Confusing and cool at the same time...!

[TiggCJ 1]

Hello all,

 

I was recently on FU3 and performed an IFR flight from Olympia (OLM) - Boeing Field (BFI).

 

When I tuned the transponder for BFI, I had forgotton the ILS frequency to put into NAV1 (I remeber it now, 110.90) and accidently put in the Paine Field (PAE) VOR, 110.60.

 

It is to my knowledge that VOR frequencies belong in NAV2, however this time I had put PAE's VOR into NAV1. Before now the VOR arrow on the DME and HSI gauge don't usually come alive when I put a VOR frequency into NAV1, but this time it did.

 

BTW, I did click the NAV button on the Auto Pilot during the flight and it seemed to be tracking me towards Paine Field, although NAV2 was now tuned to SEA VOR.

 

This is either a fluke or I just haven't noticed it before!

 

Can anyone help?

 

Kind regards,

 

TiggCJ

[TiggCJ 1]

Forgot to mention, I was in the Beechjet.

[zainwayne 0]

Thanks for sharing useful information.

[Dave Morgan 68]

Hi Tigg.

 

Long time no write (or in my case long time no visit).

 

You can use a VOR or ILS frequency in Nav1. You can only use a VOR frequency in Nav2.

 

If you are thinking of the green-on-black gauge in the bottom left corner, there are two arrows, a single thickness and a double thickness. They both can show different things depending on what you do with a couple of click-spots on the gauge. They don't necessarily correspond to Nav1 and Nav2.

 

One will show the direction of (and distance to) Nav1 or Nav2, depending on what you do with the click-spot. The other will show (I think) Nav1 or ADF. I can't remember if the gauge responds to ILS as well as VOR.

 

If you have always tuned Nav2 to a VOR and reserved Nav1 for your ILS then the green-on-black gauge won't wake up until you are within a dozen miles of the ILS beacon because ILS only have a short range.

 

When you tuned Nav1 to a VOR then the green-on-black would have woken up much earlier, at about 80 miles away as VOR have a much greater range.

Best regards,

D

 

edit: p. s. The autopilot's NAV button will always track your plane to (or from) whatever is in Nav1, provided you are within range of the beacon's signal. It doesn't use Nav2. In this case you'd tuned Nav1 to Paine Field so that's where the autopilot took you.

 

The autopilot's APP button will follow the ILS localiser and glide-slope, provided Nav1 is tuned to the ILS.