GPS in FS9-Non ILS approaches

[kevin2003]

Dear fellow Simmers,
why do all(or most) of the non ILS approaches loaded in the GPS arrive at their destination at an angle substantially different to the heading of the active runway. Turning finals over the thresshold is a white knuckle ride and breaking off the approach to give yourself a 5 mile final defeats the purpose surely?I'm not sure wheither I've missed something(no pun intended) or I've failed to understand the tutorial fully or this aspect of the F.S. G.P.S. is not quite what it should be.I'd be grateful for any assistance on this matter.Cheers!

kevin

[commoner]

Hi Kevin....I think GPS is just a means of finding where you want to go....not an instument for landing approaches. I turn it off when sure of where I'm at and personally fly IFR which then lets ATC vector you into position for approach...that's how I see it anyhow

[RollerBall]

Direct GPS just plots a track direct to the airport reference point - roughly the centre of the airfield.

This will hardly ever align with the active runway.

You can if you want edit flightplans using Wordpad to insert waypoints so you could find a point with reference to a chart that's say 10-20 miles out on the extended rway centre line and insert it, but it's a hassle to do every time.

I'd just file an airborne flightplan at say 50-100 miles out from your current position and let ATC vector you in.

[kevin2003]

Thanks Commoner & Rollerball, it looks like its business as usual i.e. Downwind/Base/Finals, or ATC vectored approaches.What a pity all those non ILS approaches stored in Garmin are useless.
Thanks again Guys!

Kevin2003

[Nav]

Rather than go to all the hassle of calling up approaches, try just checking the bearing of your destination (under 'BRG' on the lefhand side) and then flying an intercepting course to get the bearing agreeing with the runway heading.   That way you can be sure of coming in on more or less the right line.

[kevin2003]

thanks Nav.It just baffles me why microsoft would go to the trouble of including so many non-ILS approach options in it's Garmin without there being some tangible,practical purpose to it all.The tutorial sheds no light on the matter either.I just hate dead-ends.Thanks again guys.

kevin

[JBaymore]

kevin,

You may be seeing the start of the development for fs2006.  Maybe that stuff is stuff they started... but did not get finished for fs2004.

best,

.................john

[Nav]

Just thought of a refinement, kevin.

When you've got the bearing right, try using 'Direct to WPT' and setting up a new GPS course.  That way the GPS will track in for you, if you wish, and you'll get the read-off of the distance too.

[gabel]

Hi,
My sugestion to you is do not "trust" the FS plan and the ATC instructions,in many cases it doesn't match the real thing.
Try to download SID and STAR charts,they give the exact heading in which you need to enter the ILS and the altitude .Also I would recommend a good flight planner,I am using FSnavigator,you can download SID and STAR database there.

[birdie]

 Do you mean the other approaches like NDBs or VORs?  If so they are non-precision approaches so they won't always line up to the runway because of obstacles or other factors which prevent a nice 3* slope for an ILS.  On the approach plates they will give minimum descent altitude or MDA and minimum vis to set up for landing.  Sometimes all there is, is what you call a circling approach whivh means you follow the approach in then once visual circle to land on the best suited runway for wind conditions.  These are usually found at small one runway airports where usually no jets go into.  Hope this helps.  Cheers!

[kevin2003]

Thanks to everyone for clarifying this issue for me.It would seem that a non-precision approach is precisely that.A guide to a MAP.I had'nt thought of using my FSnav to call up a STAR for a given destination,and while many airports dont have them,its certainly worth trying out.Thanks again!

kev

[Gary R.]

A number of the airports I fly into have non-ILS approaches through the default gps.

[kevin2003]

Thanks Gary,
I'll fly into KSEG and check out the non-ILS approach options.It raises the question,however,of why there is alligned non-ILS approaches for KSEG and not for the vast majority of other destiations.

kevin

[beefhole]

They can't have an approach for every airport, or even the majority.  Indeed you can fly an approach with the GPS if u hit PROC.  If it is a larger airport or an airport with an ILS you'll see a list of runways.  Once you select one, it will load a beeline course down into that runway (its exactly the same course an ILS feather will run).  Just keep NAV hold on with Nav/GPS set to GPS and control the attitude of the plane without having to worry about lining it up.  Unfortunatley, for some of the smaller airports, the approaches can be a little off from the airports actual position, so you need to monitor your alignment the whole way down.

[warren_landis]

GPS approaches are non-percision approaches (i.e. no vertical flight path information).

You select "proc" and an approach then you must activate the approach. Once activated the GPS will show only the approach segments for the approach as individual course segments. Note that FS9 can give a GPS approach so playing with the PROC button and learning to ACTIVATE the approach will allow one to fly the approaches with the GPS in approach mode.

The newer GPS approaches are normally closely aligned to the runway in question, unless overlaying an existing VOR or NDB approach. This makes the VOR and NDB approaches kind of obsolete and allows for lower minimums in many instances. For example KPLR (Pell City, AL) VOR/GPS is a circle to land with minimums of 1240 while both the runway GPS approaches have a minimums of 100 to 200 lower for straight in landings. Without approach plates you could fly the approach and desend to 700 ft above ground level for most straight in GPS approaches and be safe, however many of these approaches have minimums of 500ft. FYI .. Approach plates (terminal procedures) are usually available at your local small airports and many times they will give away the obsolete ones that they have in stock when the new ones are published (published every 56 days).