Loading arrival or approach screws up flight plan

[Adrian West 6]

Hi again

So here is another issue that I've hit on. Loading arrivals or approaches into the flight plan screws it up big time. Yesterday I had loaded my departure, then all the waypoints en route, and when I tried to load the arrival all of its waypoints were thrown randomly in between the preceding waypoints, meaning that the flight route zig-zagged backwards and forwards like crazy.

Today I tried something different. I loaded my departure, then my arrival. All good. I loaded all of the waypoints in between. All good. I flew the route and as I was starting to approach my destination decided it was time to load the approach. This time all of the waypoints of the approach were thrown randomly in between all of the preceding waypoints still on the flight plan. It was so bad that I had to clear the whole flight plan and navigate direct to each subsequent waypoint. 

This is crazy. It's bad enough that the Navigraph add-on for this aircraft does not allow you to import a flight plan from Simbrief, meaning that you have to load the flight plan bit by bit. But it ought to be easy enough to load your arrival or approach without completely screwing up the flight plan. Am I doing something wrong or missing something glaringly obvious? Would appreciate some help with this.

Thanks.

Adrian

[kenny584 77]

Hello Adrian.

Remember that this is a business jet, quite often on charter. It is normal to enter the flight plan bit by bit for each individual flight. The way I enter the plan is to first of all hit the FPL select key and then rotate the inner (small) FMS knob to select the Destination Waypoint screen. Rotate the outer knob again to select the flashing cursor and enter the destination airport by use of the keypad below the MFD then hit ENT to select your destination. The display will revert to the Active Flight Plan screen with the Destination flashing and a Magenta arrow beside it. At this point I now select the PROC key to bring up the Procedures screen. Scroll down by using the outer (larger) FMS knob to SELECT ARRIVAL and hit ENT this action will display the Airport screen with the airport code flashing. Scroll down (outer knob) to the ARRIVAL box and then scroll the inner knob to select your arrival to the airport and hit ENT. You may also have to select a Transition and runway dependant on the selected airport and arrival. The arrival sequence should be showing in the SEQUENCE box. If it is consistant with your arrival chart then scroll to LOAD? and hit ENT.

Select PROC again and scroll to DEPARTURE. The airport screen wil show again, this time with your departure airport showing. Scroll down to select your departurre SID and check any runway or transition. The sequence should be as your chart. These sequences are of course dependant on you having an up to date navigation database. They may be different from your charts if out of date. Anyway, if all correct select LOAD? and hit ENT.

You will now see the MAP screen with your flight plan showing as a white line. Now, if you wish to enter waypoints or intersections along the route then select the FPL key and the ACTIVE FLIGHT PLAN window will appear. Your Departure will be flashing in white with a magenta arrow going to the first point of your SID. Scroll down to the white ARRIVAL. This is where you enter any intermediate waypoints into the plan. It will be flashing, indicating that it is ready for input. Scroll the small outer wheel\knob and the STARTING WAYPOINT screen will appear with a flashing cyan box. You will need to scroll the outer knob once to select the flashing cursor and then enter the waypoint name and then press ENT to accept it. You can scroll to adjust the altitude or flight level. It will also take you back to the MAP page with the waypoint centred. You have to repeat this procedure until all of your waypoints are selected. By ensuring that you scroll to the flashing ARRIVAL, any new waypoint will be entered in above it.

I apologise for the long reply but it works this way. There is a great tutorial in the Forum by Celin101.

Best Regards...Ken.

[Adrian West 6]

Hi Ken

Thanks for your reply. If you see my reply on the other thread about not being able to hold an altitude, you'll see that I've just completed a successful flight EGKK-EGPH. Having followed FSMania's guidance this time I delayed loading my arrival route until much later in the flight and likewise for the approach. This meant that there was no possibility of either being loaded higgledy-piggledy in the rest of the flight plan. Only one hitch with the approach, which was completely wrong and did not reflect the correct route shown on Navigraph, so when I activated the approach, I had to switch to HDG hold instead on NAV and fly the approach manually. Other than that it went without a hitch.

Regards

Adrian

[kenny584 77]

Hello Adrian.

The Arrival into EGPH from EGKK would probably be the INPIP1E arrival. After you complete that phase ATC would vector you for the approach. If you were offline then you would probably just give yourself a heading to intercept the ILS for 24. There is a chart showing a direct arrival from the TLA vor. That is mainly used for arrivals from a more westerly direction. Can you explain further what was wrong with the approach? It is good information for others to know. Do you have the current Navigraph AIRAC cycle for the route?

Regards...Ken.

[Adrian West 6]

Hi Ken.

Yes, I had the INPIP 1E arrival, and this takes you to the TARTN waypoint. As an aside, one other point of confusion came from the approach plate which suggests that you fly with reference to the TLA VOR, and there is no mention of TARTN whatsoever, but the arrival plate makes no reference to TLA, so the two don't seem to dovetail together properly.

Anyway, when I tried to load the ILS approach for Rwy 24 it starts sure enough from TARTN, but then takes you direct to the EDN NDB which seems to be the IAF around 3 nm from the threshold. I therefore decided to fly a heading of around 030 and then gradually swing round at DME 12 from the runway threshold to pick up to LOC. Yes, I do have the Navigraph AIRAC, and in any case I was able to track my position on the Navigraph approach chart. I'm guessing that activating the approach triggered the G1000 to take me to the IAF by the shortest route, but that surely cannot be correct and is an error in functionality?

Adrian

[kenny584 77]

Hi Adrian.

EGPH has five arrivals. Only two of them involve the TLA vor and they are both from the west. Coming up from KK you would indeed use the INPIP1E arrival. Scottish control would hand you off to tower who would then vector you by giving you headings to fly to intercept the ILS. That's what I meant by saying you would simply flying a heading to intercept the ILS. The direct entry approach from TLA takes you to EDN which as you say, is the IAF for that procedure. The two plates are not connected.

Cheers...Ken.