• Pre flight set up and tuning
• The installation in Cleve's PA28-140
  
• Take off and Climb
• Getting Oriented
• Course Guidance
• VOR tracking
• The Initial approach
• Holding patterns
• NDB Tracking
• Proceedure Turns
• Localizer inbound
• Altitude settings and Decision Height
  
• The MAP
• Flying the Missed Approach
• Some Pictures of Cleve's Cherokee
  

PRE FLIGHT SET UP AND TUNING

Cleve doesn’t seem to like the pre flight set up because you can’t do any tuning before engine start.  So, you have to fire up the engine, turn on the unit, and do the setup usually after the pre-flight.  Other than that it seems to me to be about the same amount of effort as is required for any other Plane with dual nav/coms, autopilot, and an audio panel.  The 430 have lots of knobs and buttons, but once you learn what they do it’s just like any other IFR setup.  The radio set up is you have room for 2 COM frequencies, and 2 NAV frequencies.  One primary and one standby.  You toggle back and forth as desired much the same as with the audio panel.   The set up for flight is simple, you select the right mode, then select the procedure you want to use, I.e.: NAV mode, VOR tracking inbound.  Its simple as can be.  All the data is complete, current and pops up on the display.  If you happen to forget some needed input the little yellow light flashes to tell you to look at the message.  You put in your fuel requirements, and you get reminders on switching tanks.  Nice!  But lest I forgot something, here is the exact gospel according to Garmin.

The 400 Series navigator can use direct point-to-point navigation to guide you from takeoff to touchdown, even in the IFR environment. Once a destination is selected, the unit will provide speed, course, and distance data directly from your present position to your destination.  The direct-to key may be used from any page.

To select a direct-to destination:

1. Press the direct-to key. The “Select –D-> Waypoint” page will appear with the destination field highlighted.

2. Rotate the small right knob to enter the first letter of the destination waypoint identifier. The destination waypoint may be an airport, VOR, NDB, intersection, or user waypoint.

3. Rotate the large right knob to the right to move the cursor to the next character position.

4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 to spell out the rest of the waypoint identifier.

5. Press ENT to confirm the identifier.  The “Activate?” function field will be highlighted.

6. Press ENT to activate a direct-to course to the selected destination. 

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The 400 Series systems allow you to fly both non-precision and precision approaches to airports with published instrument approach procedures (only the GNS 430 provides IFR precision approach capability, with its VOR/localizer/glideslope receiver.) All available approaches are stored on your Jeppesen NavData® card, and are automatically updated when you replace the card with a new one.

The procedures page is displayed by pressing the PROC key. The procedures page provides direct access to approaches, departures and arrivals—based on the active flight plan or direct-to destination. In either case, the departure and destination airports must have published procedures associated with them.

To select an approach, departure or arrival:

1. Press the PROC key to display the procedures page.

2. Rotate the large right knob to highlight “Select Approach?”, “Select Departure?” or “Select Arrival?” and press ENT.

3. A window will appear listing the available procedures. Rotate the large right knob to highlight the desired procedure and press ENT.

When a direct-to destination is selected, departures are offered for the nearest airport.

4. A second window will appear listing the available transitions. Rotate the large right knob to highlight the desired transition waypoint and press ENT.

The approach “Vectors” option assumes you will receive vectors to the final course segment of the approach and will provide navigation relative to the final approach course.

5. Rotate the large right knob to highlight “Load?” or “Activate?”, for approaches only, and press ENT.

 

“Load?” will add the procedure 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.

6. For precision approaches and some non-precision approaches, a reminder window will appear indicating that GPS guidance on such approaches is strictly for monitoring only—use the VLOC receivers and external CDI or HSI for primary navigation. To confirm this reminder, highlight “Yes?” and press ENT.

 

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 VLOC receiver to the proper frequency and coupling the VLOC receiver to the external CDI or HSI.

 

Once an approach is selected, it may be activated for navigation from the procedures page. Activating the approach overrides the “

enroute” 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.

To activate an approach:

With the procedures page displayed, rotate the large right knob to highlight “Activate Approach?” and press ENT.

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 approach, with vectors to final:

With the procedures page displayed, rotate the large right knob to highlight “Activate Vector-To-Final?” and press ENT.

In many cases, it may be easiest to “Load” the full approach while still some distance from the destination airport.  Later, if vectored to final, use the steps above to select “Activate Vector-To-Final”—which makes the inbound course to the FAF waypoint active.  Otherwise, activate the full approach using the “Activate Approach?” option.

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THE INSTALLATION IN CLEVE'S PA 28-140

A little about how and what is installed with Cleve's set up.  For one thing it’s coupled with a 2-axis autopilot.  Roll and Yaw, but no pitch.  This can be selected on or off, and if on you can override with control pressure.  This will track anything tuned to a Vor, or a Localizer, or you can select the heading bug.  It will not operate the glide slope.  The 430 contains a Nav/Com, has the LCD view screen, and outputs to the HSI so you have a left right needle in addition to the ON Screen course display.  The HSI also displays the glide slope, but its not coupled to the autopilot.
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TAKE OFF AND CLIMB
Before you even taxi into position for take off, you already have the complete horizontal situation on the LCD display showing your track to the fix you have seleted, the fix, and your course time and distance.  If there is a holding patern at the fix it shows that and also how to enter.  It's amazing, thats all I can say.  All you have to do after you depart is turn to the heading shown.

GETTING ORIENTED
There is no problem getting oriented.  You have the whole picture right in front of you before you takeoff.  You dont need to have any mental picture of radial intercepts or headings.  Just look at the LCD and there it is in living color with your little airplane pointing where you are going. 
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COURSE GUIDANCE
Ive never seen anything so simple.  You not  only have the HSI with the selected vor radial, and left/right needle, but the LCD with your line drawn on it showing just exactly where your located.  It dosen't matter what your using for the fix.  It can be a waypoint, vor, ndb, airport, intersection, or maybe some Hooters girl you know sunbathing in the nude.  Your gonna get the picture.
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VOR TRACKING
If youve ever had a hesitation about to/from sensing in the past, forget about it.  You can use the to/from on the HSI if you wish, but why waste your time.  On the LCD screen your always pointed in the right direction and you will see your little airplane as it crosses the fix.  Darn all those dark stormy nights Ive sat there wondering did I cross the fix yet.  What radial am I crossing now.  Am I going to the Vor or away from it.  One dark stormy night I left PDK in Atlanta around 3 am returning to Waycross.  On the panel of this Piper Arrow was a punch tape sign that read "VFR ONLY"  It was supposed to be VFR, but as I climbed thru 3000ft.  it was black as the inside of a cow and raining like a monsoon in India.  Suddenly Im between layers trying to head southeast VFR and lightning is flashing all around me.  I twist the VOR radials and the needle dosent move.   Im thinking now what the heck is wrong with that durn thing.. I switch to No2 and the same thing.  I cant get a  radial to center up.  Now Im just on a compass heading, wondering how far am I from PDK.  Im squaking 1200, so I know Center is looking at me and wondering what the Hell is he doing out there on a dark stormy night.  So I give up the struggle and call center and declare that Im VFR trapped between layers and I sure want to get back to PDK, and Ohh,, btw,, both my NAV radios are dead.  I got a quick "roger, maintain 3000 stand by for vectors.  PDK is 1000 ovcst and one mile."  I got scared, and the little red light wasnt giving me any comfort, so I turned on all the cabin lights I could find.  I felt better and got right on the gyros, but the fun just began.  "turn left 360".  In about 30 seconds, "turn left 270".  About a minute later "turn right 045".  then "turn right 090".  I just gave up trying to figure out where I was or where I was getting vectered.  Its black as the inside of a cow outside, and the rain is like sheets of water on the windshield.  And just to make me feel better the lightening is getting brighter.  "turn left 360",, ok I do it and Im thinking, man,, this is heading me up towards the North Georgia  hills.  Where am I going??  "turn left 270, your 4 miles north east of PDK approaching the LOC for rwy 22L, report LOC interception".   Wow, at least now I know where I am, but what the heck,, what is the loc frequency?? darn if I know,, I only have VFR charts.  I dont have a clew what the frequency is.  Time goes by,,"do you see the Loc yet",, No sir,, not yet.  More time goes by  "do you have the loc yet?", ,, no sir nothing yet.,, Then I get a curt "are you tuned to 111.1?",,  whew,, at last now I know the frequency,, I whipped the knob around to 111.1 and bam, Im dead on the loc.. "Ok, Ive got the Loc now",,  "ok turn left heading 220 maintain 3000 advise when you have the airport in sight"..  Yes sir I said.  Time goes by,, "do you have the airport in sight".. No sir.  "I show you one mile from PDK do you see the airport yet".  Whoosh, just like in the movies,  I pop into a hole right over PDK and the lights from Chamblee road strip malls reflect the rain swirling around the prop.  Yes sir, Now I have the airport in sight.  "roger, clear to land rwy 22 left, PDK reporting 800ft 1/2 mile in rain"..  Man,, I pulled the power,, hit the prop, hit the boost pumps threw out the gear and spiraled down in a left spiral on downwind for 22 left. Turn base just as the rain starts driving hard, lose the lights for a few seconds, and come over the REIL as the visibility drops in a hard rain.. wheehh..  When I left,, PDK was showing VFR with 3000 ovcst 1 mile light rain..  Now they come along with this Garmin 430, and I say,, man,, I bet that  thing will save a bunch of jerks like me from dark stormy nights.  I wish I had it then,, more important,, I sure hope I have one in the future if I get caught again on a dark stormy night. 
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THE INITIAL APPROACH
Prior to arrival, you can set up your approach and all the information you ever need will pop on to the LCD.  Your course line, all the approach routes, holding paterns navaids intersections and approach fixes are visible.  All radio and navaid requencies will display if you need them.  Track info headings and ground speed are right in front of you.  All you need do is point your nose to the headings indicated and watch your little airplane fly down the line.  Could this be the famous "Dick Tracey wrist radio/TV" we used to read about in the comic books back in the 40's?  Man oh man, is the Magnetic Space coup far behind?

HOLDING PATERNS
For anyone who ever had problems deciding what to do with a holding patern, forget all about those bad ole days of trying to figure how your gonna get on the race track.  The picture on the Garmin 430 has it all ready set up for what ever your indound heading is.  It tells you the kind of entry your gonna make.  You just hit the fix and roll into the turn as indicated for what ever entry it tells you to do.  All you have to do is time your out bound leg if you wish.  You really dont even need to do that cause you can see where you are on the race track just like the NASCAR blips on a Sunday race. Thats Hot...
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NDB TRACKING
This I love most of all.  My brain has fried several times trying to figure out all the angles and headings to stay lined up on the NDB approach. One of my favorites is "well, ok now, my heading is 250 and Im on the inbound proceedure turn leg for rwy 18.  If I turn to the NDB when I get a 45 degree bearing (plus or minus my wind correction angel). is this gonna get me right on the runway centerline for 18??"   Forget about all that.  All you have to do is stay on the line painted on the LCD screen.  Inbound or out  bound is all the same with the Garmin 430.  So you still want to figure relative bearings, compass headings, and intercept angles, wind correction angles?  Go ahead, burn out your brain.  All you need to do is stay on the line!!!  Im telling ya..

PROCEEDURE TURNS
Man if it gets more simple than this, there gonna start letting blind pilots fly on instruments.  Its all right there on the screen.  All they need do is make a screen usable by brail, and a blind guy can do it.  It will tell you when you need to start your out bound turn, and what heading to fly.  Its like having an animated approach plate thats all lit up and easy to read. 

LOCALIZER INBOUND
All you do is make the turn inbound and just stay on the line.  Not much else involved with this part.  On Cleves PA 28-140 with the autopilot, just hit the button and George will keep you on the line.  All you have to do is when you hit the glideslope, adust your power and set up your decent.  Say a Prayer If you like, and do your GUMP,PUMPS with  three green and one in the mirror, flaps as required..  Man thats hot. 
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ALTITUDE SETTINGS AND DECISION HEIGHT
You set up your MDA or DH on the Garmin and it will alert when you have reached the bottom.  What a sweet idea.  I didnt see Cleve put the timer on the Garmin, but he has a big easy to read timer mounted on the yoke he uses.  So you set the approach timer like in the olden days.

The MAP
I did not see Cleve set up the MAP (missed approach point), but Im sure the Garmin has it for Non Precision approachs.  On the Glide slope the MAP is same as the DH or it can have a DME miles shown or clock time.  What ever the case Im pretty sure the Garmin has it built in.  For instance, on the GPS to rwy 36 at AYS the MAP is shwon as "Rwy36" which is about 2 miles from the TDZ.  Im not sure but I think the Garmin will show this point on the approach page for GPS rwy 36.  If I get to fly with Cleve again, Ill get him to make the GPS to 36 and see what it does. <<<>>>Well all right, Ive got the up date on how the Garmin displays the MAP.  It shows as a waypoint same as all the other waypoints,  As you progress thru the approach, the display advances to show the waypoint just ahead of you.  There is also have a read out giving the waypoint name, the heading, miles, and clock time ETA.  Your always advancing TO the next waypoint and the MAP comes up automatic as part of the approach. 
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FLYING THE MISSED APPROACH
Darn this part is more fun than eating chocolate and chatting with a Hooters girl.  With Cleves autopilot you just climb to 800 and hit the button.  Sit back and relax and contine the climb to 1700.  George will take you right back to Wicket where you can hold or make another try.  If you dont have the autopilot, then shoot its still easy.  Simply fly the heading provided by Garmin display and stay on the line.  Man I love it..."Stay on the line"   Will that be the new catch phrase for the 21st century?

SOME PICTURES OF CLEVE'S CHEROKEE



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