Working Title G1000 NXi Discussion Thread

Known colloquially as “the Banana”.

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Yes! Perfect! You’re a legend thankyou.

(Did not even know that settings menu existed was looking at the softkeys at the bottom)

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Is it possible to edit the active flight plan’s altitude in a G1000 nxi? Can’t seem to find a way to do that.

You can edit the altitude of the waypoints in the approach section of the flight plan only. When you add waypoints in the World Map, they are added to the en-route section of the flight plan.

If you want to adjust altitude for en-route waypoints, then you would not add them using the World map but instead, add them using the NXI. You would add them to the approach section of the flight plan and then edit the altitude of each added waypoint using the same steps used to adjust other approach waypoint altitudes.

Once they are in the approach section of the flight plan, you will have automated vertical descent to the waypoint altitudes as long as you have done the normal process after reaching the cruise altitude by setting ALT to below the lowest altitude in the approach and arming VNV to get the white pending VPTH annunciator in the PFD.

Let me know if you need help with the steps to add waypoints or adjust altitudes in the NXI.

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Great. Looking forward to trying this out. Glad my post was moved to this section, didn’t even know it was here.

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I’ve also noticed that while following a flight plan, what seems to be randomly (but certainly surprisingly), the OBS indicator changes to SUSP. I may not even notice it until I’m way off course. I need to press this button to get back to a NAV mode. Why should this happen?

Ah yes. That is definitely not random and not a bug. That is correct behavior based on the actual G1000. It’s explained above.

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Great, found the reference. “Reaching the final leg” was one of the causes. Since I dont see this when i transition to the approach plan I assume the approach plan is not really a final leg.mayb im missing a Hold or Manual entry

Where/What documentation other than the SDK would I consult to understand how the G-1000NXi integrates to an aircraft. For example I would like to integrate the G1000NXi with the Cessna 310.

tia

This would be an extremely difficult project.

Avionics in MSFS are code only: in other words, all the 3d parts of the avionics system, like the bezels, buttons, etc, are part of each individual airplane’s cockpit model and panel behaviors. You would need to modify the cockpit model to create space for the G1000 screens and bezels, then you would need to model those bezels and texture them, create animations for each button and knob, finally wiring up the panel’s ModelBehaviors for all the buttons properly animate from user interaction and communicate with the G1000. You would also need to create a panel.xml specific to the 310 to allow the G1000 to display the EIS specific to that plane, which means defining the sources and logic for all the EIS gauges.

Finally, a more realism related issue is that no STC was ever issued for the G1000 or the G1000 NXi to be installed on the Cessna 310. Therefore it is not legally possible to have a 310 with a G1000 in it.

Edit: My recommendation would be to wait for our GNS430W/530W (which will be RNAV capable like the current real-life WAAS units are); here’s a little preview:
image

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Thanks for the detail buddy!
:slight_smile:

I guess you have spoiled me…

I tried doing that again today and found that while waypoints can be added to an approach, and the APR button will produce the pending GP as soon as there is a direct to the added waypoint, the altitude of that added waypoint in the approach cannot be adjusted. Instead, the new waypoint dialog pops up instead of the cursor on the altitude, ready to change it.

Also, the added waypoint altitude is calculated internally and can be much higher than the current ALT setting, unlike the altitude of the Direct and Final visual approach waypoints that are <= the current ALT setting. You can still successfully fly the approach at the lower cruise altitude initially set by ALT, so adding a waypoint in the approach is still helpful if you want to turn on approach mode earlier in the flight.

And now, here are some rather rude musings:

I still wonder why the real Garmin does not automatically turn on approach mode as soon as the leg to the first waypoint in the approach becomes active. I do not understand why a real-life pilot has to push the APR button to get the pending GP in the annunciator and why the APR button does nothing until a Direct TO the 1st waypoint in the approach is done (e.g. Activate Approach) or the leg is between waypoints in the approach.

The Garmin is a computer after all, and if the flight plan in the Garmin has the approach already specified, why is a pilot ever required to manualy activate an approach and then, why, when they are clearly already in the approach specified in the flight plan, must they then also press the APR button?

It’s coming. Just ask the likes of Elon Musk et al :wink:
One day you will be able to jump in a Johnny Plane (Ref: Total Recall ).
Then you will be able to just tell it where to go and you can have a nice sleep on the way :slight_smile:

image

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I think that it’s possible you may be misunderstanding what VNAV (VPTH vertical guidance) is and what APR (GP vertical guidance) is.

Editing altitudes is a VNAV only operation, and is unrelated to when you are using APR. Instead, think of APR (GP) on an RNAV approach (which is what a Garmin Visual Approach Procedure simulates) the same as if you were encountering an ILS: the RNAV glidepath, same as if it was an ILS glideslope, has a completely continuous descent path that extends infinitely into the sky, and is unconcerned about what altitude restrictions you may have added to “cap” it. That’s just not what that mode of operation is for.

Which actually ties us rather nicely into this question. There are a number of important procedural and safety reasons for this, most of them having to do with the fact that in all airplanes APR ignores the altitude preselector:

  • The pilot may not yet be cleared to descend by ATC and automatically engaging APR may break their clearance
  • The pilot may be getting vectored and from the vectored position the flight plan may have automatically moved forward to the IAF, but the pilot is not in a position to begin the approach yet
  • The guidance specified may be advisory only (+V or VIS), the pilot may be in IMC, and engaging APR automatically may descend then unknowingly into terrain

Instead, think of approach mode on RNAVs the same as if they were ILSs: the most often time to arm is near the FAF, when you are about to capture the glidepath/glideslope, not the IAF, when you may be a considerable distance from it and still need to respect your altitude preselector.

Hopefully that helps!

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Thank-you. I have adjusted the visual approach DIRECT and FINAL altitudes a bit higher to clear trees (KSFO 1L and 1R) and that worked to clear the trees. When I did that was I changing the RNAV (VPTH) guidance or changing the APR glide path?

I think my musing was also triggered by what appeared to be an inconsistency in when APR may be used. The RNAV and ILS approaches to KSTS 32 both are via the SGD transition, the 1st waypoint in the approach, which is about 30 miles from the airport. After taking off from KAPC on MER3 24 departure, when Oakland center clears me to the SGD transition I activate the approach. As soon as I reach cruise altitude I lower the ALT setting and push VNV to get the VPTH annunciator and push APR to get the GP annunciator.

For procedural and safety reasons, even though the Garmin is allowing me to arm GP 30 miles away from the airport, should I wait until I am in contact with the KSTS tower and receive clearance for the approach before arming the GP?

when flying IFR, the Atis allows to confirm the runway in use and the possible approaches to be used, but at the end that’s the ATC giving the procedure to be executed. Anyhow it is always possible to propose to the ATC an other approach

From my recent experience the way it is now you can request a different approach, but not a different runway. ATC will clear you to your new requested approach but end the clearance with an instruction to circle-to-land or side-step to the original runway. Which SUX.

I have on rare occasions been able to get a different runway. I’m not sure why.

Pure luck Amigo.

I’ve been noticing the circle-to-land instructions lately usually when the airport has only one ILS approach and it is not for the active runway.