Garmin 430/530 alternate airport in flight plan

[FORANE]

When flying to an airport that has WX lower than the available approach gets me, I like to enter the alternate airport in the flight plan so I do not have to fiddle with that additional task while trying to fly the missed.

The Garmin 430/530 series will default to the last airport in the flight plan when trying to select an approach though. I have found that I can select the intermediate airport approach and enter it in the flight plan a couple ways - either select approach before entering the alternate airport or hit menu twice to select airport for approach selection.

When I try to activate the approach though, I cannot get it to activate with the alternate airport in the flight plan as final destination. What is the best way to get an alternate in a flight plan and be able to select / activate approaches at the 1st airport? Do I need to set up a whole new flight plan to select in the event of a missed approach at the 1st airport?

 

[John Collins]

If your destination is not the last waypoint in the flightplan, you can press PROC, choose select approach. The GPS will offer the alternate airport as the one to load an approach at, press CLR, press MENU, select "Select Next FPL Apt", it will bring up your destination airport, continue with the approach selection. After the missed approach, do a direct to the alternate or the first waypoint in the route to the alternate.

 

[FORANE]

If your destination is not the last waypoint in the flightplan, you can press PROC, choose select approach. The GPS will offer the alternate airport as the one to load an approach at, press CLR, press MENU, select "Select Next FPL Apt", it will bring up your destination airport, continue with the approach selection. After the missed approach, do a direct to the alternate or the first waypoint in the route to the alternate.

ok John

Thanks for the reply.

I just pulled up the 400 series simulator on the computer to try this. I entered the flight plan first including intermediate airport and alternate airport. I then followed your steps above. The simulator inserted the approach for the intermediate airport after the alternate airport in the plan.

Suppose I could clear the alternate and re-enter it in the appropriate place, or I could have just selected the intermediate airport approach before entering the alternate airport in the flight plan. In either case though, I found when I activate approach the 430 does not go into approach mode when an alternate exists in the flight plan after intermediate.

Ideas?

 

[poadeleted20]

I don't teach putting the alternate airport in the FPL for the reason you cover -- it complicates the situation at the destination. If you have to divert, it doesn't take but a few seconds to clear the FPL and enter D-> alternate, after which you can select approaches at the alternate.

 

[John Collins]

I don't teach putting the alternate airport in the FPL for the reason you cover -- it complicates the situation at the destination. If you have to divert, it doesn't take but a few seconds to clear the FPL and enter D-> alternate, after which you can select approaches at the alternate.

I agree. Furthermore, you don't want to restrict yourself to flying to the filed alternate if there is a better choice.

 

[aterpster]

Or, a stored flight plan from Airport A's missed approach holding fix, via expected routing to Airport B?

 

[kgruber]

I agree. Furthermore, you don't want to restrict yourself to flying to the filed alternate if there is a better choice.

Not only that, but I found that I didn't use the alternate that I filed for filing purposes.

For instance, in the northwest, I file Lewiston Idaho as an alternate on almost every flight. Down in the Snake River Canyon it virtually always meets alternate weather requirements. But, I never want to go there.

But, say I was going to Spokane, and couldn't get in. I'd probably get in to Felts Field, which would be low IFR, and doable, but couldn't be used as a alternate for filing purposes.

I wish I were better at english composition, but you probably know what I'm trying to say!!!!

 

[Jaybird180]

Not only that, but I found that I didn't use the alternate that I filed for filing purposes.

For instance, in the northwest, I file Lewiston Idaho as an alternate on almost every flight. Down in the Snake River Canyon it virtually always meets alternate weather requirements. But, I never want to go there.

But, say I was going to Spokane, and couldn't get in. I'd probably get in to Felts Field, which would be low IFR, and doable, but couldn't be used as a alternate for filing purposes.

I wish I were better at english composition, but you probably know what I'm trying to say!!!!

Sounds like you're saying that you do some of that pilot s(tuff)

 

[FORANE]

I appreciate the thoughts.

Entering the alternate after the missed undoubtedly will be during a phase of flight with more workload than if it were entered during cruise.

So, I guess options are to enter alternate after missed, have a separate flight plan from missed to alternate ready to be called up, or if the missed is close-by just twist large knob all the way right to bring up nearest airports.

My situation is I go into my home airport with MDA of 1700 AGL due to mountains in the traffic pattern. When missed which is not uncommon, the alternate is just 12 miles away with an ILS. So, I can put the localizer frequency in and be ready for the ILS but it does not take long to travel 12 miles.

 

[alang]

I appreciate the thoughts.

Entering the alternate after the missed undoubtedly will be during a phase of flight with more workload than if it were entered during cruise.

So, I guess options are to enter alternate after missed, have a separate flight plan from missed to alternate ready to be called up, or if the missed is close-by just twist large knob all the way right to bring up nearest airports.

My situation is I go into my home airport with MDA of 1700 AGL due to mountains in the traffic pattern. When missed which is not uncommon, the alternate is just 12 miles away with an ILS. So, I can put the localizer frequency in and be ready for the ILS but it does not take long to travel 12 miles.

Fly the missed, enter the hold and take your take your time to get things set up.

Alan