I have the Realair Duke with the reality XP 530 add-on gauge. I enjoy flying Waas approaches into smaller airfields, but I have not been able to get the autopilot to control the vertical aspect of the approach. The Flight 1 Mustang Waas approach controls the plane on both the vertical & horizontal approach. Since I do not not see a glide slope indicator during a Waas approach with the Duke, does this mean the auto pilot will not control the vertical aspect of the approach? ILS approaches work great in the Duke, so I know the auto pilot is capable of controlling the vertical aspect of the approach. Am I missing something?The Duke is a great plane to fly. If you are looking for a nice twin, give the Duke a try.Thanks for your help.

You are correct - the RXP unit will not drive the autopilot for vertical guidance. I think it was a bug with FS or maybe the Garmin trainer. I believe they are working on it for a later date.

I thought the whole purpose of WAAS was a replacement for ILS?

It has nothing to do with an FSX bug. FSX natively doesn't even know what a WAAS approach is.

It has nothing to do with an FSX bug. FSX natively doesn't even know what a WAAS approach is.

Jean-Luc in the Reality XP support forum explained that not only can't FSX's autopilot handle vertical components of approaches (let alone WAAS approaches), the Reality XP GNS 530 is designed to work with the generic FSX autopilot. This just reinforces the inability of that GNS to provide vertical guidance in autopilot. In contrast, Flight1's fabulous Cessna Mustang DOES fly WAAS approaches vertically and horizontally under AP, but it is equipped with a proprietary G1000 and dedicated Automated Flight Control System (autopilot)...not the generic FSX AP. How did you do it, Jim??...great job!

. How did you do it, Jim??...great job!

Now you really don't think I am going to answer that do you? :( Short answer is it is the difference between writing it from scratch and piggy backing off of something someone else has already done.If you write it yourself, you can control it, and you can modify it to do what you need it to do. Also, our WAAS approaches can be updated every 28 days (soon to be announced)If you can't use the vertical component, whats the point? It is glitter with no substance.Best,Jim

If you can't use the vertical component, whats the point? It is glitter with no substance.Best,Jim

I do applaud your efforts with the Mustang, but just to be clear, the RXP WAAS unit does activate the VOR1/HSI/ILS on approach, which does provide vertical reference, just as you may use to fly an ILS approach 'by hand'.I use it often, and don't have any problems simply controlling my vertical decent by hand, but allowing the horizontal guidance by AP.Perhaps Jean-Luc will dealve into this further in the future, but as you say, his 'hands are bit tied' by utilizing the Garmin trainer....

Short answer is it is the difference between writing it from scratch and piggy backing off of something someone else has already done.Jim

Ouch.

I do applaud your efforts with the Mustang, but just to be clear, the RXP WAAS unit does activate the VOR1/HSI/ILS on approach, which does provide vertical reference, just as you may use to fly an ILS approach 'by hand'.I use it often, and don't have any problems simply controlling my vertical decent by hand, but allowing the horizontal guidance by AP.Perhaps Jean-Luc will dealve into this further in the future, but as you say, his 'hands are bit tied' by utilizing the Garmin trainer....

I never fly with the autopilot in the sim (and hardly ever rw) so it is not a factor for me-works fine (I have a great autopilot in my plane-but to me that isn't flying-either in the sim or rw).

I never fly with the autopilot in the sim (and hardly ever rw) so it is not a factor for me-works fine (I have a great autopilot in my plane-but to me that isn't flying-either in the sim or rw).

I had a feeling you might jump in here Geof :(....I also want to clarify what I said above; The RXP WAAS will activate the VOR1/HSI, and provides guidance just as/similar to an ILS approach by using the vertical/horizontal 'needles'. Disregard my reference to 'VOR1/HSI/ILS'.

I had a feeling you might jump in here Geof :(

Well for me it comes down to reality...I will never be able to afford to fly a Mustang, or have a g1000 in my Baron-yet the Flight one Mustang allows me to have both for the cost a of a meal for me and my wife.Likewise-I have lots of friends that have Garmin 430's in their aircraft-but they can not afford to justify the huge upgrade cost for waas..However despite the fact I don't have one in my plane and they don't have Waas in theirs I know more about their basic unit than they do thanks to the Reality Xp simulation-let alone doing Waas approaches perhaps only by hand which is how I prefer to fly anyway.So for the price of dinner for one I not only have a real working Garmin gps-but I also get to experience the Waas aspect they will never know-and know more about how their unit works than they do without burning gallons of expensive avgas to figure it out...Both the above are extremely good deals-and I am extremely grateful for both. I can't fathom complaining about either.Period! :(

I never fly with the autopilot in the sim (and hardly ever rw) so it is not a factor for me-works fine (I have a great autopilot in my plane-but to me that isn't flying-either in the sim or rw).

Geof, you fly a Baron so of course you hand fly every chance you get. That would hold true even if you had a new G1000 equipped Baron, they still hand fly so nice you can't wait to turn the autopilot off.

Geof, you fly a Baron so of course you hand fly every chance you get. That would hold true even if you had a new G1000 equipped Baron, they still hand fly so nice you can't wait to turn the autopilot off.

You are right there-no pleasure in life better than hand flying a Bonanza/Baron....

You are right there-no pleasure in life better than hand flying a Bonanza/Baron....

Isn't that true for the sim to Geofa...

I can't live without autopilot and FMC's. It's the only way I can fly and watch TV, eat dinner, and yell the the wife and kid all at the same time.