IFD 5 Series & IFD 4 Series Touch Screen GPS/NAV/COM - Approaches without an external CDI

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Approaches without an external CDI

Printed From: Avidyne
Category: Avidyne General
Forum Name: IFD 5 Series & IFD 4 Series Touch Screen GPS/NAV/COM
Forum Description: Topics on Avidyne's IFD 5 Series and IFD 4 Series Touch Screen GPS/NAV/COM
URL: http://forums.avidyne.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1595
Printed Date: 04 Jan 2025 at 9:37am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 12.01 - http://www.webwizforums.com

Topic: Approaches without an external CDI

Posted By: JohnAJohnson
Subject: Approaches without an external CDI
Date Posted: 08 Sep 2018 at 7:27pm

I'm building a panel and would like to install an IFD540 but don't want to install an external CDI such as the Garmin GI-106. Later additions to the panel will be glass that will give me HSI/Command Bar roll and pitch steering functionality from Nav or GPS sources. Till then, provided the IFD is inside the pilot's acceptable visual angle, can it provide vertical and horizontal steering on its own screen for an ILS (from its internal Nav radio), and also for GPS approaches?

Replies:

Posted By: AZ Flyer
Date Posted: 09 Sep 2018 at 9:57am

No, the IFD 540 does not have that capability. The only CDI on the 540 is a datablock option for "GPS CDI" which does not have the normal operating characteristics (such as increasing sensitivity) that would be expected from a VOR or localizer-driven CDI. There is no glideslope per se with vertical guidance provided only by such datablock and map functions as Vertical Speed Required, TOD marker and the so-called Boeing Banana. None of these operate as a suitable replacement for the localizer/glideslope functions of a CDI (whether separate or part of a PFD).

Perhaps others are aware of capabilities that I am not.

Posted By: JohnAJohnson
Date Posted: 09 Sep 2018 at 10:41am

Thanks AZ, that's just the info I was looking for.