Garmin GTN 6XX/7XX Descent Vertical Navigation, July 18, 2018

[TX7A]

Originally Posted by jeffkersey

Sam, thanks for the response. Glad to here it seemed to all be working properly on the ground. Did you run it through all phases of flight? Approaches, etc?

Jeff

Jeff

I did go out yesterday & fly the new software. I have a TruTrak VSGV & Dynon HS34. I punched in an approach for a nearby airport and it flew the coupled approach flawlessly. I haven't explored the new features in total yet, and still have ALOT more to learn about the GTN. But I did see where you could enter altitudes per waypoint for the approach. The A/P doesn't follow the VNAV data until it captures the glide slope as far as I can tell. I think that will be a capability only for GX3 with Garmin A/P.
I do love the new keyboard!

Sam

[jeffkersey]

Originally Posted by TX7A

Jeff

I did go out yesterday & fly the new software. I have a TruTrak VSGV & Dynon HS34. I punched in an approach for a nearby airport and it flew the coupled approach flawlessly. I haven't explored the new features in total yet, and still have ALOT more to learn about the GTN. But I did see where you could enter altitudes per waypoint for the approach. The A/P doesn't follow the VNAV data until it captures the glide slope as far as I can tell. I think that will be a capability only for GX3 with Garmin A/P.
I do love the new keyboard!

Sam

Sam,

I took off and loaded an approach too. I put VNAV direct to the FAP and it did not climb to that altitude. I have to put the altitude into the Gemini AP. It did capture the glide slope for the RNAV approach just fine and couple the approach. I wonder if it was because it required a climb? I have a trip tomorrow and will see if VNAV will guide the AP in a decent.

Jeff

[TX7A]

Originally Posted by jeffkersey

Sam,

I took off and loaded an approach too. I put VNAV direct to the FAP and it did not climb to that altitude. I have to put the altitude into the Gemini AP. It did capture the glide slope for the RNAV approach just fine and couple the approach. I wonder if it was because it required a climb? I have a trip tomorrow and will see if VNAV will guide the AP in a decent.

Jeff

Jeff,
I don't think the TruTrak (at least the VSGV) has that capability. I'm gong to share an email exchange I had with (Steve) G3Expert a couple of weeks ago regarding this:

"Steve,
Question regarding the GTN vertical NAV feature that you announced on the Vans Airforce forum.
I have a GTN650 navigator and a TruTrak A/P that flies coupled approaches. Will the new software update (V6.50) allow for the VNAV profiles through the TruTrak or is this ONLY for Garmin G5 & G3X equipment and A/P?s?
Also looking forward to the full screen keyboard.
Thanks also for your presence & help on the forum."

Reply:

"Hello Sam,

Good question.

Given that this new capability didn?t even work on Garmin equipment without a lot of software changes, it seems unlikely that the TT autopilot would work without changes, but it might depend on the model you have. It would probably be best to ask TruTrak if they have plans to add this support to your unit.

I think a lot of customers with the GTN 6XX units are going to really appreciate the new keypad.

Thanks, and you are welcome,
Steve"

Maybe a software update for the TruTrak? Maybe the TruTrak Vizion can do it? Who knows..... and I haven't talked to TruTrak yet.

Sam

[Spirko]

In section 4.3.3 of GTN Pilot's Guide Rev N, it lists:

4.3.3.1 VNAV Requirements
? Enablement by the installer

Is configuration of the GTN needed to take advantage of VNAV, beyond loading v6.50? Is new configuration of the G3X required?

I'm waiting for G3X v6.20, so haven't tried it yet.

[Mark Dickens]

I went out this morning and set up a short cross country, using a "along track offset" waypoint to see if my Dynon autopilot would couple to the VNAV signal from the 650. Nope. In fact, other than telling me when to descend, that feature was almost useless. No glidepath indication, nothing. Is the 650 not putting out the glidepath info through the A429 stream? It works for LPV approaches, why not enroute VNAV? Am I missing something?

[Mark Dickens]

Originally Posted by Spirko

You've probably already found it, but Garmin posted a Pilot's Guide Upgrade Supplement, "This supplement contains the pages revised in the GTN 625/635/650 Pilot?s Guide, P/N 190-01004-03, Rev N, regarding the new features of software v6.50. Change bars are placed adjacent to the revised information as described in the revision summary table."

It's very clear which parts of the manual are new.

The supplement is on the regular Garmin manual download page: https://support.garmin.com/support/m...o=010-00813-50
Choose "Appliance Data" in the pull down menu.

Thank you!

[Tooch]

For those of you who have already done the update. Did you have to enter all your settings again?

[rleffler]

While I did take precautions to take photos of all my configuration pages, I didn't lose any of the configuration settings. I guess Murphy will strike if you don't have a record of the settings.

[TX7A]

Originally Posted by Tooch

For those of you who have already done the update. Did you have to enter all your settings again?

Like Bob, I took pics of all my settings screens before update. Glad I did. Lost all my ARINC, RS232, etc. settings. Punched them back in & did a test flight. All ok.

[Mark Dickens]

I posted this earlier, but I think it got lost in the Labor Day postings. I'd like to get an answer please:

"I went out this morning and set up a short cross country, using a "along track offset" waypoint to see if my Dynon autopilot would couple to the VNAV signal from the 650. Nope. In fact, other than telling me when to descend, that feature was almost useless. No glidepath indication, nothing. Is the 650 not putting out the glidepath info through the A429 stream? It works for LPV approaches, why not enroute VNAV? Am I missing something?"