How does the FS ATC work with the Garmin as far as departure & approaches, etc? Do you cut over to the Garmin when FS ATC gives you the "Resume Own Navigation"? What about the approach?I have gone through the training on the Garmin and looked at the actual manual on the Garmin Website. Is there any other resources to help get trained on the Garmin?Thanks!Barry

No reply, just bubbling it back to the top of the list..Barry

I believe you only need to follow ATCs directions and then fly an ILS or visual approach. I don't think the installed approaches in the GPS will do you any good in terms of the landings.If you are departing, ATC will set you on course or near course. If you want the autopilot/GPS to fly the flightplan, then set the NAV/GPS to GPS, set A/P to ON, set A/P NAV to ON.During descent, it is best to set the A/P to HDG mode when ATC starts your approach phase. The common error at this point is leaving the NAV/GPS switch to GPS. Make sure the NAV/GPS switch is set to GPS after you have selected HDG mode. Otherwise, when you select the APP mode, the A/P will drive the aircraft to the LAT/LON for the airport and not the approach to the selected runway. Of course, visual approaches require the aircraft be flown manually.During approaches, it is best to manually adjust airspeed prior to entering the final leg of the approach. This eliminates some of the common errors. Deselect the A/P IAS, turn AutoThottles to OFF. If AutoThrottles are left ON, they will go to full throttle during touchdown. You will not be able to use autospoilers on touchdown if AutoThrottles are ON.As in real life, the GPS vendors recommend you practice the stored approaches in VFR conditions to become familiar with their capabilities. You might setup a flight, within 20 to 30 miles of your favorite airport and then try using the stored approaches. The GPS will drive the plane on the approaches, missed approaches, etc. It is not something you would try, in real life, just on a whim.W. Sieffert

For the Piper Meridian tutorial (Flight One), they recommend you fly VFR, which to me isn't realistic.I was just wondering in real life how the Pilot, ATC, and the Garmin all inter-relate.Thanks!Barry

In real life the pilot is responsible for carrying the charts that define the various approach procedures that ATC might use. Even if you expect a certain approach doesn't mean you'll get cleared for it. The GPS can help by depicting your position related to the approach segments but it is a supplement--you are still legally required to have the charts and know how to use them without the GPS.The default FS9 GPS lets you select any approach to any runway, as well as how you want to begin the approach (just like the real unit). In FS9 it's typical to receive vectors to an ILS but non-precision approaches require navigating to a defined fix and the GPS lets you choose that. Hope this helps.

So what is the point of keying your flight plan into a device (which is a pain in the butt) when ATC may vector you differently than your "keyed in" flight plan? It is like setting up a TI scientific calculator algorythms for a simple equation such as adding two numbers together.The Piper Meridian requires the use of the Reality XP Garmin. So you have to spend the additional time programming your flight plan and as far as FS 2004 is concerned fly VFR so your Garmin Flight Plan can be followed. I don't think this occurs in real life.I see airline pilots use FMS, which is similiar, and they fly IFR.But trying to train on the Garmin in the air, dealing with diversions and muddling your way trying to key new direct to , or not being able to fly IFR in FS 2004 kind of defeats the purpose.I know it just a matter of learning, hopefully at some point it will be more intuitive, but for now it is more like the scientific algorythms method.I still can't get the Reality XP in the Meridian to change the VNAV data, I follow the instructions in the manual, and the tutorial, and I can't cursor into the specific fields in that dialog.Am I incorrect in this observation?Barry

Same can be said for filing a long ifr flight plan and also having it entered into your gps-and then hearing the words "standby for amended clearance".That is just how the system works....A few years ago I had a flight from San Diego to San Jose. Not being familiar with the area I sweated over the charts for quite sometime-coming up a with a great route which kept me clear of the busy LA airspace, and on good mea's. It took a while to program into my portable gps (portable makes it easier because you can take it home with you).Of course the second I requested my clearance-atc gave me an ammended-completely different from every aspect, taking me right through the busy areas and a completely different routing,waypoints, and fixes. At that point you enter them one at a time into the gps-or better yet-use traditional navigation and leave the gps for situational awareness to verify the traditional methods.http://mywebpages.comcast.net/geofa/pages/Geofdog2.jpg

a few points:1. Pilots use GNS530/430 every day for IFR flying (over 50,000 units installed).. so I guess they must find it useful2. If you use online flight filing tools - your final flight may not be necessarily so drastically different than what you filed.3. I find keying a new flight plan into the GNS530 a fairly quick procedure. Michael J.http://www.reality-xp.com/community/nr/rsc/rxp-higher.jpg

>For the Piper Meridian tutorial (Flight One), they recommend>you fly VFR, which to me isn't realistic.?????I guess you misunderstood the purpose of the tutorial. The tutorial is meant to get you started and flying as quickly as possible. By removing the "IFR" things get simpler therefore this obvious recommendation. Go ahead and write your own IFR 'tutorial' if you are so inclined and up to the task ...Michael J.http://www.reality-xp.com/community/nr/rsc/rxp-higher.jpg

Michael,Maybe pilots use it for the positioning feature, but flying a flight plan, I just wonder how many actually use it for that purpose. (Based on GEOFF's thread...) As a matter of fact, I use the standard FS 2004 Garmin for that purpose. Because it has the ability to load the flight plan, I can check my position and see if I am on course. That is a really nice feature.In FS 2004, the realism is gone if you have to fly VFR.With the Meridian, it is mandatory, since it doesn't have a alternative radio stack.It just seems like the Garmin adds more distractions (in Geoff's case where the flight plan was ammended drastically). Again if you are trained on it properly, it would become second nature.As far as VFR flying, I don't need the Garmin for that purpose, I can fly the plane and change the heading and altitude. But FS 2004 ATC really doesn't support the use of the Garmin IFR wise.But you do have to do all Navs and Coms via the Garmin Unit. Boy I hope they don't fail in real life!I am not anti Garmin, I just don't see how they fit in for IFR flight. VFR, clearly.I would like cookbook instructions in using the Meridian Garmin Navs Coms to fly an ILS approach handed off by ATC (like in real life).Thanks!Barry

For the record I have never personally used a 530-I was speaking in my thread of how I use my gps-a portable awm when atc doesn't follow my plan. Most of the time I file do get what I filed with minor differences enroute (such as direct clearances-or going to a fix) that are pretty easy to adjust to, and the flight plan works out fine.As Michael stated-the gps is obviously not useless or so many people wouldn't have them. I am sure like all things you will find a multitude of opinions on ease of use, features, which is why there are competitors to the Garmin. Personally, if I had the money I'd get the former Ups unit-which has now been taken over by Garmin-but that is personal preference.Here is an interesting review from someone who does not like the 530 and does bring up some of your concerns:http://philip.greenspun.com/flying/garmin-gpshttp://mywebpages.comcast.net/geofa/pages/Geofdog2.jpg

Hmm, not sure what you're trying to say. I had a 430 in my plane and used it for both VFR and IFR flight. Programming flight plans was pretty easy, even in the air. A moving map GPS is an amazing piece of equipment that all pilots should use. And since I had another GPS/COM (a Garmin 250) radio failure was not much of a concern. (Plus many pilots also carry a handheld.)As far as FS9 ATC not "supporting" the GPS, real life ATC doesn't support or not support any particular equipment. They work with published procedures and vectoring to get you to your destination and provide separation. If you've got a GPS that supports flight plans and approaches all the better, but ATC could really care less. So, in that respect, FS9 ATC is pretty realistic.

Thanks Geoff for the clarification. I am sure the unit is good, it just requires a little bit of a learning curve..I may order the user book available on-line at garmin.comTake care!Barry

Back to an original question:When to engauge the Garmin?When ATC gives you the resume own navigation?Barry

Barry, to each his own. Here is how I usualy fly the Meridian, or more generaly any aircraft retrofitted with the Reality XP Flight Line 530XP Garmin:1) after take off, arm CWS with my pitch and HDG.2) if I need to quickly change HDG, I either CWS to it, or I arm the HDG mode in the 55X3) then I take some time to DTO the next WPT on the 5304) I arm the NAV + ALT/VS on the 55x (while in CWS, I can program the remote selector).5) when established to the first WPT in DTO, then I either setup my FPLN, or I (in 90% of the cases) only fly DTO to DTO.6) when close to arrival, I select the approach.7) when ready, I activate it.8) I then simply monitor the approach on A/P, and take over manually at the IAF.Now about FMC, they do require the user to read their manuals too...Hope this helps!