Yariv

Hey Skip, I think we just met recently at the airport:-). I did exactly that - called Garmin and then Rachel. The plan now is to do another flight and try the GS once again on both NAV radios and take a video maybe. Would you like to be the safety pilot?

by manual you mean toggling the ALT button? I tried that.

Yes, APR pressed once cleared for the approach, before intercepting the localizer.

Since I was at the intercept altitude 6 miles out, yes the interception is from below.

About 6 miles out before FAF

The G1000 in my airplane is configured to switch automatically from GPS CDI to the VAV1 or NAV2 LOC CDI before reaching FAF. I remember verifying that it switched correctly to the correct frequency and CDI needle. The GS was armed (white) and stayed like that as I crossed the FAF. Localizer was working fine.

The 2 approaches were in 2 different airports - kpae and kpwt, on different days. I was not aware of relevant NOTAMs.

Hi, today I confirmed on a second flight that there is a problem with the GS capture. I flew the approach using the GFC 700 autopilot, I was at glide slope intercept altitude long before the FAF but the GS stayed white (armed). I disconnected the AP and noticed the GS appeared momentarily but disappeared again. I then flew the localizer instead. the second approach was a GPS approach and the GP (glide path) was captured successfully. Where should I look? thank you, Yariv

PCA told me that they need to interface it to the pitot static system. Another shop told me that it needs to be connected to the G1000. maybe I need to get a quote from another shop. A mechanic looked up the part number of the existing unit and told me that it is listed for $2883. That’s for a brand new one. He said the main time consuming part in replacing it would be to remove the glare shield. It has to be set with the correct tilt to have the parallax set right. That tilt value should be specified on the tag, he said.

did not think of it:-). Thank you.

Hi, I noticed on my last flight that the standby attitude indicator precesses excessively and cannot be relied on. I understand that I could replace it with a GI-275 as its cost is very close to a an electric AI gyro. Called PCA and got a quote for the GI-275: 20 hours labor (3 days) and $6050. the soonest they can schedule it is April 2023. The airplane is a 2004 Ovation 2GX. Did any of you have to replace the standby AI? Any recommendations for other good shops (I am based in KPAE in WA)? Thank you, Yariv

Today, while approaching Orcas Island I activated the speed brakes during a descent and was surprised to see just the right speed brake extend. I pressed it again to retract it and had to slow down the airplane the old way:-). on the ground it tested ok. has this happened to any of you? thanks.

I flew the same profile today and the abort approach alert did not display.

I checked both GPS1 and GPS2 yesterday and both had about the same satellites captured. I am now more curious about the 2nd alert I got during the flight - Abort approach. The next time I fly (after Feb 1st) I will try to repro it by following the same track and loading the same approach. this time I will take a picture.

I went to the airport today to check the GPS. Moved the airplane out of the hangar so it has view of the sky and turn the master switch on. i saw one of the errors from last week - “AHRS1 GPS - AHRS1 not receiving any GPS information”. This alert went a way after a few seconds. Attached are some images. I will report it in the link you provided above. Thanks

there were no GPS or WAAS NOTAMs, I don't think it coincided with radio transmission (I have not seen this message before), no new equipment was installed. I plan to check it again over the weekend and this time I will take some pictures. Thanks for all the responses!

By the way, this is a bit of a sidetrack from my main subject which was configuring the Flight Director before takeoff and then just engaging the autopilot later in the departure. You are discussing the details from the example I used, Paine 6 departure. So to address your questions/comments, ATC never assigns an initial altitude of less than 2000' at Paine field. This SID is a radar controlled SID, the final altitude is assigned by ATC after you are switched from the Tower to them. Typically, they leave you at 2000' for a minute or so, they may turn you away from Seattle (250 degrees) and then climb you further to the final altitude. You cannot climb to your final altitude before they tell you so. Of course, if you are switched to them while still climbing to 2000' (say you are at 1700') and then tell you "climb 3000' turn right 250, then you continue your climb and turn. If your clearance says - clear to KPWT, via Paine 6 departure, then as filed, climb 2000' - then you stop at 2000'. My filed altitude was 4000'. In this case they did assign an altitude in the clearance. But sometimes they just mention the SID, and add "expect 4000' 5 minutes after departure". And yes, in lost communication case we are expected to proceed to our assigned altitude.

If I am assigned the Paine 6 departure, then as filed, then 2000’ is very relevant. Once in contact with the approach control and they assign a different altitude it is very easy to dial the new altitude and continue the climb. Climbing to 2000’ from a field elevation of 600’ happens really fast. It is a good thing to have the climb stop there, even if it is temporary until I get the new assigned altitude.

Yes, I agree with your priority list: first clean the airplane then engage the autopilot. And yes, if a predetermined climb gradient is required then VS mode is more appropriate. In Paine field there are no obstructions on takeoff and the initial altitude in the SID is 2000’.

The choice to use FLC (flight level change) was recommended to me by the previous corporate pilot who flew this airplane. It makes sense to me as well - if the airplane is at 120 (or 110) during the initial climb then you don’t need to worry about stall or getting close to a stall as opposed to VS (vertical speed) mode.

Says software version is: 0401.34.

Hi, I did not take a picture of the alert so the wording may have been different but it should be close. I saw this alert yesterday during an IFR flight at cruise altitude before getting an approach clearance and decided to abort the flight. I told approach I saw an alert about GPS signal loss and that I would like to go back to Paine field and shoot the ILS approach. I received vectors back to Paine and as I turned around that alert was gone. It did not re-appear for the rest of the uneventful flight. Have any of you seen a message similar to this on the G1000? I fly a 2004 Ovation 2GX. Thank you, Yariv

Hi all, I am pretty new to flying with G1000 and GFC700 (since last May) but have learned a lot during the last 7 months, some from CFIIs and some on my own. The new procedure I describe below falls into the latter category:-). Background: IFR departure, especially when it is low ceilings, is a very busy time for the pilot. One of the tasks I try to accomplish early during the departure is to engage the autopilot. I found it really distracting to press the AP, then get it off the default settings of Roll and Pitch to the proper settings of Hdg (or Nav) and climb to target altitude using FLC (push nose down to the right airspeed). So I modified this process to: I press the FD first, set the mode to Hdg and Climb using FLC, adjust the airspeed to 120 Kts, and only then I press AP. My new process: I thought I would make the process even more efficient by doing all this FD button pressing on the ground as part of the run up and then all that's left for me to do is press the AP once I finish the take off run and gain a few hundreds of feet. I tested it yesterday and it worked exactly as I expected it to work. To summarize, here is the flow: at the end of my runup I configure the Flight Director and GFC700 as follows - (example figures from Paine 6 departure at Paine field, KPAE) Press FD set target altitude to 2000' press Hdg and set heading bug to 163 degrees press FLC and set climb airspeed to 120 Kts using the push nose down I would be interested to hear what procedures other more experienced pilots use. Also, do you see any flaws with the process I describe? Thank you, Yariv

My response may not be relevant anymore but just in case others experience the same error I would like to report here that this error message was resolved in my case by turning on the AP Power switch on. Not sure how it got to the off position in the first place. my airplane is an Ovation 2 GX (G1000) with a GFC 700 autopilot. hope this helps, yariv

@OSUAV8TER, thank you for the recommendations. I didn’t realize it was that expensive. So I’ll wait with that purchase for now. The SwitcheOn unit I bought was from you guys, Gallegher Aviation. Thank you.