You mentioned in your previous post:
"Also, I get your point about the forum. It is nice to share info and ask other users questions but I think we waste vast, vast amounts of time on forums."

But, also mentioned:
"I wonder if we need an "Unofficial RealAir" forum for stuff like this."

 

It's both sides of the coin.  It'd be nice to have one place to go to get info but, dear lord, I have wasted so much time on these forums that I could have been simmig...fishing...hiking.... 

I subscribe to the old adage that anything that gives enjoyment, is never wasted time.

 

(that's what I keep telling myself ha ha!)

I subscribe to the old adage that anything that gives enjoyment, is never wasted time.

 

(that's what I keep telling myself ha ha!)

 

Any time that you enjoyed wasting was not wasted time

Greg,

 

"It's both sides of the coin.  It'd be nice to have one place to go to get info but, dear lord, I have wasted so much time on these forums that I could have been simmig...fishing...hiking.... "

 

Yes, that is true. It is nice to have several hobbies for quality times ... especially after retirement  .. when you can schedule your own time.

 

My first choice is Open forums (AVSIM and they do  take $ donations).

My second choice is Developer sponsored ($ product purchase to join/register-which limits product information piracy).

 

Let us know how your RXP LPV approach goes.

Any time that you enjoyed wasting was not wasted time

 

+1

We have always resisted a forum for a simple reason: We already do the rounds of public forums like this, and adding yet another forum just detracts from our email support which is very fast, even on weekends and public holidays. We don't have a ticket system which in my opinion just delays things even more. We respond directly and quickly.

 

Yes, you do, and always did.

 

I can bear witness that I have never received more appropriate and faster support anywhere else (from any software company) than from Real Air. Not sure this is really what I mean... It's more like when I buy another Real Air model, (I own and fly them all), I have always gotten top-tier value (product fun, function, freedom from frustration) from the first excited installation onward, to direct support help years later, with the umpteenth re-installation and reunion with an old friend.

 

RealAir may not be the only ones now who earn such top honors, but they were the first and only for a long time (in my memory) to wear the crown.  They have not (in my view) slipped an inch or a notch in how they design and build their software, conduct their business or personally and professionally service their customers in a timely and appropriate manner.

 

Why the endorsement and accolades now? Why not? Like most everyone else here, respect is respect, and when it is earned, it is due. Seems to me like a good time to freely give back a bit of the stockpile of respect they have repeatedly re-earned and humbly kept to themselves.

 

Kind regards,

Forgot about how much I used to love the Duke, going to be looking for the update.

 

 

Why the endorsement and accolades now? Why not? Like most everyone else here, respect is respect, and when it is earned, it is due. Seems to me like a good time to freely give back a bit of the stockpile of respect they have repeatedly re-earned and humbly kept to themselves.

 

Yeah, with me it goes like this.  <New airplane>...the Duke...<another new airplane>...back to flying the Duke...<another one...skip that>...keep flying the Duke...<another one>...the Duke...<back to one of the ones I bought>...the Duke again.  They are challenging, speedy, have great legs, require skill to fly and the implementation is just so good.  They remind me that the reason I fly is that I like to fly...don't need another airplane for that...just fly.

I have just started a UK tour in the Turbine Duke. It's a bit of a handful on the ground, but I have managed to tame it for my "low and slow" VFR flights, and those twin turboprop engines sound so good! One of these days, I will learn to fly it properly. I am currently parked at RAF Valley, and I will be making the short trip to the Isle of Man (the super detailed Earth Simulations version) tomorrow morning :dirol:

World tour in the Piston, scrapped a previous tour and now doing Edinburgh, Wick, Faroe, Iceland to Greenland then onto Gander.  At Greenland now, will be nice to update the Duke at somepoint of the tour!  Also, with FTXG and FSGRW just added to my collection, FSX has NEVER looked so good!

 

Rest of the tour is down the East coast USA, West coast South America, an interesting flight over the pacific to Indonesia (hope to be doing this in the DC6!) then a straight line back to UK.  I enjoy the Turbine, but load the piston up with fuel and it feels great dragging it off the runway for an Atlantic trip.

Gregg,

 

Assuming the GPS approach you're flying does offer vertical guidance, getting the AP to couple to the virtual glideslope is a bit different from handling ILS glideslope capture.

 

The key is, don't engage approach mode (AP) on the autopilot until you see the glideslope indicator come alive on the HSI.  This will generally be sometime after you've turned to the final approach course.  If you do this too soon, you'll never capture.  Leave it in NAV mode until then.

 

If you've updated to the last set of generally available data (June '11?), you'll have many, but by not means all of the currently available LPV approaches.  The FAA has been adding these at a fairly rapid rate.

 

Scott

If on a GPS approach and LPV is possible .. it will be selected and displayed automatically ... if LPV is not possible .. then you will see somethining else displayed .. like LNAV ..... you are still on GPS.

 

Ok guys, I re-flew the approach.  I activated the approach and the GNS said LNAV+V (which should mean vertical guidance).  I also got the Glideslope indicator on the compass.  I also verified that I selected GPS on the CDI.  When I was close to intercepting the course I switched from HDG to APP.  The aircraft nosed down and went down to 1800 while I was still a dot below GS and I pressed ALT to get it back up to 2000 (assigned altitude) to intercept.  The display then said APP/GS arm ALT.  I watched the GS indicator on the compass come down and pass down through on GS and the aircraft held altitude.  I pressed ALT to disengage ALT and it nosed slightly down but was not going to catch up with the GS way down below.  GS stayed armed.  I pushed the nose down and the airplane went down through the GS, arm did not disengage and the aircraft did not make an attempt to capture. I pressed APP to disengage and again to reengage.  Arm went away so I just had APP/GS and it seemed to, finally, be making attempts to hold the GS (oscillating weirdly.  I think that I was probably too close in for the elevator to get the airplane stably on the glideslope at that point.)

 

Not sure what the problem(s) would be.

 

 

When I was close to intercepting the course I switched from HDG to APP.

 

See above.  You can't switch to approach mode upon intercepting the final approach course like you would on localizer intercept with an ILS approach.  You MUST WAIT until you see vertical guidance come alive on the HSI, THEN switch to AP mode.   If done this way, on virtual glideslope intercept you'll see ALT turn off and you'll start your descent.

 

Scott

A bit of information on the Garmin's LNAV+V annunciation: http://garmin.blogs.com/my_weblog/2011/05/victors-vectors-lnavv-annunciations-on-your-garmin-navigator.html#.Ugb07j-2_yY

 

The RNAV approaches at San Carlos are non-precision.  FYI.

 

Scott

 

Edit: I'd also mention that the virtual glideslope will generally come alive on an LPV approach somewhere after the IF, but before the FAF.  This is typically after (in some cases well after) you turn onto the final approach course.

A bit of information on the Garmin's LNAV+V annunciation: http://garmin.blogs.com/my_weblog/2011/05/victors-vectors-lnavv-annunciations-on-your-garmin-navigator.html#.Ugb07j-2_yY

 

The RNAV approaches at San Carlos are non-precision.  FYI.

 

Scott

 

Edit: I'd also mention that the virtual glideslope will generally come alive on an LPV approach somewhere after the IF, but before the FAF.  This is typically after (in some cases well after) you turn onto the final approach course.

Ah...so it's advisory. "that makes even a novice IFR pilot look like a pro"...LOL.  I did notice that the Y and Z versions of the approaches (though, completely the same) had vastly different minimums so I guess if you have the +V guidance it affords you the much lower minimums?  Also, I'm not very clear on why it would make any attempt to 'arm' the GS or capture.  Just to be clear, I did wait until the HSI had the GS indications before selecting APP. 

 

Do you know if the GNS530 works for RNP approaches with RNP minumums?  I see a bunch of those around the area (KSFO, KSJC).  Looks like KLAX has an RNP with LPV minumums.

Yes, you do, and always did.

 

I can bear witness that I have never received more appropriate and faster support anywhere else (from any software company) than from Real Air. Not sure this is really what I mean... It's more like when I buy another Real Air model, (I own and fly them all), I have always gotten top-tier value (product fun, function, freedom from frustration) from the first excited installation onward, to direct support help years later, with the umpteenth re-installation and reunion with an old friend.

 

RealAir may not be the only ones now who earn such top honors, but they were the first and only for a long time (in my memory) to wear the crown.  They have not (in my view) slipped an inch or a notch in how they design and build their software, conduct their business or personally and professionally service their customers in a timely and appropriate manner.

 

Why the endorsement and accolades now? Why not? Like most everyone else here, respect is respect, and when it is earned, it is due. Seems to me like a good time to freely give back a bit of the stockpile of respect they have repeatedly re-earned and humbly kept to themselves.

 

Kind regards,

 

You are kindness itself Stephen. Made my Sunday.

 

All the best,

 

Rob