RNAV and Approach mode

[FrankR409 514]

23 minutes ago, Boeing_Driver said:

Hi Frank,

I haven’t flown either the C172 or C208, and I don’t have any of the payware aircraft yet.

Do you know if your method works with any of the other default aircraft?

Btw, for what it’s worth, in the aircraft I fly for a living, VNAV would be the mode to use for these approaches, but obviously, that function doesn’t work in the sim. I can’t recall if the approach mode is typically used in GA aircraft for RNAV approaches, but it appears that’s the only way to utilize a GPS glideslope.

Those are the only GA planes I haves flown, but my guess is that they share the same gps with the other planes and should produce similar results.  

[NismoRR 191]

12 hours ago, desbean said:

And yes, there are fixes associated with ILS approaches. Also if the ILS has a DME (all three shown below) it will provide the distance to the runway.

Desbean, what app are you using here? Little Nav map? 

[desbean 357]

15 minutes ago, NismoRR said:

Desbean, what app are you using here? Little Nav map? 

Yes, Little Navmap, love it!

[Boeing_Driver 76]

45 minutes ago, ryanbatcund said:

Now he's typed in some sort of Boeing haha

Anyway the only reliable aircraft I've used that flies RNAV(GPS) approaches is the WorkingTitle CJ4.  All the rest have issues - either making a large sweeping arc to the IAF, not showing the glide path during LPV mins, not descending on the glide path, skipping the IAF to going direct to the FAF.  Sometimes this can be avoided (last part) but adding the IAF in front of the IAF (so seeing it twice in the FPL).

Thanks, Ryan,

I like the Longitude, but haven’t had a lot of luck with RNAV approaches.

Btw, since my last interaction on this forum (in the days of FSX), I now fly the B737 for work...the old name seemed dated to me.

[Boeing_Driver 76]

44 minutes ago, FrankR409 said:

Those are the only GA planes I haves flown, but my guess is that they share the same gps with the other planes and should produce similar results.  

Frank, one last question; do you go into the menu and activate the approach and if so, where during the procedure makes for the smoothest transition? Prior to the FAF?

[NismoRR 191]

14 minutes ago, desbean said:

Yes, Little Navmap, love it!

Thanks. I have to get the moving map implemented. I had been a Plan-G fan but the MSFS integration is taking too long. I thought LNM was a bit more complex than my needs, but has great info at your fingertips, nav data info specifically. 

[ryanbatc 12,770]

35 minutes ago, Boeing_Driver said:

Thanks, Ryan,

I like the Longitude, but haven’t had a lot of luck with RNAV approaches.

Btw, since my last interaction on this forum (in the days of FSX), I now fly the B737 for work...the old name seemed dated to me.

The C700 is indeed pretty cool.  But we'll need to wait for WorkingTitle to port their flight plan manager from the ProLine21 of the CJ4 to their G3000 mod.  (The G3000 mod affects  the C700 even though the real one is a G5000).  

[FrankR409 514]

1 hour ago, Boeing_Driver said:

Frank, one last question; do you go into the menu and activate the approach and if so, where during the procedure makes for the smoothest transition? Prior to the FAF?

I hit procedure on the gns and select the runway and approach type for example rnwy 27 RNAV.  Then scroll down to select the transition. Finally I select load.  I do this prior to takeoff, mostly so I can focus on flying.

I activate the approach button when I am down to the altitude prescribed in the baseplate for the FAF and for simplicity just about .5 nm prior to the FAF.  The Glide path is typically captured by the time I actually hit the FAF.

I think most of my failures to capture were due to being above the correct altitude upon hitting the approach button.

edit: Left this out, as it might be obvious but your cdi is also set for gps, not vloc.

Edited December 31, 2020 by FrankR409

[Bert Pieke 7,584]

10 hours ago, Boeing_Driver said:

Essentially, what I've determined, is that while using the sim in its current form, you have to manually 'dive-and-drive' down to the last fix on the flight plan (the one prior to the airport). At that point, MSFS will allow you to utilize a vertical glidepath down to the the threshold of the runway, using the APR button. I agree, that this is not perfect, and it doesn't work for every airport (it doesn't work, for instance, on the 28R RNAV approach into KMRY), but I have found it works 90% of the time.

That is indeed a workaround... but what is the fun in that?

The glideslope indicator is pegged at the bottom, showing you that you are above the glideslope (incorrectly), and then you push the APR button expecting the autopilot to capture the glidepath..

This goes against all piloting rules 🤔

 

[Boeing_Driver 76]

29 minutes ago, Bert Pieke said:

That is indeed a workaround... but what is the fun in that?

The glideslope indicator is pegged at the bottom, showing you that you are above the glideslope (incorrectly), and then you push the APR button expecting the autopilot to capture the glidepath..

This goes against all piloting rules 🤔

 

Actually, when done in the manner I’ve suggested, you will observe the magenta diamond move to the top, then slowly come down as you approach that last fix. With the approach mode engaged, the path will be captured, and you will descend in the same manner as an ILS glideslope.

in the real world, this would take place earlier in the approach (prior to the FAF), but MSFS seems to have designed it to occur at the last fix.

[Boeing_Driver 76]

1 hour ago, FrankR409 said:

I hit procedure on the gns and select the runway and approach type for example rnwy 27 RNAV.  Then scroll down to select the transition. Finally I select load.  I do this prior to takeoff, mostly so I can focus on flying.

I activate the approach button when I am down to the altitude prescribed in the baseplate for the FAF and for simplicity just about .5 nm prior to the FAF.  The Glide path is typically captured by the time I actually hit the FAF.

I think most of my failures to capture were due to being above the correct altitude upon hitting the approach button.

edit: Left this out, as it might be obvious but your cdi is also set for gps, not vloc.

Sorry, I may have been a little unclear. You are engaging the APR button prior to the FAF, but do you go into the plane’s menu on the PFD to also activate the approach?

[FrankR409 514]

38 minutes ago, Boeing_Driver said:

Sorry, I may have been a little unclear. You are engaging the APR button prior to the FAF, but do you go into the plane’s menu on the PFD to also activate the approach?

Yes, it is the first thing I do on the ground.  There are two options load approach or activate and I choose load.

[Boeing_Driver 76]

24 minutes ago, FrankR409 said:

Yes, it is the first thing I do on the ground.  There are two options load approach or activate and I choose load.

So having loaded it, it’s unnecessary to activate it later?

[FrankR409 514]

3 minutes ago, Boeing_Driver said:

So having loaded it, it’s unnecessary to activate it later?

I have not needed to later activate it once it is loaded.

[Bert Pieke 7,584]

13 minutes ago, Boeing_Driver said:

So having loaded it, it’s unnecessary to activate it later?

The actual garmin procedure removes all waypoints prior to the IAF when activating the approach.

You can fly the approach just fine without activating.