Any Good IFR Pilots Who Can Give Me Some Dynon, ForeFlight and GTN-650 Integration Help and Advice?

MaydayMayday

New Member
Joined
Aug 22, 2020
Messages
26
I am chair flying a newly installed avionics system before I take it out to the real world and I wanted to get your advice on how and when to use the various features of the following systems:

-Dual Skyview Displays
-Dynon radio
-Foreflight Pro Performance with Jeppesen charts
-Garman GTN-650

So lets say I am planning a flight on Foreflight (FF) and the flight is an IFR flight from BLH V135 south to do a couple of approaches at the KNYL airport.

With FF I can pick the airways, intersections, and even the approach that I want to use and overlay the actual Jepp chart onto the moving map, I can check the weather and plan it all out while on the ground and then when I get to the airplane I can use the WIFI to zap the route up to the SkyView (SV) and then with the HSI Source selected to SV the airplane will fly that route ...I got that all figured out...

So here is where the questions start...

The Dynon GPS and navigation has HITS but I assume that it does not calculate vertical descents??

As I am flying south on V135 I need to descend and I would like to use VNAV for the descent and fly the ILS 21R approach with the 7 DME arc using the CAZZI transition. At some point I need to switch to the GTN to do the approach so when is the best time to switch to the GTN?

After I do the switch to the GTN I will be on the transition from CAZZI and flying the DME arc so I presume the HSI source will be a magenta GTN and if I had already entered the step down altitudes for the approach into the GTN will it give me the VNAV glide path indication and it will also display the HITS symbols on the PFD and if my altitude alerter is selected to an altitude lower than the altitudes displayed will the VNAV respect all of the transition altitudes on the approach?

At some point on the arc I will need to switch from the magenta GNSS navigation to the green ILS LOC and GS needles...does that happen automatically when the airplane is turning from the arc to final?

When on the arc and the ILS does the HITS show the course and descent path with altitude restrictions all the way down to the DA?

When near minimums I press the TOGA button and I assume the guidance will automatically switch from ground based navigation to GNSS navigation? Does the HITS provide vertical nav guidance along the missed approach procedure and then out to the holding pattern?

I presume I will be using the Dynon radio the whole time because it has the choice of frequencies I can select so is this the preferred radio to use?

Any advice to a new user would be really helpful.

Thanks for the help!
 

DBRV10

Active Member
Joined
Jun 15, 2008
Messages
925
Location
Brisbane, Qld. Australia
Too much of a task for any internet forum there :-o

But let me have a partial crack at it. We have about 1800 hours on our RV10 much of it IFR, so this may be somehow useful.
We dont have Foreflight down here, we use AvPlan. But this really is not relevant.

1. For an IFR flight load your plan in the GTN and use it the whole time, it will crossfire to the sky view perfectly.
2. Unless you have grown up on HITS, turn it off and use the V or cross bars. The HITS are like someone clicking there fingers in front of your face all the time.....damned annoying, in my opinion.
3. The SV will fly whatever you command the GTN to do, if the SID/STAR/APPROACH is capable of doing it in LNAV or VNAV the SV will follow it with the FD. Including hitting IAS or a GA button.
4. Switching from GNSS to VLOC is simple, touch the button on the GTN.....I do not recall if the GTN will auto-sequence that, maybe it will and I have just never worked it out. If you find out let me know :)
5. Radio usage is a personal preference thing. I have a GTN750 and I use this for all ATC ops, enroute and tower. I use my second com for all ground/awis/atis/ctaf operations. I keep them well set ahead of time and seperate as described. It just works for me an no matter who calls me I know which radio they came from. I am a simple lad!

Go play and see what works for you best.....single pilot IFR is the hardest gig there is, no second crew member to help out, so being organised and simple is the key to safe and successful operations in my view. Let us know how you go.
 

MaydayMayday

New Member
Joined
Aug 22, 2020
Messages
26
Thanks for your help.

> 4. Switching from GNSS to VLOC is simple, touch the button on the GTN.....I do not recall if the GTN will auto-sequence that, maybe it will and I have just never worked it out. If you find out let me know

I found the following video online:


At 36:59 it says that when you activate an ILS approach the ILS frequency will be automatically inserted into the STANDBY NAV frequency field and the pilot will need to switch it from standby to active NAV frequency and then the GTN will display below the active frequency field what it expects that frequency Morris code letters should be (based on its GNSS LAT/LONG) and the GTN will listen for the Morris code and if the expected code is heard the GTN will display those letters above the NAV frequency box and the system will then be setup to auto switch from GNSS magenta to LOC green needle...IF...all of these conditions are met:
-Aircraft 2 NM to 15 NM outside the FAF
-Aircraft 1.2 NM on either side of Final Approach Course
 

MaydayMayday

New Member
Joined
Aug 22, 2020
Messages
26
Does the Dynon system connected to the GTN through ARNIC 429 bus provide baro altitude to the GTN?
 

rfazio1951

Member
Joined
Feb 11, 2010
Messages
354
What David said! Plus, a couple of things. Do you have the flight stream card in the 650? If so it makes getting the flight plan Into the 650 very easy. You set it up at home like you said, then when you get to the airport you send it up to the 650. On the Dynon you will select the 650 as the source. The flight plan will be displayed on the Dynon screens, including the missed. Once established on the approach you can press VNAV and she will follow it down. I agree with David, turn off HITS.

The only time I do the procedure as you discribe, flight plan in the Dynon and then switching to the 650 for the approach, is when I file a longer flight with many waypoints. Especially when I know ATC is going to change the route while flying. Though you can do this in the 650, I find it easier in the Dynon.

I suggest a few flights practicing approaches you are very familiar with. And maybe a pure GPS approach which will be easier to deal with. The button-ology will get you in the beginning.
 

MaydayMayday

New Member
Joined
Aug 22, 2020
Messages
26
> Do you have the flight stream card in the 650?

No that is kinda the point of this post. I am trying to figure out what technology I currently have and think about it before I fly this new airplane into and ATC environment.

The Flight Stream is 1000 bucks so perhaps I can find a work around.
 

rfazio1951

Member
Joined
Feb 11, 2010
Messages
354
You are going to want the flightstream. Besides the flight plan uploading, is updates. You need to keep the 650 updated.every 28 days, it’s a pain. With the flightstream in there it’s a non issue. Granted it’s expensive, I think more than $1000, and then you need garmin pilot on the iPad. But it’s sssooo convenient.
 

kellym

I love flying!
Joined
Sep 29, 2013
Messages
272
You are going to want the flightstream. Besides the flight plan uploading, is updates. You need to keep the 650 updated.every 28 days, it’s a pain. With the flightstream in there it’s a non issue. Granted it’s expensive, I think more than $1000, and then you need garmin pilot on the iPad. But it’s sssooo convenient.
Disagree on Flightstream. If I flew much in the Eastern US I might feel differently. I have two SD cards for the GTN, and just update at home and switch cards at the airplane, very easy and quick. Any blank 8GB-16GB SD card will work, you don't need the expensive Garmin card. The update installs much faster than the Dynon data update.
I started out using the Dynon flight plan mostly, but over time have found it easier to just put the flight plans in my GTN650 manually. A lot easier than the Dynon, as you don't have to tell it every time that you are adding a waypoint. You really don't want to switch back and forth as to which flight plan source you are using, as both the flight plan and the HSI have to be switched...to easy to do one without the other.
 

rfazio1951

Member
Joined
Feb 11, 2010
Messages
354
Hey to each his own! So you use two SD cards. I do that with the Dynon, two USB sticks that I rotate. I still think the auto update using Garmin pilot is easier. Also you can turn on the switch in the Dynon so when you switch the source it does both the HSI and the flight plan together. It's all fun stuff.
 

kellym

I love flying!
Joined
Sep 29, 2013
Messages
272
Hey to each his own! So you use two SD cards. I do that with the Dynon, two USB sticks that I rotate. I still think the auto update using Garmin pilot is easier. Also you can turn on the switch in the Dynon so when you switch the source it does both the HSI and the flight plan together. It's all fun stuff.
Absolutely. You are correct, I forgot about switching on the change both at same time. However, if you paid for certified GPS, why not use it all the time to be as proficient as possible with it? You also gain GPSS that Dynon by itself does not have. You need proficiency at manual entry anyway for clearance changes enroute.
As for convenience, swapping an SD card vs paying $1000 plus cost of tablet and software for it, I'll swap SD cards all day long.
We makes our choices and forks over our money......
 
Top