SIDs/STARs in GPS, default Cessna??

[Justin Berry 1388016]

I'm wanting to do some IFR flying, it's been quite a while! However, for SIDs and STARs, if I file a flight plan through an external website and allow SIDs and STARs, will they be plugged into my GPS? If so, and I take off and ATC tells me to fly runway heading and then tells me to turn direct "X" waypoint, how can I do that? Thats the main part of this question, because I've had to do that multiple times and trying to get the autopilot to head direct to a waypoint... let's just say I haven't the slightest clue how to.

[Randy Tyndall 1087023]

Excellent questions Justin. Glad to see you are wanting to do things right.

 

If you download a flightplan from a third party source that will let you export it in to your flightsim as a .pln file, then yes, it will also bring with it the waypoints of the SID and STAR along with that flightplan. But here's the deal, if those waypoints by name do not exist in your flightsim NavData base you will not see their names show up in your flightplan list. It will be just a "point" in your GPS that indicates where that waypoint is. Your aircraft will follow the GPS to that and all other points just like they existed in your sim.

 

As for being given a "direct to" shortcut, yes that is also possible with the default GPS, but it's tricky. One way is to simply use the D> (Direct To) key on the GPS. That will take you straight to that waypoint. The drawback to this is that your flightplan disappears and all you are left with is the "Direct To" leg. Not a good thing, especially with a long and complicated flightplan. You'll have to do "Direct To's" to all the other waypoints in the plan. That can get frustrating.

 

A better way is to press the "FPL" key on the GPS. Once you do that you will see a line by line text version of your plan. For instance, if you fly the SUMMA9 off runway 34R at KSEA using the Baker City (BKE) transition you would see, in order, NICHY, NEZUG, a right turn to intercept the 146 Radial of the SEA VOR, then direct to SUMMA, BKE, and beyond, probably the BOI VOR.

 

So, let's say you take off from 34R, follow the GPS to NICHY, then to NEZUG, then begin your right turn to intercept the 146 Radial. But, before you get to the radial (or even finish your turn) ATC says "cleared direct Baker City VOR" skipping the radial and the SUMMA intersection completely. Easy to do.

 

Click on the "FPL" key on the GPS. The text list of each waypoint appears. There will be a Magenta colored line linking two waypoints in that list. This is the current leg you are flying. Press the "CRSR" or "Cursor" button and the cursor begins to flash. Using the "+" hotspot beside the "CRSR" button scroll the flashing cursor down TO THE NEXT WAYPOINT AFTER the one you were given the direct to. In my example you would scroll down until "BOI" was flashing. Now press the "Menu" button on the GPS. You will see a prompt that says "Fly Leg BKE to BOI" and the word "activate" will be flashing. Press "ENT" on the GPS panel and your aircraft will now proceed direct to BKE because that is where the BKE to BOI leg begins.

 

See, easy.

 

Randy

[Fredric Greenblott 1346549]

I'm wanting to do some IFR flying, it's been quite a while! However, for SIDs and STARs, if I file a flight plan through an external website and allow SIDs and STARs, will they be plugged into my GPS? If so, and I take off and ATC tells me to fly runway heading and then tells me to turn direct "X" waypoint, how can I do that? Thats the main part of this question, because I've had to do that multiple times and trying to get the autopilot to head direct to a waypoint... let's just say I haven't the slightest clue how to.

 

If you download a flight plan for the default FSX Garmin GPS, all of the waypoints will be plugged into the GPS automatically and it will function as a normal waypoint. Just make sure to have your NavData files up-to-date! As far as going direct in the default GPS, you can use the D> key, and then enter it.