- - -THIS THREAD IS INTENDED FOR PEOPLE ALREADY FAMILIAR WITH GRT HXr AND HX SYSTEMS- - -
Now that GRT has geo-reffed plates and maps we will all be devising ways to efficiently set up our EFIS's and NAV equipment to fly IAP's. We at Team AeroDynamix have been very fortunate to be able to do some testing of this new feature and got to offer suggestions along the way.
I've been getting a lot of questions about the GRT HXr and thought I'd take a few minutes and explain how I do instrument approaches. There's no right or wrong and you may already have your favorite way, but for those that are just getting into glass cockpits, I thought I would give a little tutorial of how I do it with my GRT HXr/GTN650 combo. Other EFIS systems will be slightly different but the outcome will be the same. Being ready to fly the approach well before you are cleared for it.
Also, the photo's here were taken from different flights so they depict different airports and approaches. The procedures are always the same however.
Here we are cruising along IFR at 7,000 feet preparing for our arrival. Lots of traffic, sure like the ADSB. (For you eagle eyes you'll notice that I forgot to reset my fuel totalizer so it's wrong. The individual gauges are correct and I didn't run out of gas..
Before TOD I push FLT PLN - push right knob and highlight destination, push right knob again to bring up WX and details. If you don't have onboard weather you'll have to listen to the ATIS. Review WX and set the altimeter, note the Field Elevation, ATIS or WX freq's. From this page also you can view FREQ's, PLATE and TAF.
After reviewing the WX and deciding what approach I want I push the PLATE soft key and that brings up a list of available plates. (STARS,SIDS, AP diagram and approaches) Highlight which plate you want and push VIEW or SELECT and the plate will load.
Once the plate is loaded if you push the PLATE soft key you will be able to scroll UP/DOWN, LEFT/RT, or zoom to see what you want to see. This is where I note what I need to set up the plane for the approach, i.e. - correct approach to the runway I expect, inbd crs, freq's if required, Minimums, Missed altitude, holds or transitions and any approach notes. Once I have these noted I EXIT back to the PFD or PFD/PLATE screen. Below I'm on PFD/PLATE with the PLATE zoomed in late in an approach just to show the zooming feature.
Push the MORE softkey and this brings up the AutoPilot PRESET softkey.
Pushing this will get you the SET DA, and the SET MAP ALT. Highlight each individually and set these. (note : If the DA is 780 feet, you select 800 and wait about 4 seconds and the TENS digit will flash and this will allow you to set in the correct DA) Do the same for the MAP altitude.
In the photo below you'll notice that the altitude in the Vertical window that's green is 1180. That's the DA I set in. This will become active on the final leg inbound. Also, the white/black 2500 feet is the MAP altitude I set in using the A/P Presets softkey.
On my setup with the GTN650 I now select and load the proper approach and transition routing. I don't activate it yet because if you are in GNAV and do this you will steer to the IAF. Also, while I'm in the 650 I load the ILS/LOC/VOR freq as required by highlighting it and it autoloads. For an ILS/LOC if I need to set the inbd crs I select CDI to LOC and set the inbd crs. (NOTE. If you do this on the HXr, be sure to go to the HDG mode and push the CDI/OBS softkey to gain control of the CDI. Some setups will autotune the INBD CRS) Return the 650 to GPS if required.
Now it's time to set up the GRT A/P for the approach. Press the Right Knob to bring up the Main Autopilot Control Softkeys.
I start on the left and work my way across to the right. This way I set the Lateral mode, Vertical mode, ARM the type of approach and set up the SAP (Synthetic Approach)
LAP A/P, select ENAV for VOR/ILS/LOC, or if you have LPV or LNAV select GNAV. (If you are getting vectored this will be in HDG) VERT A/P to AUTO, ARM to appropriate approach, for this I'm using GPSV. I also push SAP and set up my Synthetic Approach at this point. The SAP will automatically select the approach you have loaded and will ask you to verify the altimeter setting.
Also, very important.. you will get the yellow EXECUTE softkey.
This allows you to continue flying along without changing anything until you are cleared for the approach. That's when you push EXECUTE!
Don't forget to ACTIVATE the approach in your GPS if you are using this. Remember, we just loaded it earlier!
Continues in Part if you care to keep reading.
Now that GRT has geo-reffed plates and maps we will all be devising ways to efficiently set up our EFIS's and NAV equipment to fly IAP's. We at Team AeroDynamix have been very fortunate to be able to do some testing of this new feature and got to offer suggestions along the way.
I've been getting a lot of questions about the GRT HXr and thought I'd take a few minutes and explain how I do instrument approaches. There's no right or wrong and you may already have your favorite way, but for those that are just getting into glass cockpits, I thought I would give a little tutorial of how I do it with my GRT HXr/GTN650 combo. Other EFIS systems will be slightly different but the outcome will be the same. Being ready to fly the approach well before you are cleared for it.
Also, the photo's here were taken from different flights so they depict different airports and approaches. The procedures are always the same however.
Here we are cruising along IFR at 7,000 feet preparing for our arrival. Lots of traffic, sure like the ADSB. (For you eagle eyes you'll notice that I forgot to reset my fuel totalizer so it's wrong. The individual gauges are correct and I didn't run out of gas..
Before TOD I push FLT PLN - push right knob and highlight destination, push right knob again to bring up WX and details. If you don't have onboard weather you'll have to listen to the ATIS. Review WX and set the altimeter, note the Field Elevation, ATIS or WX freq's. From this page also you can view FREQ's, PLATE and TAF.
After reviewing the WX and deciding what approach I want I push the PLATE soft key and that brings up a list of available plates. (STARS,SIDS, AP diagram and approaches) Highlight which plate you want and push VIEW or SELECT and the plate will load.
Once the plate is loaded if you push the PLATE soft key you will be able to scroll UP/DOWN, LEFT/RT, or zoom to see what you want to see. This is where I note what I need to set up the plane for the approach, i.e. - correct approach to the runway I expect, inbd crs, freq's if required, Minimums, Missed altitude, holds or transitions and any approach notes. Once I have these noted I EXIT back to the PFD or PFD/PLATE screen. Below I'm on PFD/PLATE with the PLATE zoomed in late in an approach just to show the zooming feature.
Push the MORE softkey and this brings up the AutoPilot PRESET softkey.
Pushing this will get you the SET DA, and the SET MAP ALT. Highlight each individually and set these. (note : If the DA is 780 feet, you select 800 and wait about 4 seconds and the TENS digit will flash and this will allow you to set in the correct DA) Do the same for the MAP altitude.
In the photo below you'll notice that the altitude in the Vertical window that's green is 1180. That's the DA I set in. This will become active on the final leg inbound. Also, the white/black 2500 feet is the MAP altitude I set in using the A/P Presets softkey.
On my setup with the GTN650 I now select and load the proper approach and transition routing. I don't activate it yet because if you are in GNAV and do this you will steer to the IAF. Also, while I'm in the 650 I load the ILS/LOC/VOR freq as required by highlighting it and it autoloads. For an ILS/LOC if I need to set the inbd crs I select CDI to LOC and set the inbd crs. (NOTE. If you do this on the HXr, be sure to go to the HDG mode and push the CDI/OBS softkey to gain control of the CDI. Some setups will autotune the INBD CRS) Return the 650 to GPS if required.
Now it's time to set up the GRT A/P for the approach. Press the Right Knob to bring up the Main Autopilot Control Softkeys.
I start on the left and work my way across to the right. This way I set the Lateral mode, Vertical mode, ARM the type of approach and set up the SAP (Synthetic Approach)
LAP A/P, select ENAV for VOR/ILS/LOC, or if you have LPV or LNAV select GNAV. (If you are getting vectored this will be in HDG) VERT A/P to AUTO, ARM to appropriate approach, for this I'm using GPSV. I also push SAP and set up my Synthetic Approach at this point. The SAP will automatically select the approach you have loaded and will ask you to verify the altimeter setting.
Also, very important.. you will get the yellow EXECUTE softkey.
This allows you to continue flying along without changing anything until you are cleared for the approach. That's when you push EXECUTE!
Don't forget to ACTIVATE the approach in your GPS if you are using this. Remember, we just loaded it earlier!
Continues in Part if you care to keep reading.
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My brain is on overload reading this.