Even after studying manuals, training videos, and educational sites, I still can't figure out how to enter a holding pattern on the RXP GNS 530. After entering into OBS mode, I always sail right past the next waypoint, and even after pushing the OBS again and going into "SUSP" I still keep sailing along my manually inputted coarse heading on the HSI, never turning back to the waypoint I expected to be circling. Any idea what I'm doing wrong? 

Hi, Ethan. I'm not sure if I'm reading it correctly but maybe I can touch on some GNS530 holding related items.

 

You won't get a race track pattern drawn on the display when trying to fly a holding outside of any procedure data. So the 530 does show race tracks (and can fly them in LNAV) when there's an approach in the data base but it can not, like FMC airplanes, generate those race tracks via user inputs.

 

So you are correct to use the OBS mode to define e.g. the inbound course. You might want to check which nav mode you are using. You can sync the course selector when being in "GPS", otherwise the unit will ask for the course you like to fly/display.

 

You should not and can not expect to receive an automated turnback command as you would in mentioned FMC planes with a defined race track. For manual holdings, this isn't available in the GNS530 so you have to time and turn at your own discretion.

 

What that means is that you can set a course to/from a waypoint for which a line will be drawn. You can track this line, fly parallel to it in hdg mode or use it for being your extended centreline, but you would have to manually adjust any holding related actions.

Thank you, that explains why I wasn't getting the race track pattern or automatic turnback. The OBS does work in NAV mode for autopilot, I guess I was just expecting something with a race pattern similar to an FMC. The OBS will do fine though, I'll just need to keep one eye on the HSI/GPS. Thanks again.