Garmin DIRECT TO gotcha

flyingcheesehead said:
If I'm cleared to deviate for weather, well, the autopilot either gets shut off or put in HDG mode and I don't change anything on the GPS unless my deviation clearance included "direct XXX when able."
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I have a somehwhat related thread-creeping question...

Assume the weather deviation with "direct XXX when able." XXX is not already in your flight plan, but it is on the airway that is part of your flight plan. So, after getting to XXX you will continue with the route already programed into the GPS.

What is the easiest way to go "direct XXX" and then continue your programmed route?

Is it to insert XXX manually into the Plan?
Is it to use the NRST and -D-> function (which seems to drop the existing plan)?
Is it some other way?

(And yes, I am a =definite= newbie when it comes to the GNS boxes)

(and John, I read your suggestion about using +Map)
 
midlifeflyer said:
I have a somehwhat related thread-creeping question...

Assume the weather deviation with "direct XXX when able." XXX is not already in your flight plan, but it is on the airway that is part of your flight plan. So, after getting to XXX you will continue with the route already programed into the GPS.

What is the easiest way to go "direct XXX" and then continue your programmed route?

Is it to insert XXX manually into the Plan?
Is it to use the NRST and -D-> function (which seems to drop the existing plan)?
Is it some other way?

(And yes, I am a =definite= newbie when it comes to the GNS boxes)

(and John, I read your suggestion about using +Map)
Click to expand...

You have several choices that might work, depending on your situation.
Generally, If time was an issue, I would just use the direct to XXX and after arriving at XXX, press the FPL button, turn on the cursor and scroll to the next waypoint in sequence and use direct-to it.

It is also just as easy to add XXX to the flight plan and when time comes to navigate to XXX just use the direct-to XXX from the flight plan. To add a waypoint to the flight plan, press FPL, move the cursor to the waypoint that will be after the one you want to insert, and insert the waypoint by turning the inner knob to enter the characters XXX.

Another option that may work for you, assuming that XXX is on a leg you have already entered, but is not specifically included in the flight plan, is to resume the leg in which XXX is a part. To do this, press the FPL key and move the cursor to the waypoint after XXX and activate the leg by pressing direct-to twice and then enter. Of course if you use this option, make sure ATC is OK with it.
 
midlifeflyer said:
What is the easiest way to go "direct XXX" and then continue your programmed route?

Is it to insert XXX manually into the Plan?
Click to expand...
Yes, by my experience. As soon as I'm on the vector heading, I'll plug that point into the FPL in the appropriate place and highlight it so I can go D->/enter/enter as soon as the controller clears me. After that, it will autosequence the rest of the route.
 
I always find the waypoint on the chart first (or ask ATC where it is) if I'm unfamiliar. I've had occasions where the controller cleared me direct to a fix NOT on my route, because he had me confused with someone else. Fortunately there wasn't any terrain along the heading he'd sent me.

Then, once I know where I'm going, and that it's correct, I will punch the direct key, enter the fix, and get heading direct, and then go insert the fix in the flight plan. Once I hit the fix the GPS auto-sequences to the next fix in the plan.

Bottom line is that the fix needs to be in the flight plan for autosequencing. Whether you put it in the plan first and then go direct, or go direct first and then put it in the plan, is a toMAYto/toMAHto thing, at least for the GPS' I've flown with. There's probably a unit out there that requires a specific sequence.
 
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John Collins said:
When deviating around large areas of weather, I have found using the +Map feature very useful. I make sure the autopilot is in heading mode and the GPSS is also in heading mode. On the Map page, I turn on the cursor and move it to a point that will avoid the weather, and press direct-to, enter, enter. This generates a waypoint at that location named +Map. I then press the FPL key and add +Map to my flight plan. I then turn the GPSS back to GPS and the autopilot flys my deviation and resumes my flightplan at the end of the deviation. If I need to adjust the deviation as the situation unfolds, I can use the same procedure and since +Map is in the flightplan, it works like rubberbanding the route to the adjusted deviation.
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Hmm. An interesting technique, but seems a bit more complicated than twisting the heading bug and pushing the button to switch from GPSS to HDG, and then -D> Enter Enter and flip back from HDG to GPSS.

I'm kind of surprised that it doesn't enter +Map into the flight plan for you when you go direct to it.
 
midlifeflyer said:
Assume the weather deviation with "direct XXX when able." XXX is not already in your flight plan, but it is on the airway that is part of your flight plan.
Click to expand...

In the case of the 430W, that means it's already in the flight plan. The 430W does not (yet) do airways, so if you are cleared on an airway, every VOR (and any dog-leg points between VOR's) on the airway must be entered in the flight plan.

What is the easiest way to go "direct XXX" and then continue your programmed route?
Click to expand...

Well, since XXX would be in your route, you'd press FPL, press the knob to go into cursor mode, rotate the large knob until XXX is highlighted, and press direct-enter-enter.

Is it to insert XXX manually into the Plan?
Click to expand...

If the 430W supported airways (which I think it will at some point, not sure when that software is coming out), it'll probably work like the G1000. In that case, I think you can go into your flight plan and "expand" that airway so it'll show all the waypoints on the airway. Then, you could highlight that particular point, press direct-enter-enter and you're on your way.

Now, since the 430W does not have that functionality yet, let's say that the clearance is "direct XXX when able, then direct YYY and as filed" where XXX is not on your flight plan and YYY is. In that case, you'd go into your flight plan and manually enter XXX in before YYY, and when you're ready to go direct XXX, push the knob, highlight XXX, direct-enter-enter.
 
flyingcheesehead said:
In the case of the 430W, that means it's already in the flight plan. The 430W does not (yet) do airways, so if you are cleared on an airway, every VOR (and any dog-leg points between VOR's) on the airway must be entered in the flight plan.
Click to expand...

Sometimes ATC clears you to an intersection that is on your airway but is NOT a dogleg, and that may not be in your flight plan, unless you always enter every single intersection on your airway.
 
flyingcheesehead said:
In the case of the 430W, that means it's already in the flight plan.
Click to expand...
No it doesn't unless, as Tim says, you load every enroute waypoint into your flight plan.

Consider V341 between MSN and DBQ. Not much reason to enter THEBO, DALEY and BAULK in order to identify the airway.

But you might divert 20° for weather SW of THEBO and be given, "Proceed direct BAULK when able."
 
TMetzinger said:
Sometimes ATC clears you to an intersection that is on your airway but is NOT a dogleg, and that may not be in your flight plan, unless you always enter every single intersection on your airway.
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midlifeflyer said:
No it doesn't unless, as Tim says, you load every enroute waypoint into your flight plan.

Consider V341 between MSN and DBQ. Not much reason to enter THEBO, DALEY and BAULK in order to identify the airway.

But you might divert 20° for weather SW of THEBO and be given, "Proceed direct BAULK when able."
Click to expand...

You could be given that, but I've never heard those clearances end in anything but a VOR.

If you were given that, though, you'd do it just how I described for the off-route version - Just add it to the flight plan before the next waypoint, highlight, direct enter enter. :yes:
 
flyingcheesehead said:
You could be given that, but I've never heard those clearances end in anything but a VOR.
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I have, which is why I used it as an example in my question. But it could just as easily been a question about adding a waypoint without needing a deviation such as a shortcut or a "proceed direct" to a waypoint during a "pure" radar SID (both of which I've also gotten as clearances).

If you were given that, though, you'd do it just how I described for the off-route version - Just add it to the flight plan before the next waypoint, highlight, direct enter enter. :yes:
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Having browsed the suggestions and played with the Garmin trainer, I agree. That's the way to go.

I really was just curious if there was some shortcut to adding a waypoint, like selecting it off NRST (which helps for poor spellers), moving to the Flight Plan page and being able to insert the current Direct To into the plan.
 
midlifeflyer said:
I really was just curious if there was some shortcut to adding a waypoint, like selecting it off NRST (which helps for poor spellers), moving to the Flight Plan page and being able to insert the current Direct To into the plan.
Click to expand...

Unfortunately not. The G1000 system has improved the entering of waypoints anytime they are used in a dialog, when you make the first click of the FMS inner knob, if you click to the right, the normal spell the waypoint dialog opens up, but if your first click is to the left, you can chose one of three lists to select a waypoint from. The three lists are: the flight plan, the nearest airports, and recently used waypoints. The GPSMAP 696 uses the same G1000 approach.
 
midlifeflyer said:
I really was just curious if there was some shortcut to adding a waypoint, like selecting it off NRST (which helps for poor spellers), moving to the Flight Plan page and being able to insert the current Direct To into the plan.
Click to expand...

No - It sure would be nice, though! I also wish that you could hit Direct and then some other easy combo for "go directly home!" or get recent airports, etc... In some ways, their handhelds are a lot easier to use than the panel-mount stuff. :(
 
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