Question for users of the Garmin GTN

[flyboy0681]

Not sure if it's my imagination but one of the data fields that I keep on the screen is Vertical Speed Required. I seem to recall that it automatically displayed the data in this field once a destination airport was entered. I recently noticed that it is no longer being automatically populated and that I have to go to the Utilities screen to program it manually with each fight. I've scoured the manual to see if I have an option turned off but haven't come across one.

 

The unit has been updated with the latest release so I'm wondering if that's when it started.

 

Are there any users that can say with certainty that their VSR field is automatically displayed?

[Bob_Belville]

Mine is not (750) but have you checked the data field choices? The info in the four corners of the map or the 4 fields at the top between the comm and xponder info. I think all 8 are selectable from a long list of choices. I've slept since I last tweaked them but I'm pretty sure the 2 zones are in different menus.

[flyboy0681]

Mine is not (750) but have you checked the data field choices? The info in the four corners of the map or the 4 fields at the top between the comm and xponder info. I think all 8 are selectable from a long list of choices. I've slept since I last tweaked them but I'm pretty sure the 2 zones are in different menus.

 

I don't think you understood the question. I am able to display the data field on the screen but it always shows dashes when when it should automatically show the VSR information by default. In order to get it to work I have to manually setup the VSR parameters on the Utilities menu in order to get the data field to display the proper information.

 

See the attached photo, the VSR is located on the top right side of the screen.

[midlifeflyer]

According to the manual, the last waypoint in the flight plan (might be a Direct To) is the one that's used by default. So it sounds like it should act as you expect. Could you have set something incorrectly in one of your manual setups? Like using msl instead of "above waypoint?"

 

Another thing that might give you the dashes is if, for example, you said you wanted to be at 1000' above the waypoint 5 miles out (as you might for a traffic pattern) and yo were already 4 miles out. Once past the active target, it goes to dashes.

 

We've now exhausted the sum total of my knowledge

 

Might try resetting the default behavior using the menu and seeing what happens.

[flyboy0681]

According to the manual, the last waypoint in the flight plan (might be a Direct To) is the one that's used by default. So it sounds like it should act as you expect. Could you have set something incorrectly in one of your manual setups? Like using msl instead of "above waypoint?"

 

 

As you know there aren't many options to select and having experienced this over the past month I've changed them during each flight hoping the field would finally come alive. But alas - nothing.

[Marauder]

I will try to look at my unit this evening to see if I can figure out what you're experiencing.

[DAVIDWH]

Might suggest calling Garmin customer service. Once you reach a live body, they usually are able to, quite rapidly, work through or

 

around most glitches. 

[Piloto]

Flyboy

 

As per your picture you were about one hour away from your destination. If you have selected 500fpm on the VCALC page and assuming you were at 10,000 feet the VSR will not show VSR until about 20 minutes away from destination. On the Utilities group try the following: VCALC Target Alt=0ft, Offset=0nm VS Profile=500fpm while on the ground. It is possible that it indicated VSR on shorter trips before with no middle wpt. I also noticed that the CDI was set on VLOC instead of GPS. I don't think there is VSR in VLOC mode. Always set the HSI or CDI course to the route course. 

 

José

[flyboy0681]

Flyboy

 

As per your picture you were about one hour away from your destination. If you have selected 500fpm on the VCALC page and assuming you were at 10,000 feet the VSR will not show VSR until about 20 minutes away from destination. On the Utilities group try the following: VCALC Target Alt=0ft, Offset=0nm VS Profile=500fpm while on the ground. It is possible that it indicated VSR on shorter trips before with no middle wpt.

 

José

 

The picture was to only demonstrate how the field is displaying (all dashes) and was not meant to be an actual VSR readout, being so far away.

 

However, even if I were to fly to an airport 10 miles away I'm still not getting any data unless I manually set up the parameters for VSR each time the unit starts up, which I set to 1000 feet above at 500fpm and 5 miles out from the destination airport.

[Piloto]

The picture was to only demonstrate how the field is displaying (all dashes) and was not meant to be an actual VSR readout, being so far away.

 

However, even if I were to fly to an airport 10 miles away I'm still not getting any data unless I manually set up the parameters for VSR each time the unit starts up, which I set to 1000 feet above at 500fpm and 5 miles out from the destination airport.

Did you tried selecting an approach to the airport? Try selecting a non-vector approach next time. I think the logic behind is that the VSR would depend on what runway you are landing. Maybe the rules have changed. I found Garmin operating logic to be well designed and careful in not to display misleading data. On my 530 VSR is not displayed if I am in OBS mode. Which make sense since the 530 does not know where I will intercept the course line.  

[flyboy0681]

Did you tried selecting an approach to the airport? Try selecting a non-vector approach next time. I think the logic behind is that the VSR would depend on what runway you are landing. Maybe the rules have changed. I found Garmin operating logic to be well designed and careful in not to display misleading data. On my 530 VSR is not displayed if I am in OBS mode. Which make sense since the 530 does not know where I will intercept the course line.  

 

 

I flew a couple if times this weekend and made note to check out the configuration of the VSR feature before and after takeoff.

 

Just as I suspected, when entering a destination airport with the "Direct To" button (or via flight plan page), the destination airport is not finding its way into the VSR profile, requiring me to manually enter the information at the beginning of each flight. Once entered it works perfectly. I had thought the information would be plugged into the VSR profile automatically and require no intervention. but guess I was wrong.

[midlifeflyer]

Interesting. Apparently the unit wants some confirmation that this is in fact the waypoint you want the vertical guidance to.  I guess it makes some sense, asking for confirmation instead of making an assumption that shows up nowhere else in the unit.

[flyboy0681]

Interesting. Apparently the unit wants some confirmation that this is in fact the waypoint you want the vertical guidance to.  I guess it makes some sense, asking for confirmation instead of making an assumption that shows up nowhere else in the unit.

 

Well, it should use the destination airport for its calcs by default. Another thing is, I seem to remember that it worked automatically when I first had the unit installed, but that was two software releases ago.

[Marauder]

Well, it should use the destination airport for its calcs by default. Another thing is, I seem to remember that it worked automatically when I first had the unit installed, but that was two software releases ago.

 

 

What version are you on now? I had the unit updated in late December to, I believe, software revision 3.0.

[Piloto]

This could be the reasoning behind:

 

Assume your final destination is KRDU but you are not entering a flight plan but manually selecting Direct To points along the route. By entering your destination on the VCALC page it will only show the VSR for your final destination instead of the Direct To selected for the intermediate wpts. 

 

José

[flyboy0681]

This could be the reasoning behind:

 

Assume your final destination is KRDU but you are not entering a flight plan but manually selecting Direct To points along the route. By entering your destination on the VCALC page it will only show the VSR for your final destination instead of the Direct To selected for the intermediate wpts. 

 

José

 

I went to fuel up at Clewiston on Saturday and on the ground I entered a Direct To destination of KBCT. I would think under that simple circumstance that it would have plugged everything into the VSR parms, but it didn't.

[Piloto]

I went to fuel up at Clewiston on Saturday and on the ground I entered a Direct To destination of KBCT. I would think under that simple circumstance that it would have plugged everything into the VSR parms, but it didn't.

 

On the GTN-750 simulator I just plugged Direct To KPBI leaving KFXE at 5000ft and it gaves me VSR after a couple of seconds. Keep in mind that VSR cannot be computed on the ground. You must have ground speed and altitude (airborne).

 

José

[flyboy0681]

On the GTN-750 simulator I just plugged Direct To KPBI leaving KFXE at 5000ft and it gaves me VSR after a couple of seconds. Keep in mind that VSR cannot be computed on the ground. You must have ground speed and altitude (airborne).

 

José

 

 

I think the basic problem is that there is no default for Target Altitude and that the altitude that you are presently at when you go into the VSR page is the one that will be displayed and used, which makes no sense to me. There is a Default button but I have no idea where it gets its values from.

 

In my opinion, for VSR to work properly and without intervention, the user should be able to setup a default altitude (1000 above waypoint) along with the offset (5 miles) which will be used every time for the destination calculations.

[flyboy0681]

On the GTN-750 simulator I just plugged Direct To KPBI leaving KFXE at 5000ft and it gaves me VSR after a couple of seconds. Keep in mind that VSR cannot be computed on the ground. You must have ground speed and altitude (airborne).

 

José

 

 I was just perusing a site where 750 users were voicing their desires for future updates and I came across this one, which tells me that the unit is working correctly (but not logically).

 

"Make the GTN VCALC work like VNAV on the GNS530. The GTN stays at the last airplane altitude and requires re-setting to a commonly used altitude, such as 1000 feet above waypoint. The GNS remembers the last altitude entered, which saves work."

[Piloto]

On the VCALC Page I had Target ALT=0, Altitude Type=MSL, VS Profile=500 FPM, Offset=0NM. Didn't have to enter Target WPT. It assumed KPBI. VSR came 5 seconds after activating Direct To.

 

José