Garmin GNS430

Perhaps I’m not writing about anything new to most of you, but it’s an idea:

Garmin, at their website, has a downloadable GNS400 series simulator, so if someone is not familiar with this unit, in your spare time until you wait for your new SR2x, you can master all it’s functions and capabilities.

If you call Garmin, the sales people will even send you, FREE of charge, a 190 page Pilot’s Guide and Reference book. I got one, and it’s great.

Perhaps I’m not writing about anything new to most of you, but it’s an idea:

Garmin, at their website, has a downloadable GNS400 series simulator, so if someone is not familiar with this unit, in your spare time until you wait for your new SR2x, you can master all it’s functions and capabilities.

I’d view this as mandatory if you plan to operate IFR with the 430. Even after tons of practice on the sim, I’ve still played “stump the chump” with ATC and lost a couple of times. Being reasonably confident with the 430 will help immensely.

It will also cut an hour or two of “flight” instruction sitting on the ground when you go to Duluth to pick up your bird. The 430 is by far the hardest part of flying the SR20.

Perhaps I’m not writing about anything new to most of you, but it’s an idea:

Garmin, at their website, has a downloadable GNS400 series simulator, so if someone is not familiar with this unit, in your spare time until you wait for your new SR2x, you can master all it’s functions and capabilities.

If you call Garmin, the sales people will even send you, FREE of charge, a 190 page Pilot’s Guide and Reference book. I got one, and it’s great.

The pilot guide can be downloaded from the Garmin web site. By the way, ditto for the S-Tec 50

According to the instructors at Wings Aloft, the Garmin is the hardest part for the new Cirrus pilots to get. I have an Apollo GX60 GPS Comm in my 172 and took lots of practice to be able to use the device without having to futz with it too much. I’ve downloaded the 430 sim and have been using it for practice. You really want to know the box quite well. I don’t pickup my Cirrus until after Summer, but I’ve already started practicing. Here are some scenarios you may want to try with the Simulator on some sample flights you may take:

You’re flying along on a flight plan and you have an emergency and must shoot an approach to the nearest airport. How easy is it to find a suitable airport, change the flightplan, dial in the approach, and do it.

Insert/modify/delete a waypoint in the current flightplan while flying.

Add a STAR to a flightplan while in flight.

You activate the approach without vectors, but receive vectors later. How easy is it for you to change.

Change the IAF after an approach is activated to another.

You are in a hold and forget to press the button to continue sequencing after you pass over FAF. How easy is it to fix? Likewise how simple is to fix if the GPS has sequenced to the MAP but you are in a hold.

After missing, how easy is it to reactivate the approach or dial in a new destination.

It is scenarios like these that your workload will be at the highest and your stress the greatest. This is when you need to know how to work the box.

Derek

It will also cut an hour or two of “flight” instruction sitting on the ground when you go to Duluth to pick up your bird. The 430 is by far the hardest part of flying the SR20.

Super post Dereck. I’ve tried to come up with similar scenarios myself when using the GX55 sim, but you’ve added one or two that I missed.
Thanks.

Joe

According to the instructors at Wings Aloft, the Garmin is the hardest part for the new Cirrus pilots to get. I have an Apollo GX60 GPS Comm in my 172 and took lots of practice to be able to use the device without having to futz with it too much. I’ve downloaded the 430 sim and have been using it for practice. You really want to know the box quite well. I don’t pickup my Cirrus until after Summer, but I’ve already started practicing. Here are some scenarios you may want to try with the Simulator on some sample flights you may take:

You’re flying along on a flight plan and you have an emergency and must shoot an approach to the nearest airport. How easy is it to find a suitable airport, change the flightplan, dial in the approach, and do it.

Insert/modify/delete a waypoint in the current flightplan while flying.

Add a STAR to a flightplan while in flight.

You activate the approach without vectors, but receive vectors later. How easy is it for you to change.

Change the IAF after an approach is activated to another.

You are in a hold and forget to press the button to continue sequencing after you pass over FAF. How easy is it to fix? Likewise how simple is to fix if the GPS has sequenced to the MAP but you are in a hold.

After missing, how easy is it to reactivate the approach or dial in a new destination.

It is scenarios like these that your workload will be at the highest and your stress the greatest. This is when you need to know how to work the box.

Derek

It will also cut an hour or two of “flight” instruction sitting on the ground when you go to Duluth to pick up your bird. The 430 is by far the hardest part of flying the SR20.

According to the instructors at Wings Aloft, the Garmin is the hardest part for the new Cirrus pilots to get. I have an Apollo GX60 GPS Comm in my 172 and took lots of practice to be able to use the device without having to futz with it too much. I’ve downloaded the 430 sim and have been using it for practice. You really want to know the box quite well. I don’t pickup my Cirrus until after Summer, but I’ve already started practicing. Here are some scenarios you may want to try with the Simulator on some sample flights you may take:

You’re flying along on a flight plan and you have an emergency and must shoot an approach to the nearest airport. How easy is it to find a suitable airport, change the flightplan, dial in the approach, and do it.

Insert/modify/delete a waypoint in the current flightplan while flying.

Add a STAR to a flightplan while in flight.

You activate the approach without vectors, but receive vectors later. How easy is it for you to change.

Change the IAF after an approach is activated to another.

You are in a hold and forget to press the button to continue sequencing after you pass over FAF. How easy is it to fix? Likewise how simple is to fix if the GPS has sequenced to the MAP but you are in a hold.

After missing, how easy is it to reactivate the approach or dial in a new destination.

It is scenarios like these that your workload will be at the highest and your stress the greatest. This is when you need to know how to work the box.

Derek

It will also cut an hour or two of “flight” instruction sitting on the ground when you go to Duluth to pick up your bird. The 430 is by far the hardest part of flying the SR20.

Derek:

Excellent points. For those of us who are “garmin 430 inexperienced” would you like to post an answer to your above questions or does the manual march you through this?

Brian

Super post Dereck. I’ve tried to come up with similar scenarios myself when using the GX55 sim, but you’ve added one or two that I missed.
Thanks.

Joe

According to the instructors at Wings Aloft, the Garmin is the hardest part for the new Cirrus pilots to get. I have an Apollo GX60 GPS Comm in my 172 and took lots of practice to be able to use the device without having to futz with it too much. I’ve downloaded the 430 sim and have been using it for practice. You really want to know the box quite well. I don’t pickup my Cirrus until after Summer, but I’ve already started practicing. Here are some scenarios you may want to try with the Simulator on some sample flights you may take:

You’re flying along on a flight plan and you have an emergency and must shoot an approach to the nearest airport. How easy is it to find a suitable airport, change the flightplan, dial in the approach, and do it.

Insert/modify/delete a waypoint in the current flightplan while flying.

Add a STAR to a flightplan while in flight.

You activate the approach without vectors, but receive vectors later. How easy is it for you to change.

Change the IAF after an approach is activated to another.

You are in a hold and forget to press the button to continue sequencing after you pass over FAF. How easy is it to fix? Likewise how simple is to fix if the GPS has sequenced to the MAP but you are in a hold.

After missing, how easy is it to reactivate the approach or dial in a new destination.

It is scenarios like these that your workload will be at the highest and your stress the greatest. This is when you need to know how to work the box.

Derek

It will also cut an hour or two of “flight” instruction sitting on the ground when you go to Duluth to pick up your bird. The 430 is by far the hardest part of flying the SR20.

Super post Dereck. I’ve tried to come up with similar scenarios myself when using the GX55 sim, but you’ve added one or two that I missed.
Thanks.

Joe

According to the instructors at Wings Aloft, the Garmin is the hardest part for the new Cirrus pilots to get. I have an Apollo GX60 GPS Comm in my 172 and took lots of practice to be able to use the device without having to futz with it too much. I’ve downloaded the 430 sim and have been using it for practice. You really want to know the box quite well. I don’t pickup my Cirrus until after Summer, but I’ve already started practicing. Here are some scenarios you may want to try with the Simulator on some sample flights you may take:

You’re flying along on a flight plan and you have an emergency and must shoot an approach to the nearest airport. How easy is it to find a suitable airport, change the flightplan, dial in the approach, and do it.

Insert/modify/delete a waypoint in the current flightplan while flying.

Add a STAR to a flightplan while in flight.

You activate the approach without vectors, but receive vectors later. How easy is it for you to change.

Change the IAF after an approach is activated to another.

You are in a hold and forget to press the button to continue sequencing after you pass over FAF. How easy is it to fix? Likewise how simple is to fix if the GPS has sequenced to the MAP but you are in a hold.

After missing, how easy is it to reactivate the approach or dial in a new destination.

It is scenarios like these that your workload will be at the highest and your stress the greatest. This is when you need to know how to work the box.

Derek

It will also cut an hour or two of “flight” instruction sitting on the ground when you go to Duluth to pick up your bird. The 430 is by far the hardest part of flying the SR20.

I agree that using the 430 is by far the most involved aspect of training in the SR20. I now have 60 hours on my plane, and am still learning how to program different flight plans and modify them. For example, if anyone can help with some real basics: You are picking up and IFR clearance which reads: “Direct XYZ VOR XYZ 270 radial to intersect V263 V8 direct ABC.” Okay, the program for direct to the vor is simple, but how do you program the 270 radial to intersect another victor airway without waypoints? You can create them, but try doing this while flying, copying clearance, proceeding direct, entering IMC, etc. You can FLY the route, no problem. Try loading it into the flight planner!

I agree that using the 430 is by far the most involved aspect of training in the SR20. I now have 60 hours on my plane, and am still learning how to program different flight plans and modify them. For example, if anyone can help with some real basics: You are picking up and IFR clearance which reads: “Direct XYZ VOR XYZ 270 radial to intersect V263 V8 direct ABC.” Okay, the program for direct to the vor is simple, but how do you program the 270 radial to intersect another victor airway without waypoints? You can create them, but try doing this while flying, copying clearance, proceeding direct, entering IMC, etc. You can FLY the route, no problem. Try loading it into the flight planner!

Reading the documentation I haven’t found an easy way to do this. Naturally you can actually USE the VOR but who wants to do that?

What I found through reading and playing with the simulator is that you can sort of do this.

Your flightplan reads XYZ VOR > ABC. OK, now the hard part is that you can’t go direct from XYZ to ABC but ATC wants you to follow the 270 Radial to Intercept V8 and then to ABC.

Use the OBS key seems to be the answer, but it is certainly not very clean. As the unit nears the XYZ VOR before you cross, you hit the OBS button. This suspends sequencing to the next waypoint. From here if you have an HSI (according to the documentation) you dial in the Radial on the HSI and the Garmin will follow it. If you don’t have an HSI, you can manually enter the course (as you must do on the simulator because this function of the HSI isn’t activated on the sim)

From here, you can plug in the VOR that references V8 and and switch between them till you know you are on airway. Then press Direct To and proceed to the next point in your flight plan ABC. (Don’t forget to press OBS again to resequence)

Does anyone have a better way to do this with the GPS? (we know we can do it with VOR, just looking for a cleaner way with the GPS)

Derek:

Excellent points. For those of us who are “garmin 430 inexperienced” would you like to post an answer to your above questions or does the manual march you through this?

Brian

I second the request for answers to the “GNS430 quiz!”

Derek:

Excellent points. For those of us who are “garmin 430 inexperienced” would you like to post an answer to your above questions or does the manual march you through this?

Brian

I second the request for answers to the “GNS430 quiz!”

After re-reading it, I can see how my post looked like questions to answer. I meant it to be problems for you to work out with the simulator. While certainly, I can provide the button pushes and knob twists necessary to accomplish this, I believe that you’ll learn much more by learning the box. I posted these particular scenarios as a way to learn the box in a real world enviornment. The manual that you can download needs to be read, then practiced, then reread, then practiced.

What I found was it really is a simple tutorial and a reference. I came up with these scenarios (and I hope others post more) that are items that will happen to you while flying IFR. They are also the things that in my opinion you need to know well so when they happen to you in IMC you can cope.

In fact, this may be an excellent forum in order to come up with scenarios like these that we can learn with the simulator.

Here’s what I suggest. Download the simulator and the manual. Read through the manual first over a night or two. Fire up the simulator, and plug in your home airport and a destination that you’ve gone to before. Then figure out how to go through the scenarios one by one. You’ll need to reread the manual a time or two.

What do you guys think?

Derek:

Excellent points. For those of us who are “garmin 430 inexperienced” would you like to post an answer to your above questions or does the manual march you through this?

Brian

I second the request for answers to the “GNS430 quiz!”

After re-reading it, I can see how my post looked like questions to answer. I meant it to be problems for you to work out with the simulator. While certainly, I can provide the button pushes and knob twists necessary to accomplish this, I believe that you’ll learn much more by learning the box. I posted these particular scenarios as a way to learn the box in a real world enviornment. The manual that you can download needs to be read, then practiced, then reread, then practiced.

What I found was it really is a simple tutorial and a reference. I came up with these scenarios (and I hope others post more) that are items that will happen to you while flying IFR. They are also the things that in my opinion you need to know well so when they happen to you in IMC you can cope.

In fact, this may be an excellent forum in order to come up with scenarios like these that we can learn with the simulator.

Here’s what I suggest. Download the simulator and the manual. Read through the manual first over a night or two. Fire up the simulator, and plug in your home airport and a destination that you’ve gone to before. Then figure out how to go through the scenarios one by one. You’ll need to reread the manual a time or two.

What do you guys think?

Derek:

Actually I already have the simulator and have obtained the manual from Garmin at a price of $8 plus $6 for shiupping and handling. The manual does give you “scenarios” and solutions but just goes through the function of each aspect of the unit. It is well done but I realized that it many instances there is more than one way to perform a task.

For example, in your first scenario with the need to find an emergency field, I could see 2 ways of doing that: 1) Go to the nearest page, find airports and pick the closests one or 2) Hit the “direct to” button and dial up the closest airport seen on the moving map. Which do you do?

I thought it would be helpful if someone has laready found shortcuts to share them with us.

I agree we all need to use the sim and the manual for our selves.

Brian

Derek:

Excellent points. For those of us who are “garmin 430 inexperienced” would you like to post an answer to your above questions or does the manual march you through this?

Brian

I second the request for answers to the “GNS430 quiz!”

After re-reading it, I can see how my post looked like questions to answer. I meant it to be problems for you to work out with the simulator. While certainly, I can provide the button pushes and knob twists necessary to accomplish this, I believe that you’ll learn much more by learning the box. I posted these particular scenarios as a way to learn the box in a real world enviornment. The manual that you can download needs to be read, then practiced, then reread, then practiced.

What I found was it really is a simple tutorial and a reference. I came up with these scenarios (and I hope others post more) that are items that will happen to you while flying IFR. They are also the things that in my opinion you need to know well so when they happen to you in IMC you can cope.

In fact, this may be an excellent forum in order to come up with scenarios like these that we can learn with the simulator.

Here’s what I suggest. Download the simulator and the manual. Read through the manual first over a night or two. Fire up the simulator, and plug in your home airport and a destination that you’ve gone to before. Then figure out how to go through the scenarios one by one. You’ll need to reread the manual a time or two.

What do you guys think?

I think it a great idea! I am instrument rated, but without a lot of IMC, any real world tips from others would be helpful. I have a Northstart M3 GPS in my 79 Warrior (FOR SALE) and purchased the ON TOP flight simulator that works with the M3. The M3 plugs into an adapter to interface it to your PC. It was a great way to learn the system and only cost $100 for the software and interface kit. I would like to see the same for the Garmin. I talked to the designers of ON TOP (they are located at my airport) and there were no discussions to make a version for the 430.

Here’s my question; What is the latest version of the Garmin training software? I was given a CD last year that contains software version 1.01.

I tried downloading the software from the Garmin site last night and for whatever reason (magic), it was corrupted. Since it takes me an hour to download the software (we live out in the sticks and communicate with string and tin cans) I would like to find out if this is the latest version. Appreciate any help

Happy New Year!

Walt

Derek:

Derek—Its great–thanks this is real work!

Excellent points. For those of us who are “garmin 430 inexperienced” would you like to post an answer to your above questions or does the manual march you through this?

Brian

I second the request for answers to the “GNS430 quiz!”

After re-reading it, I can see how my post looked like questions to answer. I meant it to be problems for you to work out with the simulator. While certainly, I can provide the button pushes and knob twists necessary to accomplish this, I believe that you’ll learn much more by learning the box. I posted these particular scenarios as a way to learn the box in a real world enviornment. The manual that you can download needs to be read, then practiced, then reread, then practiced.

What I found was it really is a simple tutorial and a reference. I came up with these scenarios (and I hope others post more) that are items that will happen to you while flying IFR. They are also the things that in my opinion you need to know well so when they happen to you in IMC you can cope.

In fact, this may be an excellent forum in order to come up with scenarios like these that we can learn with the simulator.

Here’s what I suggest. Download the simulator and the manual. Read through the manual first over a night or two. Fire up the simulator, and plug in your home airport and a destination that you’ve gone to before. Then figure out how to go through the scenarios one by one. You’ll need to reread the manual a time or two.

What do you guys think?

Derek:

Actually I already have the simulator and have obtained the manual from Garmin at a price of $8 plus $6 for shiupping and handling. The manual does give you “scenarios” and solutions but just goes through the function of each aspect of the unit. It is well done but I realized that it many instances there is more than one way to perform a task.

For example, in your first scenario with the need to find an emergency field, I could see 2 ways of doing that: 1) Go to the nearest page, find airports and pick the closests one or 2) Hit the “direct to” button and dial up the closest airport seen on the moving map. Which do you do?

I thought it would be helpful if someone has laready found shortcuts to share them with us.

I agree we all need to use the sim and the manual for our selves.

Brian

From using the simulator, I like going to the NRST function instead of going Direct to and picking an airport. The NRST function gives you a list of airports, distance, bearing, freq and what approach they have. It is only a three screens to the right from the NAV group.

Derek

Finding the nearest airport FAST in an emergency is designed in, as the only thing you have to do is twist the big knob to the right until it stops (don’t have to look at the screen, when it stops you’re there!). You’ll end up on the “nearest” page with all bearing, distance and airport info you need. Push the small dial to activate the cursor and hit Direct TO twice and ENT again to load and activate. In the process it’ll give you add’l info on the airport selected. The process takes like a second.

Looking at the map and keying identifiers into the unit is wasting precious time when you’re in a tight corner!

Han K (N144CD)

Derek:

Actually I already have the simulator and have obtained the manual from Garmin at a price of $8 plus $6 for shiupping and handling. The manual does give you “scenarios” and solutions but just goes through the function of each aspect of the unit. It is well done but I realized that it many instances there is more than one way to perform a task.

For example, in your first scenario with the need to find an emergency field, I could see 2 ways of doing that: 1) Go to the nearest page, find airports and pick the closests one or 2) Hit the “direct to” button and dial up the closest airport seen on the moving map. Which do you do?

I thought it would be helpful if someone has laready found shortcuts to share them with us.

I agree we all need to use the sim and the manual for our selves.

Brian

From using the simulator, I like going to the NRST function instead of going Direct to and picking an airport. The NRST function gives you a list of airports, distance, bearing, freq and what approach they have. It is only a three screens to the right from the NAV group.

Derek

Finding the nearest airport FAST in an emergency is designed in, as the only thing you have to do is twist the big knob to the right until it stops (don’t have to look at the screen, when it stops you’re there!). You’ll end up on the “nearest” page with all bearing, distance and airport info you need. Push the small dial to activate the cursor and hit Direct TO twice and ENT again to load and activate. In the process it’ll give you add’l info on the airport selected. The process takes like a second.

Looking at the map and keying identifiers into the unit is wasting precious time when you’re in a tight corner!

Han K (N144CD)

Derek:

Actually I already have the simulator and have obtained the manual from Garmin at a price of $8 plus $6 for shiupping and handling. The manual does give you “scenarios” and solutions but just goes through the function of each aspect of the unit. It is well done but I realized that it many instances there is more than one way to perform a task.

For example, in your first scenario with the need to find an emergency field, I could see 2 ways of doing that: 1) Go to the nearest page, find airports and pick the closests one or 2) Hit the “direct to” button and dial up the closest airport seen on the moving map. Which do you do?

I thought it would be helpful if someone has laready found shortcuts to share them with us.

I agree we all need to use the sim and the manual for our selves.

Brian

From using the simulator, I like going to the NRST function instead of going Direct to and picking an airport. The NRST function gives you a list of airports, distance, bearing, freq and what approach they have. It is only a three screens to the right from the NAV group.

Derek

Derek and Han:

This absolutely FABULOUS advice! I appreciate your input. It seems this is a terrific forum for us to give advice on the tricks of the 430. It clearly is the most complicated part of the plane and in a few short days I have already received a ton of advice on this forum.

Next question: What is the easiest way to modify the flight plan enroute with a minimum of inputs?

Brian

Finding the nearest airport FAST in an emergency is designed in, as the only thing you have to do is twist the big knob to the right until it stops (don’t have to look at the screen, when it stops you’re there!). You’ll end up on the “nearest” page with all bearing, distance and airport info you need. Push the small dial to activate the cursor and hit Direct TO twice and ENT again to load and activate. In the process it’ll give you add’l info on the airport selected. The process takes like a second.

Looking at the map and keying identifiers into the unit is wasting precious time when you’re in a tight corner!

Han K (N144CD)

Derek:

Actually I already have the simulator and have obtained the manual from Garmin at a price of $8 plus $6 for shiupping and handling. The manual does give you “scenarios” and solutions but just goes through the function of each aspect of the unit. It is well done but I realized that it many instances there is more than one way to perform a task.

For example, in your first scenario with the need to find an emergency field, I could see 2 ways of doing that: 1) Go to the nearest page, find airports and pick the closests one or 2) Hit the “direct to” button and dial up the closest airport seen on the moving map. Which do you do?

I thought it would be helpful if someone has laready found shortcuts to share them with us.

I agree we all need to use the sim and the manual for our selves.

Brian

From using the simulator, I like going to the NRST function instead of going Direct to and picking an airport. The NRST function gives you a list of airports, distance, bearing, freq and what approach they have. It is only a three screens to the right from the NAV group.

Derek

Greatt Advice!

Now what is the easiest way to change the flight plan enroute with a minimum of button pushes?

Brian

Here’s my question; What is the latest version of the Garmin training software? I was given a CD last year that contains software version 1.01.

I tried downloading the software from the Garmin site last night and for whatever reason (magic), it was corrupted. Since it takes me an hour to download the software (we live out in the sticks and communicate with string and tin cans) I would like to find out if this is the latest version.

About a month ago I downloaded version 2.15 from the Garmin website with no problems. The trainer is well done and is very helpful. Enjoy!