Chris Quaintance wrote:
Hi Folks-
Please forgive what is probably a simple question regarding GPS
approaches. I am new the the /G world. I was out flying my 182P today
to do some practice approaches. The airplane is equipped with a GNS480
and I have a Garmin 296 on the yolk. I was buzzing around NW of the
Salinas airport on vectors and was told to expect the GPS13 approach as
I requested. So far, so good. Fight plan entered into the 480 and the
296, approach loaded on both.
Here's the approach:
http://www.naco.faa.gov/d-tpp/0701/00363G13.PDF
NorCal cleared me direct EWTOF at 3200, cleared for the approach. When
This is a bum clearance from the get-go. You should be cleared either to
an IAF or given vectors to the final approach course. EWTOF is not an
IAF. So one solution would be to say 'unable' and ask for direct to an
IAF or vectors. I think there is some kind of exception, though, for /G
equipped aircraft to be cleared direct to a fix that is on the final
approach course, as EWTOF is.
looking at the approach on both the 480 and the 296, it seemed to
commence at UBBEP rather than EWTOF. No way for me to go direct EWTOF
then on to the rest of the procedure. So, I fiddled around a bit and
was unable to come up with a graceful solution. Selecting Direct To, I
was hoping to easily find EWTOF - no joy. I had to dig up EWTOF from
the nearest list, and then the rest of the approach "disappeared." I
When you selected the procedure from the database, it looks like the
only IAF is MOVER, so you must have selected the approach starting from
MOVER. So EWTOF should have been added to the flight plan (no?) and you
should be able to select DIRECT EWTOF from the flight plan(?), rather
from the NRST list. Then I think the 480 would have auto-sequenced you
through the rest of the approach.
ended up arming VTF on the 480, then used the 296 to navigate direct to
EWTOF. By then, the VTF mode on the 480 picked me up properly and I
was in good shape. Ugly, but it worked (fortunately, it was clear and a
million). And how about that synthetic glidescope! Very cool!
So, at first I figured that there was a problem with the database
versus my Jepp chart. However, the problem repeated itself on the
GPS31 approach to KRHV:
http://www.naco.faa.gov/d-tpp/0701/05591R31R.PDF
I was cleared direct ECYON, then for the approach. Both Garmins
"wanted" me to head for OZNUM.
Bum clearance again. ECYON is not an IAF, but as above, is on the final
approach course.
What is the best way to handle this situation? Clearly I am doing
something wrong, because this has to easier than I made it! Is it as
simple as amending the current flight plan and inserting a waypoint
before the destination? That is, in the first case, inserting EWTOF
before KSNS on the flight plan and then choosing Direct To? I would
You shouldn't have to "insert" it. It should have been added to the
flight plan when you selected the approach starting from MOVER. Did you
remember to EXECUTE the flight plan change? Did you EXPAND the flight
plan to see all the waypoints? I think EWTOF/ECYON should have been there.
think that EWTOF should be part of the procedure as it is charted on
the approach plate. It sucks to have to enter it in by hand to the
flight plan. Do all of the GPS approaches in the 480/296 database
commence only with the FAF?
In the 480, they all commence with an IAF (not FAF). In the 296, I think
only the FAF is shown on approaches. The 296 is only for
situational-awareness, after all. You can have an output from the 480
that automatically copies the flight plan from the 480 to the 296. I do
that with my 396. Then the 296/396 knows about all the same waypoints
as the 480.
You might want to join the GNS480 users group at
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gns480-users/
Dave