What You Need to Know about VOR

What You Need to Know about VOR
 
A guide to using this old but reliable method
Excerpted from Cleared for Takeoff, copyright 1998, King Schools, Inc.
The figure below shows you a VORTAC, and the communications box associated with it. We'll try to decipher what all this stuff means.

First, the station symbol comes equipped with those tick marks, so you know right away that this is really a VORTAC. The communications box tells you that its name is Fellows, and in order to receive the station, you need to dial frequency 117.5 into your navigation receiver.
It also tells you that FLW is the three-letter identifier for this station, so, if you've entered FLW in your flight plan, everyone would know that you're flying to the Fellows VORTAC because there is no other FLW in the country.
Dit–Dah, Dah–Dit
Now, here's something that will be truly helpful to you: If you tune 117.5 into your nav radio, turn up the volume and listen; you'll hear the Morse code for that 3-letter identifier. If, like most of us, you can't interpret Morse code without your decoder ring, the FAA has taken pity on you.
So, when you start hearing that dit-dit-dah-dit, all you need do is listen, follow along, and then compare the dots and dashes you hear with the dots and dashes for the VOR identifier in the frequency box (..- . .-.. .- -).
So, for Fellows, you'd listen for "dit-dit-dah-dit...dit-dah-dit-dit...dit-dah-dah." Compare that with what you see on the chart and you'll know that you're tuned into FLW and not some other VOR.
Is the Right VOR Tuned, and Can You Count on It?
A Morse code identifier and, occasionally, a voice ID, are transmitted from each VOR. And although it may not seem necessary to identify VORs in this age of digital tuning, listening to the identifier is still the only way to verify that the VOR is in service and reliable—and that you've not made an error dialing in the digits.
If the identifier is not being transmitted, the VOR signal should not be considered reliable. When maintenance crews work on a VOR—perhaps to realign the signal—they remove the ident code, but often leave the VOR navigation signal on the air. So always identify the VOR first.
Who's That You're Talkin' to?
If you look beneath the Fellows VORTAC communications box, you'll see that Rancho Murieta is the controlling flight service station. That's who you'd talk to, if you needed to talk to the Flight Service Station (or FSS) through this facility.
Note the 122.1R on top of the box. The "R" means that the FSS can only listen to you (receive); it can't transmit on that frequency.
So, if you set 122.1 in your comm radio, they can hear you, but you can't hear them on your comm radio. They can, however, transmit over the VOR frequency, so you'd be able listen to them on your nav receiver. So, at FLW, you'd call Rancho Murieta FSS on 122.1, and listen to them on 117.5.
If there were other frequencies listed above the box without the "R," then you could talk and listen on those frequencies on your comm radio.
How Does VOR Work?
VORs work on the principle of the phase difference in two radio signals.
"Phase Difference?" you say. "Is this going to be some dreary electronics discussion like the ones we used to have in high school physics class that always put me in detention hall because I'd fall asleep?" No. It will not.
You can get your mind around this concept by thinking of a tower with two lights on it. One light rotates at a constant rate around the tower but has a very narrow beam so that it can only be seen by the viewer just as the beam passes the viewer's position. The other light flashes—and can be seen in all directions (an omnidirectional light)—only when the rotating light exactly passes magnetic north.
If you know how fast the rotating light is moving, it's a simple matter to start a timer when the omnidirectional light flashes, just as the rotating light passes north, and then note the time when you see the rotating beam aim at your position. Then, with just a little math you'll know your bearing from the station.
That's how a VOR works. A rotating directional signal is broadcast from the VOR, while a second (omnidirectional) signal is broadcast only when the rotating signal passes north. The VOR receiver in your aircraft measures the time—or phase—difference in these two signals and comes up with the bearing—or radial—from the station.
Old but Reliable
In spite of the age and limitations of the system, all of the airways in the United States, and most of the world, have been built on the radials of VORs. The highways in the sky charted from VOR to VOR have been the backbone of air navigation for decades.
And now that you know all about VOR stations, you'll know how to identify them and when they are reliable to use for that long cross-country trip of yours. Plus...you'll have added another round of ammunition to your arsenal of amazing aviation acronyms!
So, now you can recognize a VOR when you see one on a chart. And you know where to find all the information you'll need to use a VOR for navigation. So let's look inside your airplane and see where the VOR lives in the cockpit.
The VOR Indicator
Besides the nav receiver—where you set the frequency and volume—you need a way to visualize those VOR radials. And they've given you a pretty ingenious system to pick the radial you're interested in and then show you where you are in relation to it. Amazingly, it's all in one package that's referred to, cleverly enough, as the VOR indicator.
Notice that the VOR indicator has a rotating compass card, giving it a look similar to the heading indicator. And just like the heading indicator, there's a knob at the lower left which turns the card.

Omni Bearing Selector
The difference is that this knob on the VOR indicator is labeled "OBS", which stands for "Omni Bearing Selector." On this instrument, the card only moves when you move it. So, you turn the OBS knob to select a VOR radial, or course, which you read at the top of the arrow. You have 360 possible choices.
Course Deviation Indicator
Consider the vertical needle in the center of the indicator. It's hinged at the top and swings left or right. It's called the "Course Deviation Indicator" or "CDI," but commonly referred to as the "needle."
Think of the needle as an imaginary centerline on a highway. If you're on the right side of the highway, the centerline—or your needle—is to the left. If you move toward the left, then, as you approach the center of the highway, the needle moves toward the center of the instrument.
But if you continued left, past the center, the needle would move past center, toward the right side. In flight, you navigate a radial, or course, by keeping the needle in the center, and if it moves to one side, you move toward it. Remember: Fly toward the needle.
How Wide is the Road?
So how wide is the aerial highway? From a centered needle to a full needle deflection measures 10 degrees, so if the needle is on the outermost dot, you are 10 degrees off your selected course.
As you can see from the figure above, the face of a VOR indicator has equally spaced dots so you can tell how far you are off course. If your CDI has 5 dots on either side of center, like this one, then each dot your needle deflects is equal to 2 degrees. You can actually count how many degrees off you are, up to a maximum of 10 degrees.
If the needle is pegged against the side of the instrument, you don't really know how far off course you are, just that it must be more than 10 degrees.
Since the CDI shows your angle off course, not your distance, your actual distance off course will vary with how far you are from the station. For instance, if you're 60 miles from the station, a 1 degree needle deflection means you are 1 mile off course. But if you're only 15 miles from the station, that same 1degree of needle deflection tells you that you're only 1/4 mile off course. This explains why the needle moves so dramatically when you get close to the VOR station.
To/From Indicator
Also in the center portion of the indicator, there's a window that reads TO on a white background with a small triangle pointing up, or FR for "from" with a triangle pointing down ... or it could be filled with a red and white crosshatched symbol, called the Nav Flag or the Off Flag. Some To/From indicators may just only be up and down triangles. (The up arrow is TO.)
The To/From indicator tells you whether the course you have selected on the OBS is a radial from the station, or a course to the station. It does not tell you whether your current heading will take you to or from the station.
When your Off Flag shows in the window, it tells you that you have an unreliable signal and you shouldn't use that station for navigation. However, the Off Flag may also appear, momentarily, as the To/From indicator changes from one to the other when you fly over or past the station.

Using Views and Windows

Using Views and Windows
 
Get a better look at all there is to see in Flight Simulator
In a real airplane, you can look around by moving your head. To look around in Flight Simulator you have to change views. The best part is that unlike in the real world, you can even change views outside the airplane!
Press S to select a view category, then press A to select a view within that category.

Quick keys for frequently-used views

    Virtual Cockpit F9
2-D Cockpit F10
Locked Spot view F11
Top-Down view F12
Think of view modes as camera position categories. Within each category, you can choose individual camera positions. When you use Cockpit views, the camera is like your eyes; showing the view you have as the pilot in the cockpit. When you use Outside Views, it's a camera view from the outside, looking at your aircraft. Experiment with views to find the right combination for your style of flying.
There are six main view modes in Flight Simulator. You cycle through the view modes using the keyboard, buttons on a joystick, an Xbox 360 for Windows controller, or the menus (more on that below) and you can choose which view you want to display within each mode.
Whenever you change views, text in the upper-right corner of the screen displays the view name for three seconds.

To cycle through view modes
Press S to cycle forward.
-or-
Press SHIFT+S to cycle backwards.
-or-
On the Views menu, point to View Mode, point to a category, then click a view.

To cycle views within a view mode
Press A to cycle forward.
-or-
Press SHIFT+A to cycle backwards.
-or-
On the Views menu, point to View Mode, point to a category, then click a view.

The view modes are:

View mode What you see
Cockpit Pilot's view from the 2-D cockpit or 3-D virtual cockpit.
Outside Your aircraft from an external viewpoint.
Tower Your aircraft from a control tower or tower-like perspective (non-towered airports).
Aircraft Your aircraft from an external camera on or near the aircraft.
Runway A runway from the viewpoint of your cockpit. Very useful for finding the runway on approach.
Air traffic Other aircraft in the sky and on the ground.
Cockpit Views
There are several cockpit views, not all of which are available in all aircraft:

View What you see
2-D Cockpit 2-D instrument panel with various panel options.
Virtual cockpit 3-D cockpit with the ability to pan the camera view.
Right seat Virtual cockpit with the ability to pan the camera view.
Rear seat Virtual cockpit with the ability to pan the camera view.
Radio stack Close-up view of radios with the ability to pan the camera view.
Light switches Close-up view of switches with the ability to pan the camera view.


Beaver cockpit: 2-D (left) and 3-D (right).

The 2-D cockpit and the 3-D virtual cockpit differ in how you are able to look around the cockpit. In the 2-D cockpit, you can display hidden sections of the panel with key commands and use the keyboard, a joystick, or an Xbox controller to make quick changes to the direction in which you're looking. In 3-D virtual cockpit, you can use the keyboard, your joystick, the mouse, or an Xbox controller to look around, using a panning action, which provides a realistic movement as if you are moving your head.

To cycle through view modes to Cockpit view
Press S.
-or-
On the Views menu, point to View Mode, point to Cockpit, then click a cockpit view.

To cycle through cockpit views
Press A.
-or-
On the Views menu, point to View Mode, point to Cockpit, then click a cockpit view.
You can set 2-D cockpit or 3-D cockpit as the default view.

To set the default cockpit view
On the Options menu, point to Settings, then click Display.
Click the Aircraft tab.
Select the 2-D instrument panel or the 3-D virtual cockpit option.
Click OK.

There are also several different panels you can choose while in 2-D cockpit mode. To learn more, see Instrument Panels below.

Panel What you see
2-D panel Normal 2-D panel.
IFR panel Larger 2-D panel for flying only by reference to instruments.
Approach panel A smaller version of the 2-D panel with greater visibility over the top of the panel.
Mini panel Only the primary instruments with no panel.
No panel No panel or instruments.

Outside Views
Outside views place the camera at a point in space, viewing your aircraft from outside.


Airbus A321 on approach in spot plane view.

There are four options for outside views:

View What you see
Spot Your aircraft as viewed from a chase plane (fluid transition).
Locked Spot Your aircraft as viewed from a chase plane (direct transition).
Flyby Your aircraft as it flies past a fixed point.
Top-down Your aircraft viewed top-down from high altitude.

To cycle through view modes to Outside view
Press S.
-or-
On the Views menu, point to View Mode, point to Outside, then click an outside view.

To cycle through outside views
Press A.
-or-
On the Views menu, point to View Mode, point to Outside, then click an outside view.

Tower Views
When you select a Tower view, the default view is from the tower nearest to your aircraft. You can change the Tower view to any of the towers listed in the Tower view submenu.


Airbus A321 from Tower view.

To cycle through view modes to Tower view
Press S.
-or-
On the Views menu, point to View Mode, point to Tower, then click a tower.

To cycle through tower views
Press A.
-or-
On the Views menu, point to View Mode, point to Tower, then click a tower.

Aircraft Views
When you select an Aircraft view, the default view depends upon which aircraft you're flying. Different aircraft have different options for Aircraft view. You can change the aircraft view on the Aircraft View submenu.


Boeing 747-400—landing gear view.

To cycle through view modes to Aircraft view
Press S.
-or-
On the Views menu, point to View Mode, point to Aircraft, then click an aircraft view.

To cycle through aircraft views
Press A.
-or-
On the Views menu, point to View Mode, point to Aircraft, then click an aircraft view.

Runway Views
When you select a Runway view, the view shifts toward the runway selected in the Runway View submenu as seen from your cockpit. This view is very useful if you're close to your destination airport but you're having difficulty seeing the runway.

To cycle through view modes to Runway view
Press S.
-or-
On the Views menu, point to View Mode, point to Runway, then click a specific runway.

To cycle through runway views
Press A.
-or-
On the Views menu, point to View Mode, point to Runway, then click a specific runway.

Air Traffic Views
Important note: you must have air traffic turned on or the Air Traffic view mode will not appear in the Views menu. To learn more about air traffic settings, see Changing Traffic Settings.
Air Traffic view shifts your viewpoint to other aircraft in the sky and on the ground.

To cycle through view modes to Air Traffic view
Press S.
-or-
On the Views menu, point to View Mode, point to Air Traffic, then click a specific aircraft.

To cycle through air traffic views
Press A.
-or-
On the Views menu, point to View Mode, point to Air Traffic, then click a specific aircraft.

Instrument Panels
You can adjust the transparency of instrument panels (2-D only), or eliminate the panel altogether to see the world beyond the cockpit.


Transparent instrument panel on final.
To adjust panel tranparency
Press CTRL+SHIFT+T.
Press + (PLUS) or - (MINUS) to to increase or decrease transparency.
-or-
On the Options menu, point to Settings, then click Display.
Click the Aircraft tab.
Move the 2-D panel transparency slider right or left to increase or decrease transparency.
Click OK.

You can select one of five 2-D cockpit instrument panel options:

Normal IFR
Flight Approach Mini-panel No panel
 

To choose a 2-D cockpit view
Press S to select 2-D cockpit.
Press W to select a specific panel display.

Looking Around
In most views, you can look around by using the hat switch on your joystick, by pressing keys on the numeric keypad (see the Key Commands page of the Kneeboard for the full list of commands), or by using the thumbstick on an Xbox 360 controller for Windows.
One of the fastest and best tools for looking around the cockpit or the world in Flight Simulator is to use the special mouse-look feature. To learn more, see Using the Mouse.


Looking foward/left on downwind to a mountain airstrip.
To use a joystick hat switch to change view direction:

Action Move hat switch
Look forward/right Up/right
Look right Right
Look back/right Down/right
Look back Down
Look back/left Down/left
Look left Left
Look forward/left Up/left
Look up Staight/up

To use key commands to change view direction (you must have NUM LOCK on):

Action Key command
Look forward/right NUMPAD 9
Look right NUMPAD 6
Look back/right NUMPAD 3
Look back NUMPAD 2
Look back/left NUMPAD 1
Look left NUMPAD 4
Look forward/left NUMPAD 7
Look up CTRL+SHIFT+NUMPAD 8

To change view direction with an Xbox 360 controller for Windows
Move the right thumbstick.
-or-
Press the D-pad.
Zooming In and Out
You can use zoom controls to magnify or reduce any view. Zoom in close enough to see the rivets on your aircraft, or zoom out to get a bird's-eye view of the airport below. Text in the upper-right corner of the screen displays the current zoom factor.

To zoom in and out in Cockpit, Tower, Spot Plane, or Top-down view
Press the EQUAL SIGN (=) to zoom in.
-or-
Press HYPHEN (-) to zoom out.
Moving the Eyepoint
Having trouble seeing over the instrument panel? In a real airplane you'd just lean forward a bit or sit on a phone book. In Flight Simulator you can move the eyepoint, the point from which your virtual eyes look out. This is particularly useful ability when taxiing taildraggers in Cockpit or Virtual Cockpit views.
To move the eyepoint in any view:

Action
*3-D virtual cockpit only Key command
Move Eyepoint Back* CTRL+ENTER
Move Eyepoint Up SHIFT+ENTER
Move Eyepoint Down SHIFT+BACKSPACE
Pan Eyepoint Up CTRL+SHIFT+Q
Pan Eyepoint Down CTRL+Q
Move Eyepoint Forward* CTRL+BACKSPACE
Move Eyepoint Left* CTRL+SHIFT+BACKSPACE
Move Eyepoint Right* CTRL+SHIFT+ENTER
Reset Eyepoint CTRL+SPACEBAR
Look up CTRL+SHIFT+NUMPAD 8

Using Multiple Windows
The Flight Simulator screen is composed of windows. In 2-D Cockpit view, the instrument panel is displayed in one window, and the outside world in another. You can open additional windows, and display any view in them. For example, you can fly in Cockpit view and open an additional window that displays the Top-down view for extra situational awareness in the traffic pattern.


Add new windows by pressing [.
To open a new view window
Press [ (LEFT BRACKET).
-or-
On the Views menu, point to New View, then click the view that you want.
Making a Window Active
You can have several different windows open at once. Flight Simulator adds new windows to the bottom of the Views menu, and numbers them in the order that you opened them. The active view window has a check mark next to it. All keyboard and joystick view commands apply to the active window.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Instrument subpanels, the kneeboard, the air traffic control menu, and the chat window are also treated as windows.

To activate a window
Click anywhere inside the window.
-or-
Press CTRL+TAB to cycle through the open windows, selecting the window you want to activate.
-or-
In the list at the bottom of the Views menu, click the window you want to make the active window.
Other Flight Simulator window tricks
Flight Simulator has many keyboard shortcuts to help you work with views and windows. For the complete list, see the Key Commands page of the Kneeboard (press SHIFT+F10). Here are some other tricks you can do with windows. The best way to learn about these is to experiment with them.

To close a window
Click the view window, then press ] (RIGHT BRACKET).
-or-
Right-click on the window, then choose Close Window from the shortcut menu.

To resize a window
Drag a corner or a side of the window.

NOTE: To move a window between monitors in full screen view, it is not necessary to undock the window as described below.

To move a Flight Simulator window outside the Flight Simulator application window
Click the window that contains the view you want to move.
On the Views menu, click Undock View.
Drag the undocked window anywhere on the Windows desktop ( even to another monitor).
-or-
Right-click the window that contains the view you want to undock.
Click Undock Window.
Drag the undocked window anywhere on the Windows desktop ( even to another monitor).

Displaying Instrument Subpanels
Some Flight Simulator aircraft have separate windows or subpanels for their radio stacks, compass, engine controls, and other cockpit controls. Use SHIFT+1-7 to display the various subpanels (see the list of key commands for each aircraft on the kneeboard in the cockpit). To learn more about using multiple monitors with Flight Simulator, see Using Multiple Monitors with Flight Simulator.


Displaying windows and subpanels on multiple monitors.

Quick Keys
You can use some keyboard shortcuts to rapidly switch to some of the most useful views.

View Key command
Virtual Cockpit F9
Spot View F10
Top-Down View F11
Starting View F12

Axis Indicators
An axis indicator makes it easy to determine pitch and bank angles relative to the horizon without having to look at the attitude indicator; real-world pilots often use a smudge on the windscreen for the same purpose. The axis indicators in Flight Simulator are a great tool when you're learning basic flying maneuvers. They're also very useful if you hide the instrument panel by pressing W.
Using the Axis indicator drop-down list, you can display one of three axis indicators on the windscreen of your aircraft:
4 dots
Small V
Large V


Large V axis indicator.

Using the Kneeboard

Using the Kneeboard  
 
Your best source for in-flight information

Related Links

  Getting Help on the Fly  
  Top 10 Key Commands  
  Using the Flight Planner  
  All About Flights  
  Air Traffic Control  
 

Real-world pilots need to refer to lots of information while they fly, and most put everything they need at their fingertips: on a kneeboard, a sort of clipboard that straps to the pilot's knee. In Flight Simulator, you don't need to sort through piles of paper. Everything you need is assembled for you on an electronic kneeboard that is accessible as you fly.
The Flight Simulator kneeboard includes seven pages:
Briefing: Displays an abbreviated briefing for the current Mission.
Messages: A log of Air Traffic Control transmissions and Mission captions.
Nav Log: A list of waypoints, headings, time, and distance for a flight plan created using the Flight Planner.
Keys: A complete list of keyboard commands.
Checklist: Operating procedures for the aircraft you're flying.
Reference: A list of recommended speeds for the aircraft you're flying.
Mission: A list of Mission objectives.


Press SHIFT+F10 to display the kneeboard.
 
To display the kneeboard
Click the  kneeboard icon on the instrument panel.
-or-
Press SHIFT+F10.
-or-
On the Aircraft menu, point to Kneeboard, and choose one of the kneeboard pages.
Once the kneeboard is displayed, you can drag it around the screen or move it to another monitor. The next time you open the kneeboard, it will reopen to the same location. To learn more about using multiple monitors, see Using Multiple Monitors with Flight Simulator.

To view the different kneeboard pages
Click the page buttons along the top of the kneeboard.
-or-
Press SHIFT+F10 to cycle through the pages.
 
To close the kneeboard
Click the  Close button in the upper right-hand corner of the kneeboard.
-or-
Press SHIFT+F10 to cycle through the pages and close the kneeboard.
Printing the Kneeboard Files
If you'd like to have a paper copy of the information on the kneeboard, it's easy to print out.
Briefings
You can print Mission briefings from the Briefing dialog box before a Mission begins.
Messages
The radio communications log and Mission briefing are not printable from the kneeboard.
Navigation Log
You can print the navigation log by accessing it from the Flights menu: On the Flights menu, select Navigation Log, and then click the Print button.
Key Commands
View the complete list of key commands. To print the key commands list, click Print in the Learning Center navigation bar.
Printing Checklists and Reference Information
The files for Checklist and Reference pages are located in the
...\Flight Simulator X\SimObjects\Airplanes\aircraft name folder for airplanes
...\Flight Simulator X\SimObjects\Rotorcraft\aircraft name for the helicopters
The files are aircraft name_check.htm and aircraft name_ref.htm, respectively. To print a checklist or reference page, open the file using your Web browser, and click Print.
Mission
The Mission objectives are not printable from the kneeboard.

Using Multiple Monitors with Flight Simulator

Using Multiple Monitors with Flight Simulator
 
More screens, more views
Flight Simulator's ability to display multiple windows on more than one monitor at a time creates a more realistic cockpit environment. You can use a center monitor to display the aircraft instrument panel and the outside view ahead of the cockpit, and use another monitor to display the radio stack, throttle quadrant, GPS, or any of the other windows available in the Views menu.

Aside from additional monitors, you'll need a video card that can support multiple monitors, or a system that can support multiple video cards. Consult your computer vendor for recommendations and installation instructions.
Flight Simulator can run in either full screen or windowed mode. When using full screen mode with multiple monitors, Flight Simulator fills the primary monitor and the other monitors will appear black. You can move windows, such as the GPS, a spot view window, the throttle quadrant, or an overhead panel, onto a secondary monitor.

EXAMPLE: To set up a cockpit like the one pictured above
Make the center moniotor your primary display. Run Flight Simulator full screen or in windowed mode.
On the Views menu, point to New View, point to Cockpit, and then click Virtual Cockpit.
Drag the window to the left monitor and size the window to fill the screen.
Pan the view in that window until you're looking at the left wing.
Repeat steps 2 through 4 for a view of the right wing on the right monitor.
Press SHIFT+3 to display the GPS.
Drag the GPS to one of the secondary monitors.
Press [ (left bracket) to display the a small view window.
Press S to display the view you want in the small window.

You can display more windows on multiple monitors than the ones described in the example. Feel free to experiment and create a cockpit setup that works best for your style of flying.
To learn more about opening multiple windows, see Using Views and Windows. Once you have another window open, moving it between monitors is simple. Remember that the radio stack, throttle quadrant, and other cockpit elements pop up in their own window and can be moved. Depending on your system, using multiple monitors may affect performance.

To move windows between monitors
Right-click on the window you want to move.
On the shortcut menu, click Undock.
Drag the window to another monitor.
Note: In full screen mode, it is not necessary to undock a window before moving it to another monitor.

Important note:
In windowed mode, you can view multiple windows on different monitors, but don't allow a single Flight Simulator window to stretch across multiple monitors, as this may slow system performance.

Understanding Airspace

Understanding Airspace
 
Boundaries in the sky
 It's not essential that you understand the way airspace is carved up in order to enjoy using ATC and radio communications in Flight Simulator. In Flight Simulator, the ATC menu changes according to various factors, some having to do with what type of airspace you're in or approaching. In the real world, you're required to speak with a controller to enter certain classes of airspace. But if you don't speak to a controller in Flight Simulator, we won't take your pilot certificate away.
However, if you're interested in what various airspace classifications mean in the United States, read on.

Related Links

  Introduction to Air Traffic Control
  Airport Traffic Patterns
  What You Need to Know About VOR
  Using the GPS
  ATC Glossary
 

U.S. Airspace Classifications
Class A (Alfa)
Includes airspace from 18,000 feet (5,486 meters) above mean sea level (MSL) up to and including FL600 (Flight Level 600, or 60,000 feet/18,288 meters). Unless otherwise authorized, pilots must operate under instrument flight rules in Class A airspace.
Class B (Bravo)
Includes controlled airspace from the surface to 10,000 feet (3,048 meters) MSL surrounding the busiest airports. Class B airspace volumes are individually tailored, but usually include airspace within 30 miles of the primary airport. To operate in real-world Class B airspace, pilots must meet certain requirements for certification, weather conditions, and aircraft equipment, although you don't need to worry about these factors in Flight Simulator. You're required to contact and receive a clearance from ATC prior to entering Class B airspace in the real world. If you take off from within Class B or Class C airspace in Flight Simulator, ATC behaves as though Flight Following service is automatic, meaning that ATC will handle your flight until you're out of the Class B or Class C airspace.


Airspace Classifications:
A-Class Alfa, B-Class Bravo, C-Class Charlie, D-Class Delta, E-Class Echo, G-Class Golf
Class C (Charlie)
Includes airspace from the surface to 4,000 feet (1,219 meters) MSL above an airport with an operational control tower and that is serviced by a Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON). Class C airspace is individually tailored for each airport, but it usually extends in a radius of five nautical miles (9.26 kilometers), rising from the surface up to 4,000 feet, and then has a shelf area extending 10 nautical miles (18.52 kilometers) from 1,200 feet (366 meters) to 4,000 feet. You're required to establish communication with ATC prior to entering Class C airspace in the real world.
Class D (Delta)
Includes airspace from the surface to 2,500 feet (762 meters) MSL above an airport with an operational control tower. Class D airspace is individually tailored for the airport it surrounds. You're required to establish communication with ATC prior to entering Class D airspace in the real world.
Class E (Echo)
All other controlled airspace that is not included in Class A, B, C, or D. You're not required to communicate with anyone when flying in Class E airspace unless the weather calls for IFR.
Class G (Golf)
Uncontrolled airspace with three different altitude levels: from the surface up to and including 1,200 feet (365.76 meters) above ground level (AGL); more than 1,200 feet AGL but less than 10,000 feet (3,048 meters) MSL; and at or above 10,000 feet MSL up to but not including 14,500 feet (4,420 meters) MSL. You're not required to communicate with anyone when flying in Class G airspace.

Turbine Engines

Turbine Engines  
 
Learn the basics of how the turbine, or jet, engine works
Knowledge of a few general principles of engine operation helps pilots operate engines efficiently, extends the operating life of the power plant, and helps avoid engine failures.
Principles of Operation


 
Turbine engines were developed because, propellers and piston engines have limits for effectively pushing and combusting thin air at high altitudes. Turbine engines, however, excel at high altitudes because they compress air before combustion, thus increasing high-altitude performance. And flying high in thin air translates to better fuel efficiency, an extended flying range, and faster and smoother flying high above the turbulence of most weather. That's why turbine engines, whether turboprops or turbofans, have replaced piston engines on most large aircraft. Turbines have also become increasingly popular on smaller executive aircraft with the development of small, efficient turbofan engines.
How It Works
The turbines in a turbine engine are fan-like structures. Blades arrayed around a shaft catch air flowing through the engine and turn the central engine shaft. Most modern turbine engines have several turbines that compress the incoming air at separate stages before it reaches the combustion chamber. Additional turbines in the exhaust area of the engine use the energy from the exhaust and keep the turbine shaft rotating.
All turbine engines operate according to the same basic principle. A combustible mixture of fuel and air is drawn into the engine. The air and fuel mix in a combustion chamber, where the mixture is ignited. The hot exhaust gas shoots out the rear of the engine at high speed, pushing the airplane ahead. As the hot air flows through the engine, it turns additional turbines in the exhaust stream, which keep the shaft spinning quickly, usually more than 10,000 revolutions per minute (rpm).
Turbofan Engines
A turbofan engine has a large-diameter turbine at the front of the engine that accelerates a large mass of air that flows around the central engine core and out the back. This arrangement makes more efficient use of fuel and is much quieter than older turbojet technology.
Turboprop Engines
A turboprop engine is a jet engine attached to a propeller. The high-speed turbines generate an enormous amount of power that is transmitted to the propeller through a gear-reduction system. The propeller is really a large fan turned by the turbine. Turboprop engines are much more efficient than pure jet engines at speeds in the 250mph to 350 mph (400km/h to 560 km/h) range. At higher speeds, propellers lose their efficiency, and pure jet engines are a better choice.
Turbine Engine Controls
From a pilot's perspective, turbine engines are much easier to operate than piston engines. Aircraft equipped with turbofan engines—like the Bombardier Learjet 45 and Boeing 737–800—have a single power control: the thrust levers. Automatic fuel control systems take care of mixing fuel and air in the combustion chamber, and there's no propeller control to worry about.

To increase power
Move the thrust levers forward.
To reduce power
Move the thrust levers back.
Keep in mind, however, that it takes a while for jet engines to develop full power or "spool up." It's very important to anticipate the need for more power.
Watch the Temperatures
By far the most important consideration when operating a turbine engine is temperature control. If you shove the thrust levers forward on takeoff, you can easily overheat the engines. If you don't cause an engine failure, at the least you'll run up a very large bill for inspection and repair of critical engine components. So watch the exhaust gas temperature (EGT) and inlet turbine temperature (ITT) gauges carefully when you add power. Keep the needles out of the red zones.
Reverse Thrust
The Learjet 45, Bombardier CRJ, Boeing 737–800, and the Boeing 747–400 are equipped with thrust reversers that deflect the engines' exhaust forward to help the airplane slow down after landing.

To activate the thrust reversers
Reduce power to idle.
Hold down F2.
As the airplane slows to 60 knots, come out of reverse thrust: press F1.

Troubleshooting Basics  
 
Resolve problems and get back to flying
Most problems that you encounter when running Flight Simulator are related to conflicts between hardware components or problems with manufacturer's hardware drivers. You can troubleshoot many of these problems yourself following the steps below.
Restarting Flight Simulator
If Flight Simulator stops responding, try restarting the simulator before you try anything else. The problem might not be obvious, but it may be a one-time issue that never occurs again. If Flight Simulator stops responding repeatedly, try the steps below to troubleshoot your issue.
Video Drivers
Drivers are small software programs that allow your operating system to communicate with the hardware in your computer. Beyond acting as a translator, a driver can also enhance the operation of a particular piece of hardware, such as a video adapter or a sound card. A damaged or outdated video driver can cause program errors.
The manufacturer of your video or sound device probably offers free driver updates on their Web site. Contact your computer vendor or video card manufacturer to inquire about obtaining and installing the latest version of the driver for your video adapter.

To determine who made your video card
Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
Double-click System.
On the Hardware tab, click Device Manager.
Click the plus symbol next to Display Adapters to expand the branch.
Double-click a device in the list.
On the General tab, look for the manufacturer name.
The manufacturers name appears in the name of the adapter.
For information about how to contact your video adapter manufacturer, visit support.microsoft.com and search for the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
Article 65416: Hardware and Software Third-Party Vendor Contact List, A-K
Article 60781: Hardware and Software Third-Party Vendor Contact List, L-P
Article 60782: Hardware and Software Third-Party Vendor Contact List, Q-Z
(You will need an Internet connection to access this information.)
Sound Drivers
To determine if the sound driver is causing a problem, disable the sound card.

To disable the sound card
Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
Double-click Sounds and Audio Devices.
On the Hardware tab, select the audio device you want to disable, then click Properties.
In the Device usage list, select Do not use this device (disable).
Click OK.
Restart your computer.
Note: If you continue to experience issues after disabling the sound card, undo the steps above and then update your sound card drivers.

To determine the version of your sound card and its drivers
Click Start, and then click Run.
Type dxdiag in the Open box, and then click OK. If you get a message asking if you want to proceed, click Yes.
In the DirectX Diagnostic Tool dialog box, click the Sound.
In the Device area, note the name of your device on the Name line.
In the Drivers field, note the version number on the Version line.
When you have noted the version numbers for the sound card installed on your computer, click Exit.
For information about how to contact your sound card manufacturer, visit support.microsoft.com and search for the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
Article 65416: Hardware and Software Third-Party Vendor Contact List, A-K
Article 60781: Hardware and Software Third-Party Vendor Contact List, L-P
Article 60782: Hardware and Software Third-Party Vendor Contact List, Q-Z
(You will need an Internet connection to access this information.)
If you update your sound card drivers and you still have problems in Flight Simulator, try reducing Sound Acceleration in Windows.

To reduce hardware sound acceleration
Click Start, and then click Run.
Type dxdiag in the Open box, and then click OK.
In the DirectX Diagnostic Tool dialog box, click the Sound tab.
Under DirectX Features, move the Hardware Sound Acceleration Level slider left to the No acceleration setting.
Click Exit.
DirectX Issues
DirectX is a Windows component that allows software programs to communicate well with computer hardware. Games and simulations use DirectX to communicate with your sound card, video card, and game controllers. For more information about DirectX, or to download and install the latest version, visit www.microsoft.com/directx. (You will need an Internet connection to access this information.)
Graphics Issues
Flight Simulator automatically determines during setup the display settings that are best for the hardware on your computer. If the graphics (terrain, textures, and other visuals) in the simulator don't display correctly, there are a number of steps you can take. You can try selecting different settings (see Changing Graphic Settings).
It's important to check the readme file to see if there are known issues with the video card in your computer. Video card manufacturers often update the drivers and make them available for download from their Web sites. The Readme file lists known problems and provides links to the manufacturers' Web sites. To view the readme file, double-click the Readme.rtf file in your Flight Simulator folder.
Add-on Compatibility
There are thousands of third-party aircraft, scenery, and other software products for Flight Simulator. We work to ensure backward compatibility with these products for two versions, meaning that if the product was developed for Flight Simulator 2002, it should work on Flight Simulator X if the following requirements are met:
The manufacturer followed the Software Developer's Kit for Flight Simulator.
The software is correctly installed.
Note: While we work to ensure compatibility with third-party addons, Microsoft Support does not provide assistance with these programs. If your add-on software is not working with Flight Simulator X, please contact the software manufacturer.
Out-of-Memory Messages
Run Disk Cleanup if you receive an error message that states:
"Your computer has run out of available memory. Flight Simulator will now exit. You may not have enough free space on your hard drive. Run Disk Cleanup to free up space, and then try running Flight Simulator again."

To run Disk Cleanup
On the Start menu, point to Programs, point to Accessories , point to System tools, and then click Disk Cleanup.
Follow the instructions on the screen.
Clues About Error Messages
Sometimes, you can determine the cause of the problem by noting what occurred just before you received the error message, whether the problem also occurs in other programs, or if the problem occurs every time you attempt to perform a particular action.
To determine the cause of the problem, answer the following questions:
Are other programs running on your computer when you receive the error message?
Is this a known issue with Flight Simulator?
Does the problem only occur during a particular action?
Does the problem occur in other programs?
Can you reproduce the problem, or does it occur randomly?
The following sections discuss each question and possible resolutions.
Are Other Programs Running on your Computer When You Receive the Error Message?
You can prevent or resolve many error messages by exiting all programs that are running on your computer before you start Flight Simulator.

To exit all programs
Press CTRL+ALT+DELETE to display the Windows Task Manager.
On the Applications tab, click any program, and then click End Task. Repeat this step to exit all programs.
Exit Windows Task Manager.
Is the Problem a Known Issue with Flight Simulator?
Certain "invalid page fault" or "fatal exception" error messages only occur when specific conditions are true. For more information about how to resolve specific error messages, search the Microsoft Knowledge Base at support.microsoft.com for the exact text of the error message. (You will need an Internet connection to access this information.)
Does the Problem Only Occur During a Particular Action?
If you receive the error message only when you perform a specific action or set of actions in Flight Simulator, the actions that trigger the error message may provide clues about which solutions you should try first.
For example, if you only receive the error message when you press a programmed button on your joystick, you may want to disable programmed buttons, update the joystick software, or even update the sound driver for your sound card if the joystick is connected to the game port on your sound card.
Does the Problem Occur in Other Programs?
If the problem occurs in other programs, the problem most likely is caused by an outdated device driver, a damaged or missing component of Windows, or another program that is running in the background.

Note: Some of the troubleshooting tips and possible solutions in this topic may help with these issues, but the focus of this topic is to resolve error messages that are specific to Flight Simulator. If the information in this topic doesn't resolve problems that occur in other programs, you may want to look for information about troubleshooting problems in other programs running on your computer.
Can You Reproduce the Problem, or Does It Occur Randomly?
If you always receive the error message each time you perform a specific action or set of actions, use one of the suggested resolutions for the problem, and then perform that action or set of actions again. If you no longer receive the error message, assume that the problem is resolved. If you continue to receive the error message, you need to continue troubleshooting the problem.
If you cannot easily reproduce the problem, use one of the suggested resolutions for the problem, and then fly Flight Simulator until you feel comfortable that the problem is resolved. If you continue to receive the error message, try another possible resolution.
Note: Be sure to keep track of the resolutions that you have tried, along with the results for each one.
Computer System Requirements
In addition to requiring a computer with the Windows operating system, Flight Simulator runs best on systems configured as indicated in the following table.

Item Minimum Recommended Best  
CPU 1.0 GHz 2.8 GHz 3.6 GHz  
Memory 256 MB 1 GB 2 GB  
Video card 32 MB 64 MB 512 MB  
Internet 56.6 modem Broadband Broadband  
Other Sound card
Speakers or headphones
Joystick or Xbox 360 Controller for Windows
Microphone (required for RT voice)
Be sure to download and install the latest Windows Service Pack from www.microsoft.com/windows/default.asp. (You will need an Internet connection to download this update.)
Are Any Programs Conflicting with Flight Simulator?
When you start Microsoft Windows, other software may start along with the operating system. These programs, which may include antivirus and system utility programs, can interfere with Flight Simulator. Consequently, you may receive an error message, or Flight Simulator may stop responding. You can set up your computer to perform a clean boot, which prevents other programs from starting automatically.

To perform a clean boot on Windows XP
Click Start, and then click Run.
In the Open box, type msconfig, and then click OK.
In the System Configuration Utility, click the General tab, and then click Selective Startup.
Under Selective Startup, clear the following check boxes:
Process SYSTEM.INI file
Process WIN.INI file
Load Startup Items
Click the Services tab.
Select the Hide All Microsoft Services check box, then click Disable All.
Click OK.
Click Restart.
Note: To complete this procedure, you must be logged on as an administrator or as a member of the Administrators group. If your computer is connected to a network, network policy settings may prevent you from completing this procedure.
 
To restore to a normal startup
Click Start, and then click Run.
In the Open box, type msconfig, and then click OK.
In the System Configuration Utility, click the General tab.
Click Normal Startup.
Click OK.
Click Restart.

For additional information about how to perform a clean boot, visit support.microsoft.com and search for Article 331796: How to Perform a Clean Boot to Prevent Background Programs from Interfering with Play in the Microsoft Knowledge Base. (You will need an Internet connection to access this information.)
Reinstalling Flight Simulator
If the troubleshooting steps above have not resolved the problem, uninstall Flight Simulator, perform a clean boot of your computer (see Are any programs conflicting with the simulator? section earlier in this article), delete the Flight Simulator folder, and then reinstall Flight Simulator.

To uninstall Flight Simulator
Exit all programs that are running on your computer.
Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
Double-click Add/Remove Programs.
In the Currently installed programs list, click Microsoft Flight Simulator, then click Change/Remove.
Click Uninstall.
When you are prompted to confirm the deletion of Flight Simulator, click Yes.
 
To reinstall Flight Simulator
Insert Flight Simulator Disc 1 into your DVD drive.
If Setup does not start automatically, click Start, and then click Run.
In the Open box, type drive:\autorun (where drive is your DVD drive).

Gathering Information in DirectX
If you need to contact Microsoft for additional assistance, you can collect valuable information about your system before making that contact. Your support professional can use this information while assisting you with your issue.

To gather DirectX information
Click Start, and then click Run.
Type dxdiag in the Open box, and then click OK.
Note the version on the DirectX Version line.
Check the Notes on each tab, and write down everything in the Notes section, except for "No problems found." Make sure to take note of any uncertified drivers.
Run these recommended diagnostic tests by following the on-screen instructions:
On the Display tab, click the Test DirectDraw button to test DirectDraw functionality.
On the Display tab, click the Test Direct3D button to test Direct3D functionality
On the Sound tab, click the Test DirectSound button to test DirectSound functionality.
On the Music tab, click the Test DirectMusic button to test DirectMusic functionality.
If the problem is not resolved, contact Microsoft Product Support Services. For more information, see Online Resources below.
Online Resources
To easily diagnose and answer technical questions yourself, visit support.microsoft.com/support/games.
You can also submit your support questions via the Internet. For more details, visit support.microsoft.com/support/webresponse.asp.

Note: If your Microsoft product was preinstalled or distributed with your personal computer or provided by an Internet service provider (ISP), the computer manufacturer or ISP is responsible for providing your product support. Please contact the source from which you obtained your Microsoft product for support information.
When you contact Microsoft for support, use the following guidelines to make your support experience as quick and as pleasant as possible. You should be at your computer and have the appropriate product documentation at hand. Please be prepared to provide the following information:
The version of Flight Simulator you use.
The type of hardware you use.
The operating system you use.
The exact wording of any messages that appeared on your screen.
A description of what happened and what you were doing when the problem occurred.
A description of how you tried to solve the problem.

Cockpit Basics

Cockpit Basics  
 
A general tour of the instruments, buttons, and levers in your airplane
Airplanes have evolved from relatively simple to incredibly complex machines. But remember: Whether you're flying a Cessna Skyhawk SP Model 172 or a Boeing 777–300, you're still flying an airplane, and airplanes are more alike than not. In the cockpit, for instance, most modern airplanes share six basic cockpit instruments: airspeed indicator, altimeter, attitude indicator, heading indicator (directional gyro), turn coordinator, and vertical speed indicator. Learning to use these six instruments and a few common controls, such as trim and flaps, will put you far down the runway toward flying any aircraft you wish.
Pitot Static Instruments
Three of the six primary flight instruments measure air pressure. These instruments—the altimeter, airspeed indicator, and vertical speed indicator—are called the pitot static instruments.
All three pitot static instruments are connected to a static port called the pitot tube. This port, or intake, introduces outside air into the case of each instrument. As an airplane climbs or descends, air pressure decreases or increases. The altimeter and vertical speed indicator display these pressure changes as altitude and rate of climb or descent.
The airspeed indicator, which is also connected to the pitot tube, measures the difference between static pressure and ram air pressure. Ram air pressure is the air pressure created when outside air enters the pitot tube. As the airplane flies faster, outside air is forced into the pitot tube more rapidly, increasing the ram air pressure. The airspeed indicator displays the pressure difference between static pressure and ram pressure as airspeed, usually in knots or Mach number.
Gyroscopic Instruments
Three of the six primary flight instruments use gyroscopes to provide pilots with critical flight information about the airplane's attitude, heading, and rate of turn.
Rigidity in Space and Precession
Gyroscopes work like spinning tops. They have two properties—rigidity in space and precession—that make them useful in flight instruments. See sidebar: Gyroscopic Properties.
The attitude indicator and heading indicator are based on a gyro's rigidity in space. Because a gyro resists being tipped over, it can provide a stable reference to the real horizon or to a specific direction.
The turn coordinator uses precession to display information about the direction and rate of turn. (For more information on precession, see the Gyroscopic Properties sidebar.)
Gyro Power

Using the GPS

Back to Navigation

Using the GPS
 
A guide to global positioning system receivers in Flight Simulator
What is GPS?
GPS, or global positioning system, is a network of satellites that transmit coded data that receivers on the ground can use to determine their position on earth. GPS receivers determine location by comparing the angular relationships between the receiver and orbiting satellites. In this way, GPS is really quite similar to celestial navigation, which early pilots used to determine their whereabouts. The difference is that a GPS receiver uses a computer to compute position, while a pilot navigating with the stars had to operate a sextant and use complex tables.
The computer on board an aviation GPS receiver does much more than just tell a pilot where he is. It can also tell him where any other point on the planet is, and how to get there. GPS receivers are amazing pieces of technology, and are getting more sophisticated every year. Learning how to use one is fun, and the payoff for a bit of study and practice is huge. Fly with a GPS receiver once, and it's hard to go back.
A GPS receiver with its many knobs and colorful display might look intimidating, but there's nothing to be afraid of: It's just a computer that provides you (or the autopilot) with information. And as with most computers, you don't have to know how to do everything to use it effectively. Learning how to use the GPS is a process:
Read this article.
Experiment.
Repeat as necessary.
You'll be an expert in no time.


This article is based on the Garmin GPS 500 Pilot's Guide and Reference manual, published by Garmin Corporation, and was adapted with permission for use with Flight Simulator.
What Can I Do with a GPS Receiver?
The GPS units in Flight Simulator can help you:
Determine where you are.
Determine where your destination is.
Determine how to get from your current location to your destination.
See a graphic depiction of the terrain.
Find information about airports, intersections, NDBs, and VORs.
Locate the nearest airport, intersection, NDB, VOR, or airspace.
Proceed direct to any airport, intersection, NDB, or VOR.
Follow a VFR or IFR flight plan.
Fly instrument procedures.
Be aware of the airspace boundaries in your vicinity.
Basic Concepts
Before diving into the details of operating the GPS in Flight Simulator, it's helpful to understand some basic concepts. Take a few minutes to read this section, and you'll be better prepared for the details that follow.
Two GPS Units, Same Functionality
Flight Simulator includes two GPS units, a "panel-mounted" version and a "portable" version. Both Flight Simulator GPS units have nearly the same functionality, modeled after the real-world Garmin GPS 500 receiver, although the portable version looks like a Garmin GPSMAP 295. The two units have buttons in different places, but they do the same things.

Using the GPSMAP 295
The GPS 500 has a large knob and a small knob. The GPSMAP 295 has a rocker switch that performs the same functions as the knobs on the GPS 500. Whenever the procedures in this document mention a knob on the GPS 500, use the rocker switch if you're flying with the GPSMAP 295.

 
GPS 500 small and large knob GPSMAP 295 rocker switch
When the instructions in this article say to turn the small knob on the GPS 500, click the left or right side of the rocker switch on the GPSMAP 295. To turn the large knob, click the top or bottom of the rocker switch. Whereas the GPS 500 has a CRSR button integrated into the small knob, the GPSMAP 295 has a separate CRSR button.

Garmin GPS 500 in Flight Simulator

Garmin GPSMAP 295 in Flight Simulator
Flight Simulator aircraft equipped with panel-mounted Garmin GPS 500 GPS receivers
Airbus A321
Boeing 737–800
Boeing 747–400
Beechcraft Baron 58
Beechcraft King Air 350
Bombardier Canadair Challenger (CRJ700)
Bombardier Learjet 45
Cessna Skyhawk SP Model 172
Maule M7 260C
Mooney M20M "Bravo"
Flight Simulator aircraft equipped with portable Garmin GPSMAP 295 GPS receivers
AirCreation 582SL Buggy Ultralight
Bell 206B JetRanger III
de Havilland DHC2 Beaver
DG 808S Competition Sailplane
Douglas DC–3
Extra 300S
Grumman G21A Goose
Piper J–3C–65 Cub
Robinson R22 Beta II
Displaying the GPS Receiver
Flight Simulator displays the GPS units in pop-up windows on top of the main instrument panel. You can access them using either the mouse or the keyboard, and you can move, resize, and undock them just like any other Flight Simulator window. To learn more about windows, see Using Views and Windows.

To display the GPS while flying any aircraft
Click the  GPS icon
-or-
Press SHIFT+3
-or-
On the Views menu, point to Instrument Panel, and select GPS.
Moving the GPS
You can move the GPS anywhere on screen. Just click and drag.
Using the Mouse
To manipulate the knobs and buttons on the GPS units, use your mouse just like you'd use your hand in a real cockpit.
Rollover Descriptions
You can discover each button or knob's name by moving the pointer over it; a description will appear.

Buttons
Press buttons to activate them. When the instructions say to press a button, move the pointer over the button and click it.

Knobs
The GPS 500 includes two adjustment knobs: an inner small knob and an outer large knob. When the instructions say to turn a knob, move the mouse over the arrows on the knob. A hand with either a - (minus sign) or a + (plus sign) will appear.
When the hand with the - appears, click to turn the knob to the left.
When the hand with the + appears, click to turn the knob to the right.

You can also use the mouse wheel to turn the knobs. Move the cursor over the knob until the cursor changes to a hand, and then roll the mouse wheel to change the control.
Using the Keyboard
If you prefer, you can use the keyboard to control the knobs and buttons on the GPS units. There are no keyboard shortcuts assigned by default, but you can map them yourself. To learn more, see Using the Keyboard.
About Page Groups and Pages
The information that appears on the GPS screen is presented on pages, and you can only view one page at a time. Some pages are organized into groups of related pages, called page groups. Think of page groups as chapters in a book, and pages as the pages within each chapter.
There are three page groups in the Flight Simulator GPS units.
The Navigation page group includes:
Default NAV
Map
The Waypoint page group includes:
Airport Location
Airport Runway
Airport Frequency
Airport Approach
Intersection
NDBs
VOR
The Nearest page group includes:
Nearest Airport
Nearest Intersection
Nearest NDB
Nearest VOR
Nearest Airspace
There are also two stand-alone pages:
Active Flight Plan
Procedures
All of the page groups and pages are explained in detail in the sections below, in the order they appear above.
Navigating Between Page Groups and Pages
On the GPS 500, navigate between the various page groups using the large knob and/or the appropriate buttons. Navigate between pages within a group using the small knob.

Remember: On the GPSMAP 295, use the rocker switch instead of the knobs
When the instructions in this article say to "turn" the small knob on the GPS 500, click on the left or right rocker switch buttons on the GPSNAP 295. To "turn" the large knob, click on the top or bottom rocker switch buttons.
To access the different page groups
Rotate the large knob to switch between the Navigation, Waypoint, and Nearest page groups.
-or-
Press the NRST button to jump directly to the Nearest page group.
To return to the page you were looking at before you pressed the button, press the button again.
You can jump directly to the stand-alone pages using their respective buttons.

To access the stand-alone pages
Press the FPL button (or the ROUTE button on the GPSMAP 295) to jump directly to the Active Flight Plan page.
Press the PROC button to jump directly to the Procedures page.
To return to the page you were looking at before you pressed the button, press the button again.

The bottom right corner of this GPS screen indicates that the GPS is displaying the first of the two pages in the NAV page group.
The bottom right corner of the screen indicates which page group is currently being displayed (for example, NAV, WPT, or NRST), the number of screens available within that group (indicated by rectangular page icons) and the placement of the current screen within that group (indicated by the highlighted icon). To select a different page within the group, rotate the small knob.
The pages within a page group are persistent. That is, if you switch to a different page group, and then return to the group you were using, the GPS will display the page that you were last looking at within that group.
Scrolling
Whenever the GPS displays a list of information that is too long for the display screen, a scroll bar will appear along the right side of the display.

To scroll down to see the rest of a page
Press the CRSR button to activate the cursor.
Rotate the large knob to scroll through the list (or press the top or bottom of the rocker switch on the GPSMAP 295).

The Buttons and Knobs
Like any computer, the GPS units in Flight Simulator are equipped with both a display and an input device. Use the GPS receiver's buttons and knobs—which take the place of a standard computer keyboard—to switch among pages and page groups, and to access and enter information.


The GPS 500

The GPSMAP 295
Both the "panel-mounted" and "portable" GPS units in Flight Simulator offer nearly the same functionality, as illustrated on the figures above.
The Range button (or the IN and OUT buttons on the GPSMAP 295) allows you to select the desired map scale. Use the up arrow side of the button to zoom out to a larger area, or the down arrow side to zoom in to a smaller area.
The Direct-to button provides access to the direct-to function, which allows you to enter a destination waypoint and establishes a direct course to the selected destination.
The Menu button is used to activate a specific leg in an active flight plan (not available on the GPSMAP 295).
The Clear button (or the QUIT button on the GPSMAP 295) is used to erase information or cancel an entry. Press and hold this button to immediately display the Default NAV (navigation) page, regardless of which page is currently displayed.

Lost Among the Pages?
Press and hold the CLR button (or the QUIT button on the GPSMAP 295) to immediately display the Default NAV page, regardless of which page is currently displayed.
The Enter button is used to approve an operation or to complete data entry.
The large knob (top and bottom of the rocker switch on the GPSMAP 295) is used to select between the various page groups: NAV, WPT, FPL, or NRST. With the on-screen cursor enabled, the large knob allows you to move the cursor about the page.
The small knob (left and right of the rocker switch on the GPSMAP 295) is used to select between the various pages within one of the groups listed above.
The cursor button displays the on-screen cursor. The cursor allows you to enter data and/or make a selection from a list of options.
The Nearest button displays the Nearest Airports page. Rotating the small right knob steps through the other NRST pages.
The OBS (Omnibearing Selector) button (not available on the GPSMAP 295) is used to select manual or automatic sequencing of waypoints. Pressing this button selects OBS mode, which will retain the current "active-to" waypoint as your navigation reference even after passing the waypoint (that is, it prevents sequencing to the next waypoint). Pressing the OBS button again will return to normal operation, with automatic sequencing of waypoints.
The Message button (not available on the GPSMAP 295) is used to view Airspace Alerts.
The Flight Plan button (ROUTE button on the GPSMAP 295) allows you to see and follow a flight plan you've created using the Flight Planner, and to access instrument approaches.
The Terrain button allows you to add a graphical depiction of the terrain to the Default NAV page and to the Map page.
The Procedures button allows you to add instrument approaches to your flight plan. When using a flight plan, available procedures for your arrival airport are offered automatically. Otherwise, you may select the desired airport, then the desired procedure.
The Nav/GPS Switch

Flight Simulator aircraft featuring the GPS 500 (as well as the Bell 206B JetRanger III and the Extra 300S) have a Nav/GPS switch on the instrument panel:
When the switch is in the Nav position, the aircraft's VOR 1 indicator (or HSI) and autopilot/flight director use data from the Nav 1 radio.
When the switch is in the GPS position, the aircraft's VOR 1 indicator (or HSI) and autopilot/flight director use data from the GPS receiver.

Note: To couple the GPS to the Nav 1 receiver (or HSI) and/or to the autopilot/flight director in order to follow the course in the GPS, set the Nav/GPS switch to GPS. Note that the GPS only provides lateral guidance to the Nav 1 indicator (or HSI) and the autopilot/flight director. You cannot fly an ILS or land automatically using the GPS as the sole source of navigational data.
Navigation Page Group
The Navigation (NAV) page group includes two pages: the Default NAV page and the MAP page. While viewing any NAV page, rotate the small knob to select the other NAV page.

To select a NAV page
Press and hold the CLR button (QUIT button on the GPSMAP 295).
-or-
Rotate the large knob all the way to the left to select the NAV page group. NAV will appear in the lower right corner of the screen.
Rotate the small knob to select the desired NAV page.
Default NAV Page
You can quickly select the first NAV page, the Default NAV page, from any page by pressing and holding the CLR button.


The default NAV page
The Default NAV page provides a look-ahead map display indicating your current position. Additionally:
The top of the page displays ground track (TRK), the direction of your current flight path over the ground (not your heading).
The bottom of the page displays your ground speed (GS). This will differ from your indicated airspeed if there is wind.

Note: If you do not select a flight plan or direct-to waypoint, the GPS will only display speed and track data. All other data types will appear blank until you select a destination.
If you have an active flight plan or direct-to waypoint:
The top of the page displays desired track (DTK), ground track (TRK), and distance to destination waypoint (DIS).
The bottom of the page indicates ground speed (GS), active to/from waypoints (or just active to, for a direct-to destination), and estimated time en route (ETE).
A graphic course deviation indicator (CDI) also appears at the bottom of the page. Unlike the angular limits used on a mechanical CDI coupled to a VOR or ILS receiver, full scale limits for this CDI are defined by a GPS-derived distance (0.3, 1.0, or 5.0 nautical miles). By default, the CDI scale will automatically adjust to the desired limits based upon the current phase of flight: en route, terminal area, or approach.
The graphic CDI shows your position at the center of the indicator, relative to the desired course (the moving course-deviation needle). As with a traditional mechanical CDI, simply steer toward the needle when you're off course. The TO/FROM arrow in the center of the scale indicates whether you are heading to the waypoint (an up arrow) or if you have passed the waypoint (a down arrow).
Along the left side of the page are additional data fields that display the next waypoint (WPT), the bearing to the next waypoint (BRG), the course to steer (CTS), the estimated time of arrival at the destination waypoint (ETA), the vertical speed required (VSR) to reach the altitude of the next waypoint or the destination runway, the track angle error (TKE), and the crosstrack error (XTK).

Note: A GPS receiver cannot determine an aircraft's heading, only its track across the ground. Never assume that the TRK (track) on the GPS display is the same as your heading. If there's a crosswind, it won't be.
Default NAV Page Glossary
BRG (bearing): The compass direction from your current position to a destination waypoint.
CTS (course to steer): The recommended direction to steer in order to reduce course error or stay on course. Provides the most efficient heading to get back to the desired course and proceed along your flight plan.
CUM (cumulative distance): The total of all legs in a flight plan.
DIS (distance): The great circle distance from your current position to a destination waypoint.
DTK (desired track): The desired course between the active from and to waypoints.
ETA (estimate time of arrival): The estimated time at which you will reach your destination waypoint, based upon current speed and track.
ETE (estimated time en route): The time it will take to reach the destination waypoint from your current position, based upon current ground speed.
GS (ground speed): The velocity you are traveling, relative to a ground position.
HDG (heading): The direction your aircraft is pointed, based on indications from a magnetic compass or a properly set directional gyro.
TKE (track angle error): The angle difference between the desired track and your current track. To reduce the track angle error to zero: if the displayed TKE is a negative number, turn left; if a postive number, turn right.
TRK (track): The direction of movement relative to a ground position. Also referred to as "ground track."
VSR (vertical speed required): The vertical speed necessary to descend/climb from current position and altitude to reach the altitude of the next waypoint or the destination runway, based upon your current ground speed.
XTK (crosstrack error): The distance you are off a desired course in either direction, left or right.
Terrain
You can add terrain to the map display to more easily visualize your position relative to the surrounding terrain.

To add a graphical depiction of the terrain to the Default NAV page
Press the TERR button. Press the TERR button again to remove the terrain.
Declutter
You can quickly remove items from the map, to make it easier to see only what you need.

To declutter the map display
Press the CLR button (or the QUIT button on the GPSMAP 295) repeatedly to select the desired amount of map detail: all details; no Class B or C airspace; no navaids; no airports. Waypoints in an active flight plan are always shown. Depending on the amount of detail removed, -1, -2, or -3 will display next to the Zoom number on the left side of the screen.
Changing the Scale
The scale of the look-ahead map display appears on the left side, using one of 20 scale settings, ranging from 500 feet to 500 nautical miles (nm). Use the RNG button (or the IN and OUT buttons on the GPSMAP 295) to select the desired scale.

To adjust the map scale
Press the up arrow on the RNG button (OUT button on the GPSMAP 295) to zoom out to a larger area.
-or-
Press the down arrow on the RNG button (IN button on the GPSMAP 295) to zoom in to a smaller area.
Symbols
The GPS receiver uses the following symbols directly above the graphic CDI on the Default NAV page to depict the active leg of a flight plan or direct-to:

  Direct-to a waypoint
  Course to a waypoint, or desired course between two waypoints
  Vectors to final
  Right procedure turn
  Left procedure turn
  DME arc to the left
  DME arc to the right
  Left-hand holding pattern
  Right-hand holding pattern
Note: The GPS receiver always navigates TO a waypoint unless you set the OBS switch (on the GPS 500) to prevent automatic waypoint sequencing, or you have passed the last waypoint in your flight plan.
The active leg of your flight plan (or the direct-to destination when using the Direct-to button) appears directly above the CDI. The display will automatically sequence to the next leg of your flight plan as you reach each interim waypoint. If you haven't selected a flight plan or direct-to destination, this line will remain blank.
The GPS display uses different symbols to distinguish between waypoint types, and also displays the identifiers for on-screen waypoints. Special-use and controlled airspace boundaries appear on the map, showing the individual sectors in the case of Class B or Class C airspace.
The GPS units in Flight Simulator use the following symbols to depict the various airports and navigation aids on both the Default NAV page and the Map page:

  Airport with hard-surface runway(s) (runways shown when zoomed in)
  Airport with soft-surface runway(s) only (runways shown when zoomed in)
  Airport with fuel
  Seaplane base
  Intersection
  VOR
  VOR/DME
  NDB
  Localizer
Map Page
The second NAV page, the Map page, displays your current position (an airplane symbol in the center of the screen), along with nearby airports, navigation aids, airspace boundaries, lakes, and coastlines. Whereas the Default NAV page is oriented with the current GPS track up, the Map page is oriented with north up.

The Map offers 20 scale settings, ranging from 500 feet to 500 nm. The GPS receiver indicates the scale on the left side of the map display; this represents the top-to-bottom distance covered by the map display.

To adjust the map scale
Press the up arrow on the RNG button (the OUT button on the GPSMAP 295) to zoom out to a larger area.
-or-
Press the down arrow on the RNG button (the IN button on the GPSMAP 295) to zoom in to a smaller area.
You can add terrain to the map display to more easy visualize your position relative to the surrounding terrain.

To add a graphical depiction of the terrain to the Map page
Press the TERR button. Press the TERR button again to remove the terrain.
You can also quickly remove items from the map, to make it easier to see only what you need.

To declutter the map display
Press the CLR button (the QUIT button on the GPSMAP 295) repeatedly to select the desired amount of map detail: all details; no Class B or C airspace; no navaids; no airports. Waypoints in an active flight plan are always shown.
Remember that pressing and holding the button will return you to the Default NAV page.
Along the left side of the page, the GPS unit displays the same data fields as on the Default NAV page. (See the Default NAV Page section for more details.)
Waypoint Page Group
The Waypoint (WPT) page group provides information for the thousands of airports, VORs, NDBs, intersections, runways, frequencies, and procedures stored in the Flight Simulator navigation database.

To select a WPT page
From any page, press and hold the CLR button (the QUIT button on the GPSMAP 295) to select the Default NAV page.
Rotate the large knob to select the WPT page group.
WPT will appear in the lower right corner of the screen.
Rotate the small knob to select the desired WPT page.
The WPT page group includes seven pages. While viewing any WPT page, rotate the small knob to select a different WPT page. The first four pages provide detailed information for the selected airport: location, runways, frequencies, and approaches. The last three pages provide information for intersections, NDBs, and VORs.

Note: To view a different WPT page, the on-screen cursor must not be visible. Press the CRSR button to remove the cursor, if necessary. Rotate the small knob to select the desired WPT page.
After you select a WPT page, you can view information for a waypoint by entering the identifier (or name) of the desired waypoint.

To enter a waypoint identifier
Select the desired WPT page and press the CRSR button to activate the cursor.
Rotate the small knob to select the first character of the waypoint's identifier.
Rotate the large knob to select the next character field.
Rotate the small knob to select the desired character.
Repeat steps 3 and 4 until the identifier is selected, then press the ENT button.
To remove the flashing cursor, press the CRSR button.
Note: Instead of steps 3, 4, and 5 above, you can type the identifier on your keyboard.
Duplicate Waypoints
As you enter an identifier, the GPS receiver will scroll through the database, displaying those waypoints matching the characters you have entered to that point. If duplicate entries exist for an entered identifier, a duplicate waypoint page will appear once you select the identifier by pressing the ENT button. All waypoints with the same identifier are listed, along with their country codes. Use the large knob to scroll through the list.


The Duplicate Waypoints page
To select a waypoint identifier from a list of duplicates
Select the desired airport or navigation aid identifier.
A Duplicate Waypoints window will appear.
Rotate the large knob to select the desired waypoint and press the ENT button.
To remove the flashing cursor, press the CRSR button.
Airport Location Page
The Airport Location page displays the latitude, longitude, and elevation of the selected airport. The Airport Location page also displays facility name and location, as well as fuel availability, and the best available instrument approach. The GPS display uses the following descriptions and abbreviations:
Type: Usage type (public, military, or private)
Position: Latitude/Longitude
Elevation: In feet
Fuel: Fuel available (AvGas and/or jet)
Approach: Best available approach: ILS, MLS, LOC, LDA, SDF, GPS, VOR, RNAV (RNV), LORAN (LOR), NDB, or TACAN (TCN)


The Airport Location page
Finding the Desired Airport
The Flight Simulator GPS receivers use ICAO identifiers for all airports. All United States airport identifiers that contain only letters (except Alaska and Hawaii) use the prefix "K". For example, Los Angeles International is KLAX under the ICAO standard. Other airports that contain numbers in the identifier, such as Otten Memorial (3VS), do not require the "K" prefix. Alaska, Hawaii and many countries use two letter prefixes; different countries use different prefixes.
If you encounter difficulty when selecting an airport, try retrieving the desired airport using the facility name. (This only works on the Airport Location page; it will not work when searching for NDBs or VORs.)
Airport Runway Page
The Airport Runway page displays runway designations, length, and surface type for the selected airport. The GPS unit also displays a map image of the runway layout and surrounding area on the Airport Runway page. The map image scale appears in the lower left corner and is adjustable using the RNG button. For airports with multiple runways, information for each runway is available.


The Airport Runway page showing a list of available runways
To display information for each additional runway
Press the CRSR button to activate the cursor.
Rotate the large knob to place the cursor on the Runway field.
Rotate the small knob to display a window listing all runways for the selected airport.
Continue rotating the small knob to select the desired runway.
Press the ENT button to display information for the selected runway on the Airport Runway page.
To remove the flashing cursor, press the CRSR button.
To adjust the scale of the airport map image
Press the down-arrow side of the RNG button (or the IN button on the GPSMAP 295) to display a smaller map area.
Press the up-arrow side of the RNG button (or the OUT button on the GPSMAP 295) to display a larger map area.
The Airport Runway page notes the following runway surface types: concrete, asphalt, grass, turf, dirt, coral, gravel, oil, steel, bituminous, brick, macadam, planks, sand, shale, tarmac, snow, ice, and water.
Airport Frequency Page
The Airport Frequency page displays radio frequencies and frequency types for the selected airport. If the selected airport has a localizer-based approach, the page also lists the localizer frequency. The Airport Frequency page may be used for reference to tune external COM or VOR/ILS frequencies.


The Airport Frequency page
To view a desired frequency
Press the CRSR button to activate the cursor.
Rotate the large knob to scroll through the list, placing the cursor on the desired frequency.
If there are more frequencies in the list than the GPS unit can display on the screen, a scroll bar along the right-hand side of the screen will indicate where you are within the list.
Manually enter the selected frequency in the external COM transceiver or VOR/ILS receiver.
To remove the flashing cursor, press the CRSR button.
Some listed frequencies may include designations for TX (transmit only) or RX (receive only).

Tip: Instead of manually entering a desired frequency from the Airport Frequency page into the Comm 1 or Nav 1 radio, you can simply highlight the facility name (for example, "Tower") and then press the ENT button. The GPS receiver will automatically enter the frequency into the standby side of the Comm 1 radio.
The GPS display uses the following terminology on the Airport Frequency page:
Communication frequencies:
Approach
ATIS, ASOS, AWOS
Unicom
Multicom
Clearance
Ground
Tower
Departure
FSS
Navigation frequencies:
ILS
LOC
Airport Approach Page
The Airport Approach page shows the available approach procedures for the selected airport. Where multiple initial approach fixes (IAFs) and feeder routes are available, the GPS may also display that information. A map image provides a layout diagram for each approach and transition.


The Airport Approach page, showing a list of available approaches
To scroll through the available approaches and transitions
Press the CRSR button to activate the cursor.
Rotate the large knob to place the cursor on the APPROACH field.
Rotate the small knob to display a window of available approaches for the selected airport.
Continue rotating the small knob to select the desired approach.
Press the ENT button. The cursor will move to the transitions (TRANS) field.
Rotate the small knob to display a window of available transitions.
Continue rotating the small knob to select the desired transition
-or-
Select VECTORS for guidance only along the final course segment of the approach.
Press the ENT button.
To remove the flashing cursor, press the CRSR button.
Note: Not all approaches in the Flight Simulator database are approved for GPS use. As you select an approach, a GPS designation to the right of the procedure name indicates the procedure can be flown using the GPS receiver. Some procedures will not have this designation, meaning the GPS receiver may be used for supplemental navigation guidance only. ILS approaches, for example, must be flown by tuning the external VOR/ILS receiver to the proper frequency and following the external CDI (or HSI) for guidance.
Intersection Page
The Intersection page displays the latitude, longitude, and region code for the selected intersection. The Intersection page also displays the identifier, radial, and distance from the nearest VOR or VOR/DME. The following descriptions and abbreviations are used:
Position: Latitude/Longitude (degrees/minutes or degrees/minutes/seconds)
RAD: Radial from nearest VOR, in degrees magnetic
DIS: Distance from nearest VOR, in nautical miles


The Airport Intersection page
Note: The VOR displayed on the Intersection page is the nearest VOR, not necessarily the VOR used to define the intersection.
Intersections may only be selected by identifier.
NDB Page
The NDB page displays the facility name, city, region/country, latitude, and longitude for the selected NDB. The NDB page also displays the frequency. The GPS uses the following descriptions and abbreviations:
Symbol:  (NDB)
Position: Latitude and longitude
FREQ: Frequency, in kilohertz (kHz)
NDBs may only be selected by identifier.


The NDB page
Note: Instead of manually entering a desired frequency from the NDB page into the ADF radio, you can simply highlight the frequency and then press the ENT button. The GPS will automatically enter the frequency into the ADF radio.
VOR Page
The VOR page displays the facility name, city, region code, magnetic variation, latitude, and longitude for the selected VOR. The VOR page also displays the frequency. The GPS uses the following descriptions and abbreviations:
Symbol:  (VOR) or  (VOR DME)
VAR: Magnetic variation, in degrees
Position: Latitude and longitude
FREQ: Frequency, in megahertz (MHz)
VORs may only be selected by identifier.


The VOR page
Note: Instead of manually entering a desired frequency from the VOR page into the Nav 1 radio, you can simply highlight the frequency and then press the ENT button. The GPS will automatically enter the frequency into the standby side of the Nav 1 radio.
Nearest Page Group
The Nearest page group (NRST) provides detailed information for the nine nearest airports, VORs, NDBs, and intersections within 200 nm of your current position.

To select a NRST page
From any page, press the NRST button to select the Nearest Airport page.
-or-
Rotate the large knob all the way to the right to select the NRST page group.
NRST will appear in the lower right corner of the screen.
Rotate the small knob to select the desired NRST page.
The GPS cannot display all nine of the nearest airports, VORs, NDBs, or intersections on the corresponding NRST page at once. The Nearest Airport page displays detailed information for the five nearest airports, with a scroll bar along the right hand side of the page indicating which part of the list is currently displayed. The NRST pages for VORs, NDBs, intersections, and user waypoints will display nine waypoints at a time. Use the flashing cursor and large knob to scroll and view the rest of the waypoints or airspaces in the list.

To scroll through the list of nearest airports, VORs, NDBs, or intersections
Select the desired NRST page, using the steps outlined above.
Press the CRSR button to activate the cursor.
Rotate the large knob to scroll through the list.
The scroll bar along the right-hand side of the page will indicate which part of the list is currently being displayed.
Press the CRSR button to remove the flashing cursor.
Navigating to a Nearby Waypoint
The NRST pages can be used in conjunction with the direct-to function to quickly set a course to a nearby facility. This feature can be a real time saver compared to retrieving information from the database using the WPT pages. More importantly, it instantly provides navigation to the nearest airport in case of an in-flight emergency.

To select a nearby airport, VOR, NDB, intersection or user waypoint as a direct-to destination
Use the flashing cursor to scroll through a NRST page list and highlight the desired nearest waypoint, as explained above.
Press the Direct-to button to display the Select Direct-to Waypoint page.
Press the ENT button to accept the selected waypoint's identifier and press the ENT button a second time (with Activate? highlighted) to begin navigating to the selected waypoint.
Nearest Airport Page
The Nearest Airport page displays the identifier, symbol, and bearing of the nine nearest airports (within 200 nm of your current position), as well as the distance to each airport. For each airport listed, the Nearest Airport page also indicates the bearing to the airport, the distance, the best available approach, the common traffic advisory frequency (CTAF), and the length of the longest runway.


The Nearest Airport page
You can also use the Nearest Airport page to quickly find the communication frequencies at a nearby airport for manually tuning the external COM transceiver.
Additional communication frequencies, runway information, and other details are available from the Nearest Airport page by highlighting the identifier of the desired airport and pressing the ENT button.

To view additional information for a nearby airport
Select the Nearest Airport page.
Press the CRSR button to activate the cursor.
Rotate the large knob to scroll through the list, highlighting the identifier of the desired airport.
Press the ENT button to display the Airport Location page for the selected airport.
To view additional WPT pages for the selected airport (including the Airport Runway and Airport Frequency pages) press the CRSR button to remove the flashing cursor.
Rotate the small knob to display the additional WPT pages.
When finished, press the CRSR button to return the flashing cursor to the screen.
To return to the Nearest Airport page, press the NRST button.
Nearest Intersection Page
The Nearest Intersection page displays the identifier, symbol, and bearing of the nine nearest intersections (within 200 nm of your current position), as well as the distance to each intersection.


The Nearest Intersection page
To view additional information for a nearby intersection
Select the Nearest Intersection page.
Press the CRSR button to activate the cursor.
Rotate the large knob to scroll through the list, highlighting the identifier of the desired intersection.
Press the ENT button to display the intersection page for the selected intersection.
To return to the Nearest Intersection page, press the NRST button.
Nearest NDB Page
The Nearest NDB page displays the identifier, symbol, and frequency of the nine nearest NDBs (within 200 nm of your current position), as well as the bearing and distance to each NDB.


The Nearest NDB page
To view additional information for a nearby NDB
Select the Nearest NDB page.
Press the CRSR button to activate the cursor.
Rotate the large knob to scroll through the list, highlighting the identifier of the desired NDB.
Press the ENT button to display the intersection page for the selected NDB.
To return to the Nearest NDB page, press the NRST button.
Nearest VOR Page
The Nearest VOR page displays the identifier and symbol of the nine nearest VORs (within 200 nm of your current position), as well as the bearing and distance to each VOR. For each VOR listed, the Nearest VOR page also indicates the frequency of the nearby VOR for reference in tuning a VOR receiver.


The Nearest VOR page
To view additional information for a nearby VOR
Select the Nearest VOR page.
Press the CRSR button to activate the cursor.
Rotate the large knob to scroll through the list, highlighting the identifier of the desired VOR.
Press the ENT button to display the intersection page for the selected VOR.
To return to the Nearest VOR page, press the NRST button.
Nearest Airspace Page
The last page in the NRST group, the Nearest Airspace page, will alert you to as many as nine controlled or special-use airspaces near or in your flight path. Alerts are provided according to the following conditions:
If your projected course will take you inside a controlled or special-use airspace within the next ten minutes, the Airspace ahead—less than 10 minutes alert will appear. The Nearest Airspace page will show the airspace as Ahead.
If you are within two nautical miles of a controlled or special-use airspace and your current course will take you inside that airspace, the message Airspace near and ahead will appear. The Nearest Airspace page will show the airspace as Ahead < 2nm.
If you are within two nautical miles of a controlled or special-use airspace and your current course will not take you inside, the message Near airspace less than 2nm will appear. The Nearest Airspace page will show Within 2nm of airspace.
If you have entered a controlled or special-use airspace, the message Inside Airspace will appear. The Nearest Airspace page will show Inside of airspace.


The Nearest Airspace page
Note that the airspace alerts are based on three-dimensional data (latitude, longitude, and altitude) to avoid nuisance alerts. The alert boundaries for controlled airspace are also divided into sectors to provide complete information on any nearby airspace. Once one of the described conditions exists, the message annunciator above the MSG button will flash, alerting you of an airspace message. An altitude buffer of 200 feet is included to provide an extra margin of safety above and below the published limits.

To view an airspace alert message (GPS 500 only)
When the message annunciator (MSG) above the MSG button flashes, press the MSG button.
The message will display.
Press the MSG button again to dismiss the message.
Once you have been provided an airspace alert message, detailed information concerning the specific airspace can be viewed on the Nearest Airspace page. The Nearest Airspace page displays the airspace name, status (Ahead, Ahead < 2nm, etc. as described on the previous page), and an estimated time to entry (if applicable).
If you're distracted by near-constant flashing of the message annunciator when flying in an area with lots of controlled airspace, it's easy to temporarily disable the airspace alert messages.


To disable airspace alert messages (GPS 500 only)
Press and hold the MSG button for two seconds.
"OFF" will display in the message annunciator space above the MSG button.
Press the MSG button again to re-enable airspace alert messages.
Direct-To Navigation
The GPS's direct-to function provides a quick method of setting a course to a destination waypoint. Once a direct-to is activated, the GPS will establish a point-to-point (great circle) course line from your current position to the selected direct-to destination. Navigation data on the various NAV pages will provide steering guidance until the direct-to is replaced by a new destination.


The Select Direct-to Waypoint page
To select a direct-to destination
Press the Direct-to button.
The Select Direct-to Waypoint page will appear, with the waypoint identifier field highlighted.
Use the small and large knobs to enter the identifier of the desired destination waypoint.
(The large knob moves the cursor; the small knob dials letters and numbers.)
Press the ENT button once to confirm the selected waypoint, and again to activate the direct-to function.
Note: After you've turned the small knob to highlight the first letter, you can type the identifier on your keyboard.
If you're navigating to a waypoint using direct-to and get off course, the direct-to function may also be used to re-center the CDI needle and proceed to the same waypoint.

To recenter the CDI needle to the same destination waypoint
Press the Direct-to button, followed by the ENT button twice.
Note: If you're navigating an approach with the missed approach point (MAP) as the current destination, recentering the CDI needle with the Direct-to button will cancel the approach.
Selecting a Destination by Facility Name
In addition to selecting a destination by identifier, the Select Direct-to Waypoint page also allows you to select airports, VORs, and NDBs by facility name. If the database includes duplicate entries for the facility name or city you enter, you can view additional entries by continuing to rotate the small right knob during the selection process.


Selecting a destination by facility name
To select a direct-to destination by facility name
Press the Direct-to button.
The Select Direct-to Waypoint page will appear, with the waypoint identifier field highlighted.
Rotate the large knob to highlight the facility name (second line in the figure above) or the city field (third line).
Use the small and large knobs to enter the facility name of the desired destination waypoint.
As you spell the facility name, the GPS will select the first entry in the database based upon the characters you have entered up to that point.
Continue rotating the small right knob to scroll through any additional database listings for the selected facility name or city. You can also scroll backwards with the small right knob if you scroll past the desired waypoint.
Press the ENT button once to confirm the selected waypoint, and again to activate the direct-to function.
Note: After you've turned the small knob to highlight the first letter, you can type the facility name on your keyboard.
Selecting a Destination from the Active Flight Plan
If you're navigating an active flight plan, you can select any waypoint contained in the flight plan as a direct-to destination from the Select Direct-to Waypoint page. (See Active Flight Plan Page below for more information on flight plans.)


Selecting a destination from the active flight plan
To select a direct-to destination from the active flight plan
Press the Direct-to button.
The Select Direct-to Waypoint page will appear, with the waypoint identifier field highlighted.
Rotate the large knob to highlight the flight plan (FPL) field.
Rotate the small knob to display a window showing all waypoints in the active flight plan.
Continue rotating the small knob to scroll through the list and highlight the desired waypoint.
Press the ENT button once to confirm the selected waypoint, and again to activate the direct-to function.
Selecting the Nearest Airport as a Direct-to Destination
The Select Direct-to Waypoint page always displays the nearest airports (to your current position) on the NRST field. Navigating directly to a nearby airport is always just a few simple steps away.


Selecting a destination from the active flight plan
To select a nearby airport as a direct-to destination
Press the Direct-to button.
The Select direct-to waypoint page will appear, with the waypoint identifier field highlighted.
Rotate the large knob to highlight the nearest airport (NRST) field.
Rotate the small knob to display a window showing as many as nine nearby airports.
Continue rotating the small knob to scroll through the list and highlight the desired airport.
Press the ENT button once to confirm the selected waypoint, and again to activate the direct-to function.
Direct-To Shortcuts
Shortcuts are available when using the Direct-to button, allowing you to bypass the use of the small and large knobs to enter the destination waypoint's identifier. You can perform a direct-to from any page displaying a single waypoint identifier (such as the WPT pages for airports and navigation aids) by simply pressing the Direct-to button and then the ENT button twice. For pages that display a list of waypoints (e.g., the Nearest Airport page), you must highlight the desired waypoint with the cursor before pressing the Direct-to button.

To select an on-screen waypoint as a direct-to destination
If a single airport, navigation aid, or user waypoint is displayed:
Press the Direct-to button.
Press the ENT button twice.
-or-
If a list of waypoints is displayed:
Press the CRSR button to activate the cursor.
Rotate the large knob to highlight the desired waypoint.
Press the Direct-to button.
Press the ENT button twice.
Active Flight Plan Page
If you create a VFR or IFR flight plan using the Flight Planner, Flight Simulator will automatically load the flight plan into the GPS and activate the plan for use in navigation. (For more information, see Using the Flight Planner.)
The Active Flight Plan page provides information for the active flight plan (or direct-to).

To select the Active Flight Plan page
Press the FPL button.
Note: You cannot create flight plans in the Flight Simulator GPS. Instead, use the Flight Simulator Flight Planner. The flight plan will automatically be loaded into the GPS and activated for use. You can, however create a "direct-to" to a destination.

The Active Flight Plan page
With an activated direct-to or flight plan loaded, the Active Flight Plan page will show each waypoint for the flight plan (or a single waypoint for a direct-to), along with the desired track (DTK), distance (DIS) for each leg, and cumulative distance (CUM).
You can select any leg within the active flight plan as the active leg (the leg which will currently be used for navigation guidance), using the MENU button.

To activate a specific leg of the active flight plan
From the Active Flight Plan page, press the CRSR button to activate the cursor.
Rotate the large knob to highlight the desired destination waypoint.
Press the MENU button, select the "Activate Leg?" option, and press the ENT button. (GPS 500 only)
-or-
Press the Direct-to button twice. (GPS 500 and GPS 295)
A confirmation window will appear.
With Activate? highlighted, press the ENT button.
During instrument procedures, you can use this feature not only to activate a specific point-to-point leg, but also to activate the procedure turn portion of an approach, follow a DME arc, or activate a holding pattern.
You can review any approach on the Airport Approach page in the WPT page group. (For more information, see the Waypoint Page Group section.)
Procedures Page
The Flight Simulator GPS units allow you to fly nonprecision approaches to airports with published instrument approach procedures. Display the Procedures page by pressing the PROC button. The Procedures page provides direct access to approaches based upon the active flight plan or direct-to destination. In either case, the destination airport must have published procedures associated with it.

To select the Procedures page
Press the PROC button.

The Procedures page
To select an approach
Press the PROC button to display the Procedures page.
Rotate the large knob to highlight Select Approach? and press the ENT button.
A window will appear listing the available procedures.
Rotate the large knob to highlight the desired approach and press the ENT button.
A second window will appear listing the available transitions.
Rotate the large knob to highlight the desired transition waypoint and press the ENT button.
(The Approach Vectors option assumes you will receive vectors to the final course segment of the approach and will provide navigation guidance relative to the final approach course.)
Rotate the large knob to highlight Load? or Activate? and press the ENT button.
Load? will add the approach to the flight plan without immediately using it for navigation guidance. This allows you to continue navigating the original flight plan, but keeps the procedure available on the Active Flight Plan page for quick activation when needed.
To activate a departure or arrival, follow the steps later in this section.

Selecting an approach on the Procedures page
Note: Not all approaches in the database are approved for GPS use. As you select an approach, a GPS designation to the right of the procedure name indicates the procedure can be flown using the GPS receiver. Some procedures will not have this designation, meaning the GPS receiver may be used for supplemental navigation guidance only. ILS approaches, for example, must be flown by tuning the external VOR/ILS receiver to the proper frequency and using the external CDI (or HSI) for guidance.
If you're flying a GPS approach, or a nonprecision approach approved for GPS, and you plan on using the aircraft's VOR 1 indicator to fly the approach, make sure the Nav/GPS switch on the aircraft instrument panel is set to GPS. If, however, you want to fly the approach using data from the Nav 1 radio, and plan to use the GPS only for situational awareness, then make sure the Nav/GPS switch is set to NAV.
Once you select an approach, you may activate it for navigation from the Procedures page. Activating the approach overrides the en route portion of the active flight plan, proceeding directly to the approach portion (for a full approach, directly to the initial approach fix). Activating the approach also initiates automatic CDI scaling transition as the approach progresses.


Activating an approach on the Procedures page
To activate a previously loaded approach
Press the PROC button to display the Procedures page.
Rotate the large knob to highlight Activate Approach?
Press the ENT button.
Another Procedures page option allows you to activate the final course segment of the approach. This option assumes you will receive vectors to the final approach fix (FAF) and guides you to intercept the final course, before reaching the FAF.

To activate the previously loaded approach, with vectors to final
Press the PROC button to display the Procedures page.
Rotate the large right knob to highlight Activate Vectors-To-Final?
Press the ENT button.
In many cases, it may be easiest to load the full approach while still some distance away, en route to the destination airport. Later, if vectored to final, use the steps above to select Activate Vectors-To-Final—which makes the inbound course to the FAF waypoint active. Otherwise, activate the full approach using the Activate Approach? option.
Basic Approach Operations
The Flight Simulator GPS units provide nonprecision approach guidance. The GPS receiver can also be used as a supplemental aid for precision approaches and nonprecision localizer-based approaches, but external localizer and glide slope receivers must be used for primary approach course guidance.
Approaches designed specifically for GPS are often very simple and don't require overflying a VOR or NDB. Currently, many nonprecision approaches have GPS overlays to let you fly an existing procedure (VOR, VOR/DME, NDB, RNAV, and so forth.) more accurately using GPS.
Many overlay approaches are complex in comparison to GPS-only approaches. The GPS displays and guides you through each leg of the approach—automatically sequencing through each of these legs, including the missed approach procedure. Approaches may be flown "as published" with the full transition—using any published feeder route or initial approach fix (IAF)—or may be flown with a vectors-to-final transition.

To fly a typical approach using the GPS
Prior to departing, select the destination using the Direct-to button
-or-
Create a flight plan using the Flight Planner.
While en route, ATC will inform you which approach to expect.
(You can choose another if you'd like).
Press the PROC button and choose the Select Approach? option.
Load the expected approach (often while en route) in anticipation of its future use.
This places the approach in the active flight plan, but retains course guidance in the en route section until the approach is activated.
Activate the full approach or vectors-to-final approach, as appropriate.
In some scenarios, you may find it more convenient to immediately activate the approach and skip the load process.
Points to Remember for All Approaches
The GPS is designed to complement your printed approach plates and vastly improve situational awareness throughout the approach. However, you must always fly an approach as it appears on the approach plate.
The active leg (or the portion of the approach currently in use) is depicted in magenta on the Map page. As you fly the approach, the GPS will automatically sequence through each leg of the approach.
The published missed-approach course is shown as a dotted white line extending beyond the missed approach point (MAP). As you pass the MAP, the GPS will sequence to the first missed approach waypoint. Land, or fly the published missed approach procedure.
Approaches with Procedure Turns
The GPS stores the procedure turn portion of an approach as one of the legs of the approach. For this reason, the GPS requires no special operations from the pilot—other than flying the procedure turn itself—beyond what is required for any other type of approach.

To fly the procedure turn
Within 30 nm of the destination airport, the GPS will switch from en route mode to terminal mode (as indicated in the lower left corner of the screen), and the course deviation indicator (CDI) scale will transition from a 5.0 to 1.0 nm full scale deflection.
Several miles prior to reaching the initial approach fix (IAF), you may wish to review the approach sequence.
Press the FPL button to display the Active Flight Plan page.
Press the CRSR button and Rotate the large knob to review each segment of the approach.
When finished, press the FPL button again to return to the previous page.
As you approach the IAF, dial the outbound course into the aircraft's CDI (or HSI) using the OBS knob and initiate a standard rate turn to this course heading.
Fly the outbound course, keeping the CDI needle centered.
After approximately 90 seconds, turn 45 degrees left or right (as indicated on chart or GPS) to initiate the procedure turn.
The Flight Simulator GPS receivers will provide course guidance relative to the outbound leg from the FAF, and through the procedure turn itself. (The GPS will display the procedure turn on the Map page, and will indicate the procedure turn as the active leg on the Default NAV and Active Flight Plan pages.) The CDI needle will start moving to the right.
After approximately one minute, make a 180-degree right turn to intercept the inbound course.
The GPS will sequence to the inbound leg to the FAF, and the CDI needle will swing to the opposite side to provide proper sensing along the final course segment.
As the CDI needle starts to center, make a right turn to the final approach course.
Within 10 nm of the airport, the GPS will switch from terminal mode to approach mode.
CDI scaling will be tightened from 1.0 to 0.3 nautical mile, full scale deflection.
As you approach the FAF, make any course adjustments necessary for the final course segment (FAF to MAP).
As you cross the FAF, the destination sequences to the MAP (for example, RW04, the runway threshold).
With the needle centered, fly toward the MAP, observing the altitude minimums indicated by the approach plate.
As you pass the MAP, the GPS will sequence to the first missed approach waypoint.
Land, or fly the published missed approach procedure.
Missed Approaches
After you pass the MAP, you must execute a missed approach if the runway isn't in sight. As you pass the MAP, the GPS will sequence to the first waypoint in the published missed approach, and then to each missed approach waypoint in sequence, including taking you through the hold.


Flying a missed approach
To initiate and fly the missed approach procedure
Follow the missed approach procedures, as published on your approach plate, for proper climb and heading instructions.
The GPS will guide you through the published procedure to the holding pattern, and will provide course guidance through the holding pattern, including a modified entry.
When leaving the holding pattern to refly the approach (or another approach), press the PROC button to Select Approach? or Activate Approach? as previously described.
-or-
Use the Direct-to button to select another destination.
Approaches with a Hold
If an approach begins with a holding pattern, the GPS can make simple work of it.


Flying an approach with a hold
To fly an approach with a hold
Within 30 nm of the airport, the GPS will switch from en route mode to terminal mode, and the CDI scale will transition from 5.0 to 1.0 nm, full scale deflection.
The GPS will display the holding pattern on the Map page, and indicate the holding pattern as the active leg on the Default NAV and Active Flight Plan pages.
The GPS will provide course guidance through the holding pattern, including a modified entry.
Note: If you need to lose extra altitude or speed by going around the holding pattern again, press the OBS button to manually suspend waypoint sequencing before crossing the holding waypoint the second time. If you've already passed this waypoint, reactivate the holding pattern on the Active Flight Plan page.
Within 10 nm of the airport, the GPS will switch from terminal mode to approach mode. CDI scaling will be tightened from 1.0 to 0.3 nautical mile, full scale deflection.
Make any course adjustments necessary for the final course segment (FAF to MAP).
As you cross the FAF, the GPS will sequence the destination to the MAP (for example, RW21, the runway threshold). With the needle centered, fly toward the MAP, observing the altitude minimums dictated by the approach plate.
As you pass the MAP, the GPS will sequence to the first missed approach waypoint.
Land, or fly the published missed approach procedure.
DME Arc Approaches
The GPS overlay for a DME arc approach uses additional Jeppesen-provided waypoints to define the arc. These waypoints are indicated by a D as the first letter in the waypoint name, followed by three numbers indicating the radial the waypoint lies on; the last letter indicates the radius of the arc.
When cleared for a DME arc approach, you may do either of the following to intercept the arc
Follow a specified radial inbound to intercept the IAF.
Follow ATC vectors which allow you to intercept the arc at any point along the arc.


Flying a DME Arc approach
To fly a DME arc approach
Within 30 nm of the destination, the GPS will switch from en route mode to terminal mode and the CDI scale will transition from 5.0 to 1.0 nm, full scale deflection.
If you haven't already activated the approach, be sure to do so when cleared for the approach.
If you plan on using the aircraft's VOR 1 indicator to fly the approach, make sure the Nav/GPS switch on the aircraft instrument panel is set to GPS.
-or-
If you want to fly the approach using data from the Nav 1 radio, and use the GPS just for situational awareness, then make sure the Nav/GPS switch is set to Nav.
Follow the arc, keeping the CDI needle centered.
The next point in the approach is probably an intermediate fix. When the fix becomes the active waypoint, initiate a standard rate turn toward it.
Within 10 nm of the airport, the GPS will switch from terminal mode to approach mode.
CDI scaling will be tightened from 1.0 to 0.3 nautical mile, full scale deflection.
Turn to the final course segment (FAF to MAP) heading.
As you cross the FAF, the destination sequences to the MAP (for example, RW22, the runway threshold). With the needle centered, fly toward the MAP, observing the altitude minimums dictated by the approach plate.
As you pass the MAP, the GPS will sequence to the first missed approach waypoint.
Land, or fly the published missed approach procedure.
Vectors-to-Final Approaches
If ATC tells you to "expect vectors" onto the final approach course, there are several ways to select "vectors to final." The first two options below normally require the least effort.


Flying a Vectors-to-Final approach
To select vectors to final
When the approach is first selected, choose VECTORS from the transitions (TRANS) window.

-or-
Load a full approach, including the IAF from the transitions window.
When cleared, press the PROC button and select Activate Vectors-To-Final?

-or-
Load the full approach.
On the Active Flight Plan page, highlight the desired leg of the approach, then press the MENU button.
Press the ENT button to activate the leg.
The GPS has no way of knowing how ATC will vector you, just that you will intercept the final approach course somewhere outside the FAF. Thus, with a vectors-to-final approach activated, the Map page will display an extension of the final approach course in magenta (remember, magenta is used to depict the active leg of the flight plan) and VTF will appear as part of the active leg on the Default NAV page (as a reminder that the approach was activated with vectors to final). The CDI needle will remain off center until you're established on the final approach course, and the GPS will sequence to the next leg (FAF to MAP) as you cross the FAF.
Note that during the vectoring phase of a vectors-to-final approach, all of the information displayed in the GPS data blocks (DTK, DIS, CTS, and so forth) references the FAF. The GPS doesn't know where you will intercept the final approach course, just that you will eventually reach the FAF.

Vectors to Final Using an Autopilot
To fly a vectors-to-final approach using an autopilot, be sure to use Heading mode, not Nav mode. ATC will vector you to the final approach course and you can follow these vectors by moving the heading bug. Once you intercept the final approach course, you can switch to Nav or Approach mode as appropriate. Set the Nav/GPS switch to GPS to have the GPS course displayed on the Nav 1 indicator (or HSI). Set the switch to Nav to manually follow a VOR, Localizer, or ILS course tuned on the Nav 1 radio.
To fly a vectors-to-final approach
Within 30 nm of the destination, the GPS will switch from en route mode to terminal mode and the CDI scale will transition from 5.0 to 1.0 nm, full scale deflection.
If you haven't already done so, activate the approach (with vectors to final).
This allows the GPS to guide you to the final approach course.
ATC will give you multiple vectors.
ATC will instruct you to turn to intercept the final approach course.
As you converge with the final approach course the CDI needle moves toward the center.
As the CDI needle centers, make any remaining course corrections to establish yourself on the final approach course.
Within 10 nm of the airport, the GPS will switch from terminal mode to approach mode.
CDI scaling will be tightened from 1.0 to 0.3 nautical mile, full scale deflection.
As you cross the FAF, the destination sequences to the MAP (for example, RW22). With the needle centered, fly toward the MAP, observing the altitude minimums depicted on the approach plate.
As you pass the MAP, the GPS will sequence to the first missed approach waypoint.
Land, or fly the published missed approach procedure.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I turn off the airspace alert messages on the GPS 500?
If you're distracted by near-constant flashing of the message annunciator when flying in an area with lots of controlled airspace, it's easy to temporarily disable the airspace alert messages. To disable airspace alert messages, press and hold the MSG button for two seconds. The message annunciator will display an OFF message in the space above the MSG button.
Press the MSG button again to re-enable airspace alert messages.

Can I connect the GPS to the Nav 1 indicator (or HSI) and/or an autopilot or flight director?
Yes. If you're flying a Flight Simulator aircraft featuring the GPS 500 (or the Bell 206B JetRanger III or the Extra 300S), there will be a Nav/GPS switch on the instrument panel. If you want the GPS to provide data to the Nav 1 indicator (or HSI) and the autopilot or flight director, make sure the Nav/GPS switch on the aircraft's instrument panel is in the GPS position. The Nav 1 indicator (or HSI) needle will indicate the course to follow to track the active flight plan or direct-to in the GPS, and the autopilot or flight director will follow this course when in Nav mode. (Remember to switch to Heading mode during the vectoring phase of a vectors-to-final approach.)
If the Nav/GPS switch is set to Nav, the needle will indicate the course to or from the VOR radial selected with the OBS, and tuned on the Nav 1 radio. The autopilot or flight director will follow that course. In this case, the GPS is just used for situational awareness.
What does the OBS button do and when do I use it? (GPS 500 only)

The OBS button is used to select automatic sequencing of waypoints. Pressing the OBS button holds your current 'active to' waypoint as your navigation reference and prevents the GPS from sequencing to the next waypoint. A SUSP message displays directly above the OBS button. When you cancel OBS mode, automatic waypoint sequencing resumes, and the GPS will automatically select the next waypoint in the flight plan once the aircraft has crossed the current active-to waypoint.
Why won't my GPS automatically sequence to the next waypoint?
The GPS will only sequence flight plan waypoints when automatic sequencing is enabled (that is, when there's no SUSP message directly above the OBS button). For automatic sequencing to occur, you must also cross the "bisector" of the turn you are navigating, and be within 10 nm of the active waypoint. The bisector is a perpendicular line between two flight plan legs which crosses through the waypoint common to both legs.
How do I skip a waypoint in an approach, departure, or arrival?
The GPS allows you to manually designate any approach, departure, or arrival leg as the active leg of your flight plan. From the Active Flight Plan page, highlight the desired waypoint and press the MENU button, then ENT to activate the leg. The GPS will then provide navigation along the selected flight plan leg, so be sure you have clearance to that position.
When does the CDI scale change, and what does it change to?
The GPS will begin a smooth CDI scale transition from 5.0-nm scale (en route mode) to 1.0-nm scale (terminal mode) when you reach a point 30 nm from the destination airport. The CDI scale will further transition to 0.3-nm scale (approach mode) within 10 nm of the airport during an active approach. The CDI scale will also be 1.0 nm (terminal mode) within 30 nm of the departure airport.
How do I reselect the same approach, or activate a new approach, after a missed approach?
After flying all missed approach procedures, you may reactivate the same approach from the Procedures page for another attempt. Once you have been given clearance for another attempt, activate the approach from the Procedures page by highlighting Activate Approach? and then pressing the ENT button. The GPS will provide navigation along the desired course to the waypoint and rejoin the approach in sequence from that point on.
To activate a new approach for the same airport, select the new procedure from the Procedures page.
To activate a new approach to a different airport, create a direct-to.

Note: Do not attempt to reactivate the same approach you're currently executing prior to crossing the missed approach point (MAP). If you attempt to do so, the GPS will direct you back to the transition waypoint and will not take into consideration any missed approach procedures.
Abbreviations and Terminology
Abbreviations
The GPS receivers use the following abbreviations:

ACTV: active
ALT: altitude
APR: approach
APT: airport
ARSPC: airspace
ARTCC: air route traffic control center
ARVL: arrival
BRG: bearing to
CDI: course deviation indicator
CLR: clear
CRSR: cursor
CTAF: common traffic advisory frequency
CTR: center (see ARTCC)
CTS: course to steer
CUM: cumulative
DEP: departure
DIS: distance
DME: distance measuring equipment
DTK: desired track
ELEV: elevation
ENR: en route
ENT: enter
ETA: estimated time of arrival
ETE: estimated time en route
FPL: flight plan
fpm: feet per minute
FREQ: frequency
FSS: flight service station
ft: feet
G/S: glide slope
GPS: global positioning system
GS: ground speed
HDG: heading
ID: identifier
ILS: instrument landing system
INT: intersection
kHz: kilohertz
km: kilometers
kph: kilometers per hour
kt: knots
LAT/LON: latitude and longitude
LCL: local
LOC: localizer
Lrg: large
°M: degrees magnetic
m: meters
Med: medium
MHz: megahertz
mi: statute miles
MOA: military operations area
mph: statute miles per hour
mpm: meters per minute
mps: meters per second
MSG: message
MSL: mean sea level
mul: multicom
NATNL: national
NAV: navigation
NAVAID: navigational aid
NDB: nondirectional radio beacon
nm: nautical miles
NRST: nearest
NUM: number
OBS: omnibearing selector
PROC: procedure(s)
PWR: power
RAD: radial
REF: reference
REQ: required or requirements
RESTRICTD: restricted
RNG: range
RX: receive
Sml: small
SPD: speed
SRFC: surface
SUA: special use airspace
SUSP: suspend waypoint sequencing
°T: degrees true
TAS: true airspeed
TERM: terminal
TKE: track angle error
TMA: ICAO terminal control area
TRANS: transition
TRK: track (also ground track)
TRSA: terminal radar service area
twr: tower
uni: unicom
UTC: coordinated universal time (also known as Greenwich Mean Time or Zulu time)
VAR: variation
VFR: visual flight rules
VNAV: vertical navigation
VOR: VHF omnidirectional radio
VS: vertical speed
VSR: vertical speed required
WPT: waypoint
WX: weather
XTK: crosstrack error
The GPS receivers use the following navigation terms:

ALT (altitude): Height above mean sea level (MSL).
BRG(bearing): The compass direction from your current position to a destination waypoint.
CAS (calibrated airspeed): Indicated airspeed corrected for instrument errors.
CTS (course to steer): The recommended direction to steer in order to reduce course error or stay on course. Provides the most efficient heading to get back to the desired course and proceed along your flight plan.
CUM (cumulative distance): The total of all legs in a flight plan.
DIS (distance): The great circle distance from your current position to a destination waypoint.
DTK (desired track): The desired course between the active from and to waypoints.
ETA (estimate time of arrival): The estimated time at which you will reach your destination waypoint, based upon current speed and track.
ETE (estimated time en route): The time it will take to reach the destination waypoint, from current position, based upon current ground speed.
GS (ground speed): The velocity you are traveling relative to a ground position.
HDG (heading): The direction your aircraft is pointed, based upon indications from a magnetic compass or a properly set directional gyro.
IND (indicated): Information provided by properly calibrated and set instrumentation in the aircraft panel (e.g., "indicated altitude").
TKE (track angle error): The angle difference between the desired track and your current track.
TRK (track): The direction of movement relative to a ground position; also referred to as "ground track."
VSR (vertical speed required): The vertical speed necessary to descend or climb from current position and altitude to a defined target position and altitude, based upon your current ground speed.
XTK (crosstrack error): The distance you are off a desired course in either direction, left or right.