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Laminar Research : New approach-capable GPS navigator in X-Plane 10.30


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Laminar Research : New approach-capable GPS navigator in X-Plane 10.30

 

One of the biggest items in common use on the X-Plane simulator is the Garmin GNS430 instrument. But only it wasn't really useful. Overall it was just really used to cover the VOR 1 and VOR 2 functions and that was about the length of its usefulness.

 

That will all change with the coming 10.30beta. Philipp Munzel (of FlightFactor fame) has updated this very important instrument to its rightful position of the main navigation tool in most Small and General Aviation aircraft. The results are simply fantastic.

 

To note Philipp:

 

"X-Plane has been lacking a decent navigation solution for general aviation aircraft for a long time. The built-in GNS430 instrument could only do direct-to navigation and not use X-Plane’s FMS plans, making long IFR flights inconvenient.

In X-Plane 10.30 we are introducing a new generation of the X-Plane 430 GPS navigator, modeled more closely after the Garmin 430W that is very popular in general aviation aircraft. The 430W is a popular aftermarket GPS replacement in many older general aviation aircraft, because it is approved for WAAS approaches and thus an easy upgrade to allow flying instrument approaches at lots of smaller airports without ILS."

 

Philipp goes on to note the functions of the new Garmin instrument:

 

The new X-Plane unit can create and fly multi-leg flightplans in addition to the direct-to function:

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You can create directs or flight plans using a worldwide database of airports, fixes and navaids:

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Loading or saving the route works using the X-Plane FMS format. Many online services for virtual flight planning are compatible with that:

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You can then navigate along your flight plan using one of different map views that provide situational awareness:

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While flying under VFR, stay alert to any Bravo, Charlie, Delta or special use airspace in the United states (open database, user-expandable):

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You will be warned when you are about to violate an airspace:

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using the nearest airport function you always know your nearest alternatives for landing (though we all know X-Avion does a much better job at that!)

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With a little help from your friend, knowing when to start your descend becomes easy:

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Before landing, always know who to call:

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For IFR approaches, load precision and non-precision approaches from a world-wide, updatable database:

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Review approach transitions and initial approach fixes:

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and then load any approach and transition into your flight plan:

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Under ATC (read: when flying online) the vector-to-final function will often be used instead of a transition:

post-2-0-12350400-1396154214_thumb.pngpost-2-0-06156800-1396154225_thumb.png

 

The X-Plane 430 is there to help you stay alert to common errors in approach navigation:

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The GPS is capable of flying non-precision GPS-approaches with a localizer-like guidance and varying CDI sensitivity:

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If you don’t see the runway at the minimum descend altitude, continue to the missed approach point and the flight plan sequencing will go into suspend. At the missed approach point, if you still don’t see the runway, begin your missed approach:

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If you don’t see the runway at the minimum descend altitude, continue to the missed approach point and the flight plan sequencing will go into suspend. At the missed approach point, if you still don’t see the runway, begin your missed approach:

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The new GNS430 is a drop-in replacement for the old one, so every X-Plane aircraft equipped with the GNS430 automagically becomes more IFR-capable with the 10.30 update. We also provide an additional instrument in style of the bigger GNS530, that designers can use in their aircraft starting with Plane-Maker 10.30. It also allows for dual installations that can either use separate flight plans or cross-fill.

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"The interaction of the GPS with the rest of the panel, especially the CDI and the autopilot, has been improved, offering a few more options for aircraft designers. Two additional posts explaining the new options in Plane-Maker will follow shortly.

The database from which approaches are loaded is provided by Aerosoft. A current database will be provided once with X-Plane 10.30, and further updates will be available on a subscription basis.

You might have noticed stupid COM frequencies in some screenshots. This is not a bug, but a feature: X-Plane 10.30 supports 8.33kHz channel spacing, that is now mandatory in the European upper airspace and will become more important over the next few years. This does not cover all functions of the real unit, but it covers what the pilot absolutely needs every day." (Philipp Munzul)

 

(All of above in text and images are courtesy of Laminar Research)

 

So not only do you get a hugely significantly upgraded Garmin GNS430, but the GNS530 version as well with the same features.

 

No doubt this new feature will have a significant effect on our X-Plane simulation flying capablities and brings the smaller avionic suites up into the world of the larger FMS systems that have come into the cockpits of the heavies.

 

Excited...  Yes I am, and I can't wait to try all of these new Garmin systems out...  Of course X-Plane Reviews will review the whole system when 10.30beta is released.

 

For more information go to the Laminar Research Development Blog.

 

Stephen Dutton

 

30th March 2014

 

Copyright©2014 : X-Plane Reviews

 

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Guest The One Who Wonders

Is there a way to add one of these new GPS units to a plane as a plug in?  As opposed to adding it to a panel through planemaker.... The idea is I want it to function more like FSX's GPS unit for any plane where I can use it as a pop up out of nowhere. 

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