flight plan ends and the GPS will command a circle of the last waypoint (in this case AC). I don't think it tries to fly an actual "hold" (unless of course there is a hold -- HM in the nav db).scott s..

Thank you both.I am on a direct flight to Yarmouth and GPS has me on a heading of 262 deg.I selected the OTVIN approach but when I activated the Approach, the heading did not change to the 359 deg listed in the new approach by GPS.However all was well and a safe landing was made.This was the first and last time I will choose Vectors if at all possible. There is always the manual approach that I have been using in the absence of an ILS but it is a little hairy sometimes in Real Weather.

Scott,Which site do you use to obtain Plates?I have been using Vatsim but they are lacking for Canada.

Scott,Which site do you use to obtain Plates?I have been using Vatsim but they are lacking for Canada.

http://www.czvr.ca/_Pilot_Resources/_Charts/http://www.ivao.ca/charts/cap.html

Here's a VATCAN link:http://bathursted.ccnb.nb.ca/vatcan/fir/edmonton/charts.cfmscott s..

Thanks Guys.

What does the b stand for