I am a bit confused as to why some airports in the sim do not have RNAV approaches when there is an approach plate available for that airport for RNAV.
I’ve read the following:
“RNAV approaches do not require the airport to install ILS transmitters or any other facility, but only to track the approach and select arbitrary route points that keep the aircraft clear of obstacles.” (Using GPS, my words, as stated earlier in the document)
So it seems to me that RNAV approaches should be available to any airport that has an RNAV approach plate, if the plane supports GPS, e.g. G1000 or G3000. The GPS system knows the planes altitude, speed and location as well as the waypoints to the Runway. It also seems to me that this should be a routine in MSFS code. According to the documents I have read RNAV is safer than ILS, and airports are removing VOR/DME units. I live near a small executive airport that has RNAV approach plates via Skyvector, but the Glide Slope never appears on the PFD an I fly right over the port. (KEDC near Austin Tx). So, is the problem with the code in MSFS, or am I missing something?
RNAV procedures need to be certified and have to follow some rules. As many airports are not used commercially alot, the dont implement such complex procedures, as they cost money even if no hardware needs to be installed. Therefore, not every airport in real life has RNAV.
It depends what aircraft you’re flying, in MSFS - some of the default avionics don’t deal with RNAV approaches well or in the way you’d expect. They work great on the NXi, if you haven’t tried that already.
IIRC a while back there where certain types of RNAV approaches that would not work in sim because of a limitation or a bug. I’m not sure if that has been fixed or not, also this might have been only related to Navigraph data as well. I just don’t recall 100%
Also there could be a possibility that an airport has a IRL RNAV approach but it is not in the sim data base for some reason. Navigraph could be a solution.
If you are a Navigraph subscriber and have the latest AIRAC Cycle installed, Navigraph will install, in most cases, the latest available RNAV approaches into the sim database.
Even if you are not a Navigraph subscriber or that particular approach is missing, you can still fly the approach by following the chart. Simply enter the approach fixes into the navigation system and you can fly it. For proper descent, just follow the descent profile.
In this scenario you will not get any vertical guidance.
Also (at least with the NXi) if there are no approaches to the airport in sim. The GPS can create a basic visual approach for you. I’m not sure how well it handles obstacle clearance though.
There are different types of gps approaches in the real world, and each type has its own requirements in order to legally fly that specific approach. For example, an RNP approach requires equipment found usually only on commercial aircraft and also requires special training and proficiency rules that the pilots have to go through before they are allowed to fly that approach. The GPS systems installed on the aircraft knows what type of approach the aircraft is allowed to fly, and thus will only show you those approaches.
So, if an aircraft is not certified to fly, let’s say an LPV approach this time (which is yet another type of gps approach), the GPS system will never show that type of approach. Thus, you have approaches that you can see plates for, but will not show up in the aircraft GPS.
Just did an IFR to KEDC twice, each with a different Proc and both worked as expected. Where I was having a problem was using IFR instead of VFR, and there is probably a fault with the guy at the controls. Used the C 172 with NXi and it worked like a brick. Next ill do same flights in TBM.
Would the same rule apply to the World map Flight Plan? will it only show RNAVs that are available for the plane being used? If true then it seems the best way to enter a Proc is via the GPS system, particularly if you are flying lights.
The pilot is responsible for obstacle clearance during a visual approach. The pilot should be able to see and avoid any obstacles. In other words, visual approaches are not used while flying in clouds.
BTW, some airports have published visual approaches which are legitimate non-precision IFR approaches. These visual approaches are different than any GPS-created visual approach because ATC does not provide guidance for GPS-created approaches.