I have looked over a few threads and am completely lost. I have MSFS 2020, but not married to it. All I want to do is fly some approaches in a Mooney with a Garmin 400/500 series. 2020 has zilch for Mooneys. I can do Steam or whatever. Just like a simple answer. Candlera this candelero that. Does not matter. Thanks

If you want a Mooney aeroplane for MSFS, then your only real option would be the add-on Carenado Mooney M20R. It is equipped with a Garmin GNS 530 and a Bendix King KAP 150 autopilot, so it can do what you want. That link is to the developer's website, where you can see all its features listed and check out some screenshots, but to buy it you have to do that through the MSFS marketplace.

If I recall correctly, its about 23 quid. It's a nice aeroplane, one of the better add-ons for the sim. Looks pretty, flies well and is good for long flights in IMC since it is pretty fast, has a decent set of avionics, and it has a fairly high service ceiling for a GA single:

Edited March 14, 20215 yr by Chock

55 minutes ago, willerjim1 said:

I have looked over a few threads and am completely lost. I have MSFS 2020, but not married to it. All I want to do is fly some approaches in a Mooney with a Garmin 400/500 series. 2020 has zilch for Mooneys. I can do Steam or whatever. Just like a simple answer. Candlera this candelero that. Does not matter. Thanks

Mooney and Garmin GNS series. Is one above the other in your interests?  The Mooney from Carenado is essentially the same model in FSX Steam and in MSFS.   The GNS series is still a totally different issue.  The Reality XP GNS 430 and 530 for FSX SE and P3D use the genuine Garmin Trainer as the foundation and is then much more complete and immersed than the default GNS in MSFS, even with a very good freeware MSFS GNS modification that is available. At the moment there is no comparison.  The FSX SE RXP GNS  can also include a much more robust database if you ask here for help.  So do you just want a Mooney with any GNS? Or do you want more from the GNS?

3 hours ago, willerjim1 said:

All I want to do is fly some approaches in a Mooney with a Garmin 400/500 series.

If this is all you want to do, then fly FSX or P3D with the Alabeo Mooney Ovation with an addon GNS530 by Reality XP in the panel.

If the old navdata is an issue for you, get hold of me via PM and get a newer version.

The MSFS Mooney looks very pretty, but the GNS530 is sadly lacking..

4 minutes ago, Bert Pieke said:

 

The MSFS Mooney looks very pretty, but the GNS530 is sadly lacking..

 

Not sure why people say that, unless they are using the default Asobo GNS530 I suppose,  but pretty much everyone flying the Mooney seems to use the 530 mod.

The modded GN530 is really good and even lets you import saved flight plans from disk and works fine with the Carenado Mooney.

Here:

https://github.com/pimarc/pms50-gns530

or here:

https://www.msfsaddon.com/2020/10/msfs2020-garmin-gns530-improvements.html

 

Quote

Main features

• MSFS U-turn bug workaround
• North Up / Track up map modes
• Terrain Map
• Map cursor with waypoint selection
• TCAS (anti collision system)
• NEXTRAD weather data
• Better DirectTo management
• Weather radar
• Wind indicator
• VNAV page
• Dynamic flight plan distances
• Flight plan catalog and flight plan import
• Procedure maps
• METAR (with decoded option)
• GNS430 included
• State saved between sessions
• Message management
• Configuration file
• Startup screen
• Many graphical enhancements
• Night/day lighting

 

 

 

12 minutes ago, Glenn Fitzpatrick said:

The modded GN530 is really good and even lets you import saved flight plans from disk and works fine with the Carenado Mooney.

The OP wants to fly approaches with the GNS530 and that simply does not work correctly in MSFS.. Yes, the mods are nice, but still far from the real thing.

"Better DirectTo management" is not the same as correct DirectTo management..

.. and note that there is no mention of RNAV approaches in the long list of fixes.

Sorry!

Edited March 14, 20215 yr by Bert Pieke

Agree with Bert.  A lot of people think this mod drastically changes the failed Asobo internal navigation.  But it doesn't.  It's mostly adding features not related to GPS navigation.  If you have a lot of real world experience with the GNS series (I do) you cannot say this mod allows for realistic navigation.

Once more, if all you're wanting to do is load a flight plan using Asobo's built in planner and fly point a to point b offline, it will probably work fine.  But if you require any modifications to your route, and especially, if you want to shoot approaches from some of the IAF's, this will not work...or they won't even exist in the database.

Your best bet to realistically fly approaches is get the WT CJ mod which does a pretty good job, and is the most reliable and allows for fairly realistic navigation in MSFS.  Or, of you're set on the Mooney:  fly xp11 or p3d/FSX using the RXP GNS.

Edited March 14, 20215 yr by ryanbatcund

Not something I mess about with but according to the dev on the MSFS forum

Quote

RNAV approaches with vertical guidance are working fine. Just be sure to be at the correct altitude at the IAF and autopilot set to approach mode.

 

13 minutes ago, Glenn Fitzpatrick said:

Not something I mess about with but according to the dev on the MSFS forum

 

Whoever wrote that, does not understand Garmin flight plans.

 

14 minutes ago, Glenn Fitzpatrick said:

Just be sure to be at the correct altitude at the IAF

That is what the Garmin GPS is supposed to steer the autopilot to do, and it does not (at present)..

16 hours ago, Glenn Fitzpatrick said:

The modded GN530 is really good and even lets you import saved flight plans from disk and works fine with the Carenado Mooney.

Can you establish a VNAV profile for a descent?  Can you easily modify flight plans when in route?  Can you store routes in that GNS? Can you invert stored routes to use for return flights? Fly a real Direct To →?  Can you enter and fly a manual hold?  Oh! Are published approach holds included in the database?  How about the RNAV (GPS) 15 or RNAV (GPS) 33 approaches into KUMP Indianapolis Metro?  (Just to name some procedures missing from just one airport, there are many others)

The RXP for FSX/P3D does all of the above, includes all published procedures and holds, and allows importing of saved flight plans as well, and has for years.

Edited March 14, 20215 yr by fppilot

 

17 hours ago, Bert Pieke said:

The OP wants to fly approaches with the GNS530 and that simply does not work correctly in MSFS.. Yes, the mods are nice, but still far from the real thing.

"Better DirectTo management" is not the same as correct DirectTo management..

.. and note that there is no mention of RNAV approaches in the long list of fixes.

Sorry!

I flew ILS, Rnav and visual approaches in the Mooney for weeks using the 530. Worked fine for me. 

14 minutes ago, Bobsk8 said:

 

I flew ILS, Rnav and visual approaches in the Mooney for weeks using the 530. Worked fine for me. 

Are you comparing this to using a RW GNS530?

Try going to KTPA and select an RNAV approach to R01L via PIE.  (my standard Garmin test flight)

35 minutes ago, Bert Pieke said:

Are you comparing this to using a RW GNS530?

Try going to KTPA and select an RNAV approach to R01L via PIE.  (my standard Garmin test flight)

Nope . never flew with a GPS in the real world, just 2 VOR receivers. 

8 minutes ago, Bobsk8 said:

Nope . never flew with a GPS in the real world, just 2 VOR receivers. 

That explains why we have different expectation levels for the Garmin GPS.. 😉

I had the RXP system in FSX if I recall correctly. Very elegant, but there was no affordable way to update the nav database as I remember it. That was very inconvenient unless one had a way of keeping an out of date set of approach plates on hand. That wasn't a problem back in the day of printed plates, but nowadays it's more challenging. Of course, given that we've come so far, it's very possible that RXP has solved this problem and the whole thing runs off of Navigraph like everything else.

Other than that, I'm totally old school and feel that GPS is somehow cheating. How I long for the good old NDB approaches of yesteryear.

Cheers.