How do I - Aspen

[Mufflerbearing]

I have been working on my IFR and for avionics, have twin Garmin W430's tied to a pair of Aspen 1000's.  The problem I am having, while loading a round robin IFR flight plan into the Garmin, the MFD Aspen will only load the plate at the final destination.  I can't figure out how to load an approach plate at a mid round robin airport for a practice approach.  What am I missing?

[carusoam]

18 minutes ago, Mufflerbearing said:

What am I missing?

I giant book of detailed procedures...
 

or a phone number for @Marauder... (I have launched the bat signal for the BLL... big lady lover) 

Marauder has produced some of the coolest how-to videos for the Aspen...

I have often found a similar challenge with WingX... and multiple airports...

Best regards,

-a-

[mike_elliott]

You can simply put the next airport in as the last entry in your FPL, delete it after you go missed and then add the next airport in your round robin. 

In fact, I teach a trick to put your departure airport after your destination airport in the FPL prior to launching in case you need to shoot an approach to get back in because of mechanical, forgot the checkbook, etc. Makes bringing up the procedure easy.

[carusoam]

Great insight, Mike...

For that return to base procedure... that should always be part of a good departure Procedure....

 

Let’s see if Mark, @midlifeflyer has a dog in this fight...

Mark has written a few comparisons of various nav devices around here lately...

If he hasn’t already done this, he may want to add this to his collection...

Best regards,

-a-

[midlifeflyer]

9 hours ago, carusoam said:

Great insight, Mike...

For that return to base procedure... that should always be part of a good departure Procedure....

 

Let’s see if Mark, @midlifeflyer has a dog in this fight...

Mark has written a few comparisons of various nav devices around here lately...

If he hasn’t already done this, he may want to add this to his collection...

Best regards,

-a-

I thought about doing one because it's something I use all the time and teach when I do an IPC. Still might. 

@Mufflerbearing, Garmin only allows one approach per flight plan. One way around it is the one @mike_elliott mentioned. But I think the more elegant solution is to create flight plans for the additional legs, complete with approaches, in the flight plan catalog. Then after you finish one and are ready for the next, you actuvate the new plan. The trick is, to load the approach into the catalog plan, you do not use the PROC key. The PROC key is dedicated to the currently active flight plan. Instead you use the MENU key which includes a load approach option.

Not just for practice - it's a great option for loading an alternate even while your autopilot is flying around the missed approach hold because it doesn't cancel your current course guidance until you activate it.

Give it a try on the PC trainer. Let me know if it makes no sense. I can throw a short video demonstrating it together. It would be quick to make "naked" (just the video, no explanation) and I might end up using the clip in another comparison video. (IFD users can do it this way but have yet another option because, unlike  Garmin, Avidyne allows multiple approaches in the active flight plan.)

BTW,  I once taught it to my instructor when I received an IPC. I knew which three approaches we were going to do, so I loaded all three before we took off. He couldn't figure out what the heck I was doing. I told him, so he was curious. When we finished the first approach and I activated the next leg of the flight, he was impressed with the feature.

(I uploaded a "normal" video yesterday. Can't tell but I used this technique in it. Alway do.)

 

[CharlesHuddleston]

3 hours ago, midlifeflyer said:

 

(I uploaded a "normal" video yesterday. Can't tell but I used this technique in it. Alway do.)

 

OK ,I checked out your profile... but to "where" did you upload the video, and how do I find it? Is it on YouTube? Can you point me in the right direction? Thanks in advance!

[Mufflerbearing]

This is such great information!  I'll try both Mike's and Midlifeflyer's suggestions.  It would be much more convenient if we could load the whole thing prior to take off.

 

[Cruiser]

4 minutes ago, Mufflerbearing said:

This is such great information!  I'll try both Mike's and Midlifeflyer's suggestions.  It would be much more convenient if we could load the whole thing prior to take off.

 

actually, for training purposes, you should practice "on the fly" changes in a high stress environment. Like it would happen in reality. 

[midlifeflyer]

11 minutes ago, Cruiser said:

actually, for training purposes, you should practice "on the fly" changes in a high stress environment. Like it would happen in reality. 

Actually, for training purposes, you should learn and practice both.

[kortopates]

I have to agree with Tom above, you'll want to learn the tricks of how to make a near airport your next destination with minimal twisting and button pushing - using the direct key and moving down to the nearest airport list. I never used any of the tricks above and others including another one where you have selected the next approach but not loaded it as a procedure, simplify since with some practice in your airplane you can learn to update the flight plan in under 30 sec (and that's not  even fast). And just as its important to stay ahead of the plane, its just as important to stay ahead of the box, like recognizing as soon as you are on vectors to the approach to activate it, and then updating the approach if necessary if you won't be intercepting where you thought. The biggest rookie mistake I see is that the controller is vectoring you onto final and the pilot still hasn't activated the approach or activated it to intercept the final approach course and I ask what's wrong pointing at the CDI and when that doesn't register how are we going to navigating final - that usually brings it home. 

When you are struggling with the box, you also need to learn the tricks of getting help from the controller when needed and not getting deviated. When the controller says direct to xyz (an IAF approach fix) and you still haven't even loaded the approach, don't just continue on your current heading while you struggle with box starting over and over again because you're rushed and making mistakes, ask the controller for (helping) vector to the fix. Now the pressure is off while you get the box set up.   

Edited August 15, 2020 by kortopates

[midlifeflyer]

32 minutes ago, CharlesHuddleston said:

OK ,I checked out your profile... but to "where" did you upload the video, and how do I find it? Is it on YouTube? Can you point me in the right direction? Thanks in advance!

There's no video on doing what I described here. I happen to do it in the last video, but that's just because I always do it when I plan multiple approaches. The process is not shown in any way. 

My channel is https://www.youtube.com/user/midlifeflyer

The COVID comparison videos are in this playlist  https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLmolGJZEeVA4ivopGnB7nG4CckULY22QY 

The video from yesterday - it's actually about situational awareness, although the current "mindfulness" foo foo word might actually be more appropriate, is here