GFC500

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   I'm swapping out a Garmin 530 for an IFD 540.  I have a GFC500 autopilot, which works great with the 530, and I'm sure will work fine with the 540. BUT... one concern.  When entering an approach in the 530, I like to set up a transition from a waypoint well out from the airport, so I can still see all the waypoints, then (on the 530) as I get vectored towards the final, transition to "vectors to final" on the 530, which allows the autopilot to join the final approach course.  The 540, though, does not have that option (set vectors to final after the approach has been entered).  So how do you make that work?  Could do "fly leg", tho that requires being sure which leg I'm being vectored towards.  What's the best solution?

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frankbell Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Groupie Joined: 16 Jan 2015 Location: NC Status: Offline Points: 98	Post Options Post Reply Quote frankbell Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: GFC500 Posted: 7 hours 27 minutes ago at 9:09am
	I'm swapping out a Garmin 530 for an IFD 540. I have a GFC500 autopilot, which works great with the 530, and I'm sure will work fine with the 540. BUT... one concern. When entering an approach in the 530, I like to set up a transition from a waypoint well out from the airport, so I can still see all the waypoints, then (on the 530) as I get vectored towards the final, transition to "vectors to final" on the 530, which allows the autopilot to join the final approach course. The 540, though, does not have that option (set vectors to final after the approach has been entered). So how do you make that work? Could do "fly leg", tho that requires being sure which leg I'm being vectored towards. What's the best solution?

AviSteve Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admin Group Joined: 12 Feb 2018 Location: Melbourne, FL Status: Online Points: 2286	Post Options Post Reply Quote AviSteve Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 3 hours 17 minutes ago at 1:19pm
	You can select vectors to final when you're about to join the final. Just go back to the airport approach field, select the same approach, then select vectors to final. That's just one way. The other option that you mentioned using "Activate Leg" is also viable, but like you said, you'll need to monitor progress so that you activate the correct leg. I'm interested to hear what techniques others might be using...
	Steve Lindsley Avidyne Engineering

dmtidler Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 12 Feb 2016 Location: USA Status: Offline Points: 621	Post Options Post Reply Quote dmtidler Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 42 minutes ago at 3:54pm
	Selecting and approach procedure using Vectors to Final on the IFD sets the approach to begin at the FAF and guidance to the FAF to align with the final approach course. This works well for most approaches; however, if there is a dogleg on the approach at the FAF, Vectors to Final may not be the best choice. If you pull up the full approach as you did on your 530, activating the leg to the FAF on the IFD will give proper approach guidance to/from the FAF even if there is a dogleg across the FAF. One of the cool features of the IFD is that waypoints in the flight plan do not disappear from the flight plan as they are crossed. This allows the pilot to easily go back and make active a waypoint that is prior to the current IFD active waypoint in the active flight plan. For instance, if a pilot activates leg to the FAF on an approach on the IFD and later decides he/she would rather activate a leg to a waypoint prior to the FAF. All that pilot needs to do is perform another activate leg to the prior waypoint as it is still in the IFD active flight plan.