GNS430W: Parallel offset course feature

Just picked up my aircraft with the GNS430W upgrade and was reading the
manual to see what new features are now included. In there I discovered the
feature that allows the pilot to purposely fly a parallel offset course
anywhere from 1 to 99 miles. The only tedious characteristic of this feature
(IMO) is that the pilot must set this option every time a flight plan is
activated, rather than having the option "stick" across flights. Thus, over
time it seems to me a pilot may eventually opt to not set it.

Anyone use this feature? I am curious about its popularity.

--
Peter

Also useful to lessen the chance of a midair if flying airways...


On Sep 6, 7:32 pm, john smith wrote:
In article ,


"Peter R." wrote:

Just picked up my aircraft with the GNS430W upgrade and was reading the
manual to see what new features are now included. In there I discovered the
feature that allows the pilot to purposely fly a parallel offset course
anywhere from 1 to 99 miles. The only tedious characteristic of this feature
(IMO) is that the pilot must set this option every time a flight plan is
activated, rather than having the option "stick" across flights. Thus, over
time it seems to me a pilot may eventually opt to not set it.

Anyone use this feature? I am curious about its popularity.

Useful for any kind of work which involves flying a grid.

That parallel offset feature has been on every GPS I've had. Thought I
read somewhere it was required for IFR boxes. The Mid Continent CDI's
have a light on the face when you are flying an offset. Never used that
feature, don't know why i ever would.



Peter R. wrote:

Just picked up my aircraft with the GNS430W upgrade and was reading the
manual to see what new features are now included. In there I discovered the
feature that allows the pilot to purposely fly a parallel offset course
anywhere from 1 to 99 miles. The only tedious characteristic of this feature
(IMO) is that the pilot must set this option every time a flight plan is
activated, rather than having the option "stick" across flights. Thus, over
time it seems to me a pilot may eventually opt to not set it.

Anyone use this feature? I am curious about its popularity.

"Newps" wrote in message
. ..
That parallel offset feature has been on every GPS I've had. Thought I
read somewhere it was required for IFR boxes. The Mid Continent CDI's
have a light on the face when you are flying an offset. Never used that
feature, don't know why i ever would.


Because you don't know how to fly outside the box!

Sorry!

Dan wrote:
Also useful to lessen the chance of a midair if flying airways...

Fine for VFR but a 1 mile offset for IFR is not legal in domestic
airspace anywhere in the world.

Offsets are legal for Oceanic IFR within the limits specified by ICAO.

On 9/7/2007 12:07:03 AM, Newps wrote:

That parallel offset feature has been on every GPS I've had.

I thought I read the original GNS430 manual pretty well, but if that feature
was in the original box I missed it.

--
Peter

In article ,
"Peter R." wrote:

Just picked up my aircraft with the GNS430W upgrade and was reading the
manual to see what new features are now included. In there I discovered the
feature that allows the pilot to purposely fly a parallel offset course
anywhere from 1 to 99 miles. The only tedious characteristic of this feature
(IMO) is that the pilot must set this option every time a flight plan is
activated, rather than having the option "stick" across flights. Thus, over
time it seems to me a pilot may eventually opt to not set it.

Anyone use this feature? I am curious about its popularity.

It's mostly used by people flying SAR missions. You keep increasing the
offset and end up flying a box pattern.

I once used it to find a visual reporting point. I was coming back to HPN
from the north at night and ATC said "direct to the Tappan Zee Bridge". I
don't have the bridge as a waypoint, and I didn't have it in sight. But I
do know it's about 5 miles west of the airport, so I just threw in a 5 mile
offset and got the box tracking to a point roughly where the bridge is.

On 9/7/2007 7:58:56 AM, Roy Smith wrote:

It's mostly used by people flying SAR missions. You keep increasing the
offset and end up flying a box pattern.

Ah, OK. I had read about trans-Atlantic flights using an offset and assumed
it was available in these WAAS boxes given their extreme accuracy and the
increased chances of mid-airs on climb-outs and descents.

--
Peter

On 9/7/2007 7:54:20 AM, "Viperdoc" wrote:

The vast majority
of the time I have been given direct the destination just after take off,
unless the course takes me over or near a busy bravo airspace.

I forgot where you are based (upper Midwest US?) but as you know flying IFR
in the northeast is all about the airways (unless perhaps you are flying in
the very early hours of the new day).

--
Peter

Peter,

but if that feature
was in the original box


It wasn't. W only.

--
Thomas Borchert (EDDH)