March 27, 20215 yr Well, now, that I've installed the (nice) RXP GTN 750, into two of my (virtual) A/C (per my previous posts), I looked to "play" with it a bit, for the first time, and explore its (powerful) capabilities, and especially its (well-known) user-friendly (yes, our smart-phone like) touchscreen interface (of course, for me, here, it's actually the "Point and Click" mouse interface, instead). BTW, I did try touching the screen with my finger, to see if that might work,...🙂...), but, it does e.g. allow you to move and slide the map, just like on a smart phone. I also liked the large display interface, bigger than 650, (I'm spoiled even further, by the excellent 2D Pop-up, provided by FlysimWare F50 managed panel, to be seen, later, in my Part II), and the large (FMC/CDU like) alphanumeric keypad (the RW 750 has a 6.9" diagonal screen, and is touted as, "you’re rarely more than 2 taps away from all of the system’s primary functions"). So, the (650/750) units are clearly well-reputed in RW navigational operations (see, below, for a RW flight (GTN 650) video suggestion, on which, my this post is based too). So, for my first exercise (test-flight) with the GTN, I looked around a bit, on-line, for a RW video, to replicate in my SIM, as closely as possible, to the best of my ability. I found this (29min 30sec) video interesting: if you wish, please search for "RNAV (GPS LNAV/VNAV) and ILS approach into Augsburg with a Mooney". I watched it a couple of times, frankly, so, because of the first couple of minutes, where the Mooney's underbelly seems to almost scrape the ridges and peaks of the majestic Bavarian Alps, located to the south of Augsburg. So, I, too, plan to give you, in my Part II, a few screenshots of the same Bavarian Alps (thanks to Orbx (Germany-South), but the focus, of this post, is to replicate, as shown in the video (a) the RNAV GPS approach to Augsburg (EDMA) Rwy 25 (b) perform a (deliberate) missed approach procedure (c) and finally land with ILS 25 Approach on the same Rwy. It surely seems more than what I can chew, for a first attempt, myself, being a GTN 750 newbie, and, indeed it is, but, no harm, as long as I'm not in the "real" cockpit of that Mooney, where the scene, looked rather "busy", to my untrained eyes, at least for the PF/Pilot-Flying/Instructor, while the FO/PNF, in the right seat, throughout the video, is seen, holding an IPAD, very respectfully, facing a bit towards the instructor...! So, before venturing out next with my (virtual) Falcon 50, in Part II, I've practiced, here, first, the same 3 procedures, (a)/(b)/(c), also see below, on the Garmin GTN 750 Trainer Module, that came with the GTN Installation. The default Trainer interface has two main displays, and a simplified (mini) autopilot panel with (HDG/NAV/GS) modes plus sliders to set Speed and Altitude (see screenshots). For this test flight, I created a simple and short (~ 40nm) Flightplan on the GTN, with 3 waypoints: (EDDM/Munich -> MAH -> EDMA/Augsburg). My plan is as follows (same for the Garmin Trainer, here, as, to be, for the Falcon 50, later): Step (a) - While in the NAV mode, you descend to 5000 feet at MAH (IAF for RNAV (GPS) RWY 25 Approach), then descend further to 3500 feet at MA001 (IF), then select and activate the RNAV (LPV) Approach on GTN, and, finally, with GS enabled, on the Autopilot, proceed down the glidepath via BUREG (FAF), to Rwy 25, MDA. Step (b) - At MDA, just prior to touchdown, GTN (nicely) prompts you for Missed Approach, and, once selected, it routes you CCW (via MA002, MA003, MA004, MA005) to WALDA (WLD) IAF, while you roll up the Altitude to 4000 feet, the value prescribed for WLD. Step (c) - From WLD IAF, you proceed to MA001, as in the previous approach, but, then, with ILS Freq (108.50) set on the NAV Radio of the GTN, now, activate the ILS Rwy 25 Approach, and with GS enabled, proceed to Rwy 25, this time, for an actual touchdown. I've shown my screenshots below from this Garmin Trainer exercise, with one line of explanation for each screenshot. On the final approach to Rwy 25, for both (GPS/ILS) Approach procedures, please note, on the RHS Display (MFD), the (nicely centered) LOC and GS indicators/diamonds. Please also note that, in the RW video, the instructor/pilot, for educational purpose, has flown the (final) ILS 25 approach, manually, i.e., as I understood, without the benefit of (automatic) LOC/GS guidance, that the ILS Approach (normally) allows. So, thanks for being part of this virtual Pilot's first dive into the use of the RXP GTN 750 to simulate RW (Approach) scenarios, at a RW airport. Variety and complexity of GPS approaches are quite mind-boggling to the un-initiated, even, in the SIM world. For example, I read, "Over the past several years, the FAA has created GPS based LPV and LNAV/VNAV approaches at thousands of airports across the US. With GPS, the number of approaches with vertical guidance has tripled. But in many ways, so has the confusion. So what's the difference between LPV and LNAV/VNAV approaches? They're both GPS based approaches with vertical guidance, but the similarities end there...". The GPS LPV approach, I've attempted, here, apparently, is like ILS, but not considered as precise as ILS, and can (usually) get you down to 200' above touchdown, with 1/2 mile visibility. On the other hand, the GPS "LNAV/VNAV", the first ever GPS approach created, with vertical guidance, is even (slightly) less precise than LPV, and, typically involves minimums higher than 250' above touchdown for most approaches....and so on...oh well, that's good enough, to know, for me for now...🙂...and, there is no shortage of materials to read up, later, on these topics, on-line... But, there is no question, the 750 is a joy to explore, with an extremely high-level of situational awareness, that even I could feel. To me, it feels like, I now know the Fixes and Waypoints, for the 2 approaches to Augsburg, by heart, so, I can even (easily) try to do them, in the SIM, manually too...if I wish. And the GTN has many novel features e.g. the handy "rubber band" feature that lets you grab any leg of your flight plan route and move it to another waypoint (see the 3rd screenshot for an example)...though I recall been able to do something similar on the FSX Flight Planner, since 2006...🙂...oh well...this, here, is a RW navigational device for GA. Finally, I am neither a RW pilot, nor pretend to be one, but, in my imaginary (make-believe) world of navigation, the (virtual) GTN device did appeal to me a lot...! So, thanks to the member, who got me thinking of the GTN 750. This post is not meant for the Pros,..🙂...but, If you are a curious simmer, who, fly GA a lot, or, you own several GA A/C, but unlike some of the folks here (who have been using GTN, since a long time), are new to GTN, I hope, this will give you some food for thought, and, anyway, I hope, you enjoy this account and the images, below, gathered from my first experience with it. Of course, learning never ends, so, lots to learn, fix, and explore still...(Flysimware Falcon 50, with the same 3 procedural steps, as, in the Trainer, here, will follow...so, please stay tuned, but that would be a bit more difficult than this Trainer, for sure...)... Thanks for your interest and comments...!! And, btw, happy flying with MSFS, now that, it looks like, there has been some (recent) good news...🙂...! Yes, absolutely, I need this disclaimer, so I will not think I'm (now) ready to take on a real GA A/C...🙂... Simple EDDM->EDMA Flightplan, shown in Pan (MAP) Mode...A/C at EDDM... Handy "rubber band" GTN feature, by which I've added two (test) WPTs (WLD/MAH - Fixes)... Active Flightplan page with MAH (IAF) added... RNAV 25 GPS (LPV) Approach added to flightplan...(MAH(IAF)->MA001(IF)->BUREG(FAF)->RW25(EDMA), followed by Missed Approach Fixes)... MAH(IAF) ahead, note on the Autopilot: NAV Mode, Speed=200, Altitude=5000... Traffic Advisory... This Trainer can even provide Terrain Warning... From MAH(IAF), a Direct-To towards MA001(IF)...Altitude has been reduced to 3500 feet, for MA001, and Speed has been reduced to 100... MA001(IF) just ahead, in Pan (MAP) Mode, with indicated (left) turn towards BUREG(FAF) coming up next... Now, well past BUREG, RW25 is just 1.0 nm ahead, at altitude 1980 feet... Automatic Missed Approach prompt has (just) been accepted and activated, heading/climbing now from RW25 towards MA002...(no Flaps, Gears, etc. to worry about in the Trainer...🙂...)... Shows routing/climbing for Missed Approach to WLD(IAF) via MA002/MA004/MA005 fixes, with altitude reset to 4000 feet... WLD(IAF) ahead....shortly, will do a Direct-To towards MA001(IF)... Direct-To towards MA001, in the Pan Mode, with indicated turn, this time, to right, towards, BUREG(FAF)... Display of the ILS RWY 25 (EDMA) Approach fixes...(CI25->BUREG->RW25)...ready to Load this (ILS) Approach & Activate... Passing over BUREG(FAF)....distance to RW25 is 4.9 nm, and, with Autopilot, in GS Mode, altitude is being (automatically) reduced, now, at 3420 feet, and the LOC/GS diamonds are (already) centered on (RHS) MFD display... RW25 2.0 nm ahead, with altitude 2360 feet...LOC/GS diamonds still centered... RW25 0.2 nm ahead, with altitude 1680 feet...LOC/GS diamonds still centered... RWY 25 Threshold and Marker just ahead, with altitude 1620 feet...LOC/GS diamonds still centered...and, I'm almost ready to pull back on the throttles, well, there are no throttles to pull, here,...🙂.... Edited March 27, 20215 yr by P_7878
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