going "Direct" with the GTN

[Jim Peace]

Is there a way to go direct to a waypoint in your flight plan without pushing the button off screen on the right side.  It seems that button will get worn out over time.

Is there a way to do it on the screen?  All I can come up with is to "activate a leg to" and not present position to the waypoint.

TIA

[donkaye]

I don't think that is something you should worry about.  If that were a problem, it would be a big problem for the G1000 and the 530/430.  In all my teaching there were only one or two 430s that had a problem with a Comm or Nav button and never with the "Direct To" button.  I've seen more problems with "washed out" screens on 530/430s and G1000s.

Although really inefficient you could push a "Direct To" flight plan to the GTN with the help of a FS 510 / FS 210.

[Marauder]

Is there a way to go direct to a waypoint in your flight plan without pushing the button off screen on the right side.  It seems that button will get worn out over time.
Is there a way to do it on the screen?  All I can come up with is to "activate a leg to" and not present position to the waypoint.
TIA

I looked for it as well. I think Garmin wants you to pay homage to the “Direct To” button.

I’ve been caught a few times with the flight plan open and been given a direct to in my flight plan only to need to pay homage to the button.




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[Marauder]

42 minutes ago, donkaye said:

I don't think that is something you should worry about.  If that were a problem, it would be a big problem for the G1000 and the 530/430.  In all my teaching there were only one or two 430s that had a problem with a Comm or Nav button and never with the "Direct To" button.  I've seen more problems with "washed out" screens on 530/430s and G1000s.

Although really inefficient you could push a "Direct To" flight plan to the GTN with the help of a FS 510 / FS 210.

I don't think he is worried about the button failing as much as questioning why there isn't a direct do feature in the flight plan. My guess it is set up this way because most people probably don't have the flight plan open most of the time. 

[Jim Peace]

1 minute ago, Marauder said:

I looked for it as well. I think Garmin wants you to pay homage to the “Direct To” button.

I’ve been caught a few times with the flight plan open and been given a direct to in my flight plan only to need to pay homage to the button.

seems strange that they would do this....I am sure they can make a software change.....just open flight plan select a waypoint and make an option DIRECT TO

[Marauder]

Just now, Jim Peace said:

seems strange that they would do this....I am sure they can make a software change.....just open flight plan select a waypoint and make an option DIRECT TO

I agree. Most of the time when I am given a "direct to", it is a waypoint in my flight plan. Let's cut out the middle man!

 

[midlifeflyer]

1 hour ago, Marauder said:

I looked for it as well. I think Garmin wants you to pay homage to the “Direct To” button.

It's not just Garmin. I don't know this is the case but it may be because of this in TSO-129:

The equipment shall provide the capability to fly from the present position direct to any designated waypoint. Access to this feature shall be by means of a
single action by the pilot. Selection of the desired “TO” waypoint may require additional actions.

It sounds like a D→ button must be on the face of the unit accessible from anywhere in the system.  Explains why there is a D→ button even on the newest units. That's doesn't necessarily explain why you can't do it another way also, unless it is to enforce consistency through conformity. 

[JoshCox19]

3 hours ago, midlifeflyer said:

It's not just Garmin. I don't know this is the case but it may be because of this in TSO-129:

The equipment shall provide the capability to fly from the present position direct to any designated waypoint. Access to this feature shall be by means of a
single action by the pilot. Selection of the desired “TO” waypoint may require additional actions.

It sounds like a D→ button must be on the face of the unit accessible from anywhere in the system.  Explains why there is a D→ button even on the newest units. That's doesn't necessarily explain why you can't do it another way also, unless it is to enforce consistency through conformity. 

The GTN's aren't TSO-129 units though, so that doesn't really apply.

 

Also go take a look at the GPS 175 (Also Garmin) -- It doesn't have a D button on the face.

[midlifeflyer]

16 minutes ago, JoshCox19 said:

The GTN's aren't TSO-129 units though, so that doesn't really apply.

 

Also go take a look at the GPS 175 (Also Garmin) -- It doesn't have a D button on the face.

It doesn't? What page doesn't it show on?

 

[jlunseth]

I have used the D button on my 430 hundreds if not thousands of times and it is still good. I have a sometime problem with that unit and the Comm switch function that should switch the standby freq into the primary freq position. Sometimes have to hit that button a second time to get the switch done. But I have never had that probolem with the D button. My GTN is new so can't give you much experience there.

[kortopates]

^^^ Agree with John above, its a non-issue. There was actually the opposite issue on the GNS units. Only from lack of use, buttons would start to become intermittent and require a harder press or longer press. But we learned if you exercised them repeatedly they could actually come back to life. I don't know if the GTNs use the same button technology used in the GNS's. I also do a lot of instructing in some club aircraft, many of which are flown every day if not multiple times a day, and have never seen an issue with GTN buttons - almost all have one. Only saw the GNS button issue in owner aircraft too, never the frequently flown club aircraft.

[ZuluZulu]

For whatever it's worth (?), the plane I bought last year came with a GTN 750 installed in 2016.  I've had no problems using the D-> button at all.  All the other buttons work too.

[RobertGary1]

In Garmin school they smack you when you say “buttons” but the Garmin “keys” are pretty tough. In 2500 hours in the g1000 we only had to replace one. Fixed price Garmin repair. 

[Marauder]

It’s funny how this thread went from Jim’s question about a software direct button in the flight plan to a montage of button comparisons. You guys are too funny.

And just for the record, all of my buttons, err, keys work just fine. Wish I could say the same for the “a” key on my Logitech keyboard.


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[PT20J]

Wow, how things have changed. When avionics started having microprocessors, LCD screens and menu driven user interfaces, the complaint used to be about the lack of physical buttons and the need to navigate through menus. Now, I guess we’ve gotten so used to graphic user interfaces and touch screens that the complaint is having to use a button. 

FWIW, I think the reason for a dedicated Direct To button is that that’s the only navigation function a lot of users ever learned to use.

[PeteMc]

Hey, if it can't read my mind, it must be a piece of junk...