G3X Auto Trk/Hdg

[PT20J]

Anyone tried using this? If so, what do you think about it? Is it useful or just another option thought up by a software engineer sitting in a windowless cubicle?

[kortopates]

I don’t know, but i believe Track mode is intended for panels that are not GPS equipped. Get a vector from ATC or a VFR gps to your destination and put in as a Track to fly and this will do it with the GFC-500 or manually without.


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[Unit74]

What is the purpose ?  I’ve never had an option to orient an HSI like that.

[PT20J]

14 hours ago, kortopates said:

I don’t know, but i believe Track mode is intended for panels that are not GPS equipped. Get a vector from ATC or a VFR gps to your destination and put in as a Track to fly and this will do it with the GFC-500 or manually without.


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Paul, I think you are thinking of TRK lateral mode in the GFC 500 which I believe was originally incorporated in the experimental version allowing installations that did not have a magnetometer so could not do HDG.

I posted the same question on BeechTalk and a member responded that the Honeywell EFIS in a jet he flies and he finds it useful in a number of situations, so it's not a Garmin invention.

The track up display seems very intuitive when you are tracking a course: the course pointer points straight ahead and the airplane symbol is turned into the wind. It seems that it might be confusing when intercepting a course though as neither the airplane symbol or the course pointer will be pointed straight ahead (assuming a significant cross track wind) although their relationship to each other remains the same. If given a vector, pressing the GMC 507 HDG button will switch the HSI to heading up.

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[kortopates]

Interesting, thanks


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