cleve_thompson
Well Known Member
I recently was put in a holding pattern for > 30 minutes and was very thankful for the GRT EFIS, Trutrak 2 axis A/P with GPSS and the Garmin 430 on my panel! There are several buttons to push and I thought some might like to know which ones make the blasted holds easier.
The autopilot has to be in GPSS mode, the altitude needs to be entered in the GRT PFD first. Then no other buttons are needed to be pushed on the A/P.
As you are approaching the holding fix, the EFIS needs to be put in the Heading mode and I like to have the screen split with the PFD and the HSI displayed.
The OBS key on the 430 must be pushed and the reciprocal of the radial entered in the pop-up box on the 430.
Now you see the course too the fix displayed on the PFD. With the heading bug. steer down it. As you cross the fix, again using the heading bug, turn either to the left or right and start the clock. Fly parallel the OBS course for 1 minute and the turn towards the course again with the bug!
As you are released from the hold, the OBS/suspend key must be pushed and the EFIS put back in GPSS mode.
Doing this, I am able to fly an almost perfect reproducible oval track and with very little work. The altitude hold makes maintaining constant altitude a piece of cake. Who would want to go back to round gauges? The transition was difficult for me but worth it!
The autopilot has to be in GPSS mode, the altitude needs to be entered in the GRT PFD first. Then no other buttons are needed to be pushed on the A/P.
As you are approaching the holding fix, the EFIS needs to be put in the Heading mode and I like to have the screen split with the PFD and the HSI displayed.
The OBS key on the 430 must be pushed and the reciprocal of the radial entered in the pop-up box on the 430.
Now you see the course too the fix displayed on the PFD. With the heading bug. steer down it. As you cross the fix, again using the heading bug, turn either to the left or right and start the clock. Fly parallel the OBS course for 1 minute and the turn towards the course again with the bug!
As you are released from the hold, the OBS/suspend key must be pushed and the EFIS put back in GPSS mode.
Doing this, I am able to fly an almost perfect reproducible oval track and with very little work. The altitude hold makes maintaining constant altitude a piece of cake. Who would want to go back to round gauges? The transition was difficult for me but worth it!