wow, it is amazing to see all the functionalities you get in this GPS … watch this !!
I still haven’t bought it , waiting for the piper update to come out first but I just watched all the possibilities and I can’t wait to try it out soon. The only drawback that I can see so far is that it’s not compatible with the working title G1000… Maybe I’m wrong but that’s what I noticed in their support forums. One of the feature that I like is that you can click a waypoint on the map and add it straight to your flight plan and I also like to see all the towers and constraints. There’s so much information plus you get free Charts !!! No navigraph subscription required. (US charts only for now apparently)
I’m here because Just Flight made a post about adding this to their Arrows. I fail ro see where this is any better than the PMS50 GTN 750/650, of which I already own and enjoy. Nevertheless, I’ll keeping an eye on this one as well, to see what benefits it may offer.
I think the main difference is that TDS has the actual Garmin trainer software running in the background, so it should be more complete than the PMS50 version.
Main setback with this is that you’re (at least currently from what I understand) locked to the AIRAC cycle included with the Garmin trainer (which currently is cycle 2104), and you can’t manually update the cycle unless you have the official commercial subscription (so not Navigraph).
If you already own the PMS50 GTN and don’t need external touch screen functionality, there’s absolutely no reason to get this. Unless you want the ultimate in 1:1 functionality of the real unit for training purposes, since the TDS runs on the Garmin Trainer. You’re basically running the real deal and not a recreation of it. If you have the full version of the PMS50 GTN, you’re good.
Correct. This is the 1 big weakness IMHO. It only gets updated a couple of times a year - typically with an already outdated version - as opposed to monthly when the AIRAC changes. It’s possible to update AIRAC, but requires a Garmin subscription which is significantly more expensive than Navigraph.
One other weakness is that there’s no way to currently display weather on the GTNXi. Since weather services like NEXRAD require an external subscription service (like SiriusXM), you unfortunately can’t get that in the trainer. Nor is there any support for planes that may have a weather radar, although the radar function is in the trainer. It just doesn’t work.
Overall though, I’m very pleased with the TDS unit. I was waiting on RXP to release one, but TDS have beat them to the punch, so I went this route instead. To me, the fact I can use this on an external touch screen in my cockpit is the main drive behind getting it.
I run the tds750 on every aircraft. I put it on an old 8in Samsung tablet using spacedesk. touch screen works perfect just like the real deal. I have not been able to make the touch controls work on any in-dash pop out display.
No, the weather doesnt work in the TDS without a subscription. I replace the least used in-dash pop out with the pms50 gsn530 and drag it over to the RSG 530 which has working weather and traffic. I hope Asobo will fix this, but until then…
Another big reason to use this TDS GTN Xi is the glidepath shown on your analogue HSI - for approaches irl that would support it such as an rnav(gps) approach to LPV minimums.
Also rubber band flight plan editing (graphically editing flight plans), missed approaches.
For ultimate realism it’s perfect. I’d imagine we’ll find it in more addons as time goes on… it’s just pretty new (as far as cockpit integration goes) - I think there’s a few Carenado user mods floating around but I’d expect it to make it into all of their planes eventually.
The TDS GTN is also natively coming to the upcoming Flysimware C414A, and SWS RV14!
I use it as part of my Air Manager cockpit for various planes. In this case, the Carenado Mooney. I don’t use VC integration though. I run the PMS50 in the cockpit, but don’t actually use it. I run it on a proper touch screen, and I’ve created Air Manager bezels to work the buttons and knobs on both the 750 and 650. It really works incredibly well. Being able to use them with touch is amazing and the way it was meant to be used.
Hey everyone, just wondering if there are more users of this addon here in the meantime since it got VC support?
I was a bit annoyed about the fact that it reads the flight plans from the filesystem only on startup, so new flight plans created afterwards don’t show up on import.
BUT: It reads the file at the time of import, so if you have a file present (I called it “adhoc.gpt”), you can re-export it from LNM etc. and re-import it in the Garmin and it’ll show up updated.
Saved me a lot of headache when importing a plan which contained some closed airfields as waypoints, the Garmin rejects them. In that case I just moved the waypoint from the airport to create a user waypoint in LNM and re-exported the flight plan.
Maybe this helps some of you.
Otherwise the AP operation (with the JF PA28R IV) is pretty smooth, I really like it.
What also bugs me is that currently there is no option to show it in the VC in parallell with a standalone window - so it’s either VC integrated or a standalone window. I’d really like to have it available on my smartphone or a small touchscreen for easy operation but still see it in the cockpit.
A lot, this list is from TDS perspective (based on my knowledge at this time, I might be wrong in details):
General:
It is a standalone application simulating input/output between MSFS and the Garmin Trainer software
It has optionally a cockpit integration on some aircraft and G1000 MFD replacement, but can also be run outside of the sim
Despite the standalone nature of the Garmin Trainer (runs only in background, you don’t notice it really), it feels pretty well integrated, feels fluid and the autopilot is controlled very nicely.
You currently can’t run it standalone and in VC in parallell, so you need to decide between these options (which I find is not great for home cockpit builders, but it’s not a “con” since PMS50 has no standalone at all).
VDI is currently not supported except for the GS indicator when using in JustFlight Piper/Warrior (only in VC mode, not in standalone), making RNAV (e.g. LPV) approaches basically impossible to fly realistically - this is an MSFS limitation and PMS50 has the same issue.
Pros:
Running it outside of the sim lets you fully control it via touch and causes no fps loss
It has different graphics (crisp, more details on the map, like the real garmin)
It shows details about glide range etc.
Proper TAWS
VNAV with aural warning about the TOD etc.
Procedures are available including vertical constraints etc.
Proper holding and missed approach support (partially this is supported on PMS50 with WTT mode)
No U-turn bugs etc. (not sure if this is fixed in MSFS)
Charts in North America
Cons:
It doesn’t have any weather functionality (no METAR, no radar)
It doesn’t show AI traffic
The nav database cannot be upgraded and is old (AIRAC 2104) and also mismatches the MSFS nav data at times
Charts for other regions cannot be added
Does not use the MSFS flight plan (that you can import or create in the World map), you need to set up the route in the GTN manually or import a previously created Garmin route (can be done via LittleNavMap)
No sync/crossfill between GTN750 and GTN650 units (this could also be a “pro” depending on your viewpoint)
Currently less addon aircraft support the cockpit integration (like the Carenado don’t support it yet)
Installation is not drag&drop, but not complicated either
Some people on the forums reported performance issues/laggy input when using it in the cockpit, I don’t have them so not sure how widespread this is, maybe already fixed.
Incompatible with the popular Garmin G1000 NXi mod
There are certainly more items, but these were the most relevant for me.
The two addons are really different and both have pros and cons.
If you want to use it in a home cockpit setup, the TDS is the way to go. Otherwise it is more depending on what your preferences are.
E.g. flying on VATSIM will be hard with an outdated nav database. Also you don’t have the Navigraph charts integration in TDS so if you have a Navigraph subscription you’d miss out on the nav data and charts when using the TDS.
I used the PMS50 for almost a year (annual subscription) and really liked it since it feels more “integrated” in the MSFS systems. But now I decided to give the TDS a go and like it a lot especially for it’s realistic way of handling procedures and the much better map display.
Since I don’t fly on VATSIM and neither have a Navigraph subscription, the major issue about charts/navdata is not a big one, so I’m good.
You could ask the creators of your third party aircraft if/when they plan on integrating it.
I’m sure they would work on it if there are enough people interested in it.
The Piper Warriors/Arrows by JustFlight already have it and I’m sure others will follow since the VC integration of the TDS is quite new.
One more thing since it’s not very obvious:
TDS has a 14 day refund policy. So if you’d really want to try it out if it technically works for you (despite the caveats listed), you could totally do it without risk.
Currently it’s discounted which made me decide to buy it
While I might be a bit off topic since this is a general question, maybe someone can give me a hint what I got wrong.
So considering I have a flight plan loaded where the destination is my last waypoint. I load an approach but don’t activate it yet since I have a few waypoints before going to the IAF.
If I now want to use VNAV to guide me down, it will probably ignore the approach and it’s restrictions altogether, right?
In that situation, how do I get VNAV to include the approach altitude constraints without activating too early, since I might need to descent before my last enroute waypoint before the IAF? Do I need to always include the IAF in my regular flight plan and manually add it’s constraint so that VNAV calculates my TOD accordingly and prior reaching this waypoint activate the approach?
A very useful tip might be to go into setup and set one of the four corner values on the main screen, to vertical speed required. If a controller asks me to be level at, or ten before, or whatever, this value makes it a doddle to hit the required height at the required place and time. Works a treat.
Thank you and I wish you all the best for this new integration. I suspect you’ll get a lot of attention in the upcoming days/weeks!