I am a very experienced simmer who's used a lot of add-ons over the years but to my shame, I confess that I never used charts and never really nailed down approaches, Sids, Stars, etc. technically and ina professional manner. I HAVE used the FMC of PSS 747-400 and 777-200 properly adn well (excepting the SIDS and STARS features because I built my own SIDS and STARS in FSNav and exported them to PSS FMC), but never a GPS. I am now trying to master the GARMIN GPS 500 and having a heck of a time doing successful approaches, vectors, ILS approaches using the machine for the first time in my simming career.I am fine in almost all phases of flight using the GARMIn up till the approach phase (say, starting below 10,000 feet) and then I just lose it. Why? I cannot figure out the sequencing of things on the GPS display and am confused as to the display and procedures and programming of doing GPS approaches, vectors, activating stuff and so on.The FS9 manual does not provide much guidance to a neophyte in this area like me and I need some pointers if anybody can give them to me about what to do and when. Currently, for e.,g., I am flying at 6000' and IAS 200 over KMCO and I want to do an approach into runway KMCO 18R, using the ILS. How can I do this with the GARMIN GPS 500? Or where can I go on the web to look this up and do it in FS9?I appreciate any guidance and suggestions, thanks!JS

First, the GARMIN in FS9 is GNS500 model. It may have most functions modeled correctly (I didn't check) but frankly its display graphics are far from realistic and already many people on this forum complained about the resolution, color, inability to see some detail, etc.If I were you I would purchase the GNS530 (from Reality-XP) which not only gives you 100% realism in functionality and graphics but it is the most widely used Garmin box in modern high-end GA aircraft.If you have a taste how it works and operates you can go to the Garmin webiste (garmin.com) and download its free GNS530 'trainer' that you can run on your PC outside of the FS9. You can make simulated approaches with AP and see how it works. You can also download for free from the same site a full blown (200 pages) GNS530 manual - it is massive and I have gone through every single page - but surprisngly at the end I find the GNS530 very easy to operate, practically intuitive. There are some who try (and manage) to operate the GNS530 without reading the manual but then you miss a lot of key details that may bite you later.If you want to stick with GNS500 then I believe the Garmin site has the manual and the trainer available for this unit as well.Michael J.http://www.reality-xp.com/community/nr/rsc/rxp-higher.jpg

Michael:Thanks for your reply. I may try that.JS

>approach into runway KMCO 18R, using the ILS. How can I do>this with the GARMIN GPS 500? Or where can I go on the web to>look this up and do it in FS9?Typical procedures would be this:1. you look up approaches to KMCO2. you select ILS for 18R and then LOAD it3. if you are close enough to the airport you ACTIVATE it. The Garminwould prompt you whether you are expected to be vectored or want to fly full approach. You have to tell him want you want and select a transition if necessary.4. If you are in the "wrong" location Garmin would give you option to activate different phase of the approach - possibly skipping some lgs.5. and then you fly it. Obviously there are some other subtle things like the moment when you switch from GPS to LOC - you have to press VLOC at the right moment - the manual takes you step by step how to do it.Michael J.http://www.reality-xp.com/community/nr/rsc/rxp-higher.jpg

I can attest to the Reality XP products, especially the Garmin 530. The Garmin 530 from Reality XP is an awesome add-on! It looks so much better and has functions that supercede the FS9 500 by a long shot! Go to the actual Garmin website and download the manual (.PDF) for the 530 and you'll see. For example, when on the map page, you can scroll around and zoom in on objects outside of the range you have set. Also has decent TCAS with audible RAs. It's really nice.Here's a link to the manuals page for the GNS530. DL the Pilot's Guide:http://www.garmin.com/products/manual.jsp?...ct=010-00182-11The 530 Page: http://www.garmin.com/products/gns530/Chris

Michael:Thanks for the reply again. Y'see, this is where I start to get the willies: I do not know how I am supposed to determine what I want to fly. Is it a vectors to final? Or an approach? Or what is it and where must I be to know what I want to do?These are probably basic (and perhaps silly) questions for GPS flight but this is where my knowledge falls down and I get lost.I get how to switch from GPS to NAV/LOC, etc., but it's the stuff in between, getting from 10,000 down to LOC intercept at 2500' AGL that baffles me. This is where I literally get lost with automation and the screens.Anyway, thanks in the meantime. I obviously need to read up more but as long as I have a source that will walk me through the whole procedure, this is a great help since the MS stuff is of limited use.JS

Chris:Thanks!JS

>Is it a vectors to final? ATC would tell you this. If you use ATC in FS9 probably "vectors to final" is the one you need.If you want to practice full approach without ATC (say your radios are dead !) then you would have to pick transition which is best accessible from the direction you are coming to the airport (you are not going to pick transition which begins in the north when you are coming from the south). If there are multiple choices and none seem most obvious - pick the one you like best. You obviously need to know the runway you are going to be landing on - this comes from ATC or you make your own choice....Bottom line - make a choice that looks sensible.Michael J.http://www.reality-xp.com/community/nr/rsc/rxp-higher.jpg

OK, Michael, I think that make sense to me !JS

I usually always use "vectors to final" myself, however, I've never really tried the others. My sim is "out of order" since my joystick stopped working, so I can't load a flight and try it to refresh my memory, sorry. I can tell you that sometimes if you're too far from a way point (say, the first one listed in vectors to final) the plane will sometimes fly the wrong direction. I usually hand fly or use AP to get me to the point where the vectors begin. Then I switch over to GPS from NAV and let the GPS do it's thing. The Garmin 530 from Reality XP tells you things the 500 doesn't, like when to switch back to VLOC for APP mode and the various headings your course should be set to. Also, it's best to select ILS when given the opportunity as opposed to GPS or some other approach for better accuracy. The most important thing is the descent path. You're pretty much on your own with knowing when to descend so as not to overshoot the RW. Chris