OK,, I am very familiar with the ILS and VOR and even some ADF Approaches. But so far I have not ventured into the RNAV GPS Approaches. I know, I know, GPS approaches are supposed to be easy... But I was always intimidated with them on the account the Garmin seems to do certain things which are slightly unpredictable (if you are not knowledgeable) about how the G530 and the G530W (Waas) system operates.

 

I've been reading and reading but I never really got it. So today I set my system up for KSEA RNAV (GPS) 16L and flew towards the IAF PAINE. I set the Auto pilot to NAV mode and it changed course direct to PAINE..and thence it did things on its own...and I just watched. I had to maintain altitude myself as per the Approach chart...until I saw the G530 go from TERR (Terminal) (Earlier it was ENR for Enroute) to LPV on the Garmin and the GS come alive. I then pressed the Approach button on the Auto Pilot and it took me in all the way to the Rwy threshold.

 

Oh the Joy of it! Loved it....Loved it.

 

Manny

 

The first attempt was not good.. I was above the GS and hence the LPV did not quite work out..so I did a missed approach and watched how the G530 handled the Missed approach and it did good, it put me on a Hold and Susp on the GPS and I then went for another try and maintained my altitude much more carefully and came below the GS this time...and it coupled the GS to the Auto Pilot.

 

PS: Reality XP 530WAAS is one of the best thing out there. I never used it much earlier...cause the AVG anti virus never made it work in my previous build... But this time... Reality XP G530 is working really good in my Win 7 system...and I highly recommend it.

I fully support that formula of yours, Manny. :smile: When the weather is bad and you see those bits and bytes guiding you down, it's a blast. Flying the minimums, so to speak.