How do u use the GPS on the Airbus A321 and Boeing 737 on Flight Simulator X? thanks!
I hope this works for you..The Kid
Update note:
Since I originally wrote this, I have also found that it is possible to use a program called GPSout, http://www.schiratti.com/dowson.html, to operate some GPS receivers and programs with Flight Simulator.
GPSout causes the Flight Simulator position and velocity to be output through the serial port of the computer running Flight Simulator. Thus, the computer running Flight Simulator imitates an external GPS.
I have found the Garmin aviation handhelds and the free Lowrance AirMap emulators running on a second computer work. Any program that uses an external GPS input should work. The new Lowrance Airmaps may work. I have more information in Cockpit GPS which can be downloaded from the home page for this, www.cockpitgps.com.
2/13/2006 Reality XP has updated their line to include the Garmin CDI, the 430, and the ability to cross load between them. I have since updated my computer from the screenshot below and the Reality XP looks very nice.
Garmin and Apollo for Microsoft Flight Simulator
Reality XP makes it possible to have a full Garmin GNS 530, 430 or Apollo GL 50 in Microsoft Flight Simulator. It works well. If this sounds like a little bit of a sales pitch â€" it is. Reality XP, www.reality-xp.com, let me try their 530XP program and I like it. However, there is no quid pro quo. I think that it is a good program and would like to see it succeed. Thus, here is my quick unsolicited review.
I am not an active flight simmer. I am an airline pilot with a book on how to use GPS at www.cockpitgps.com. My interest is in finding a good tool for pilots to learn how to use GPS. When I was working on my instrument rating, many years ago, I used early versions of Flight Simulator running on the Commodore 64 at home and the blazingly fast 12 Mhz. PCs at school. Even in these early versions, I found Flight Simulators to be a very useful training tool.
GPS is tremendously useful and in many ways easy to use. However, it is also very complicated. A VOR has an OBS and a channel selector. Compare this to the many menus, functions, and data fields available on a GPS. The biggest weakness in GPS is pilot proficiency. Garmin offers an excellent free simulator for the GNS 400 and 500 series on their website at www.garmin.com. What the Reality XP product does is to interface this free GPS trainer with Microsoft Flight Simulator so that the Garmin trainer can be used within Flight Simulator. The Garmin simulator is excellent. When it is used with Reality XP, it is even better.
The only significant problem that I had with operating 530 XP is that the behavior of the main cursor knob is a little different from operating the Garmin trainer in stand-alone mode. In many ways the behavior is an improvement, but it is a little confusing if you are used to the stand alone Garmin trainer application. Read the manual, but briefly: The knob is turned with the left and right mouse keys. If you have a wheel on your mouse, this will also move the cursor knob. To activate the cursor, press the wheel. For other mouse configurations, read the manual.
I have a basic computer that will only run Flight Simulator in 800 x 600 screen resolution. In this mode, the GNS 530 is disproportionately large to the panel and blocks the other instruments needed to fly the aircraft. Each view: the outside, the instrument panel, and the GNS 530 runs in its own window. My trick is to maximize the GNS 530 so that the screen is more readable and shrink and move the instrument panel so that I can see the main flight instruments. It looks strange, but it works well.
Why not just use the Microsoft GPS?
FS 2002
MS Flight Simulator 2002 includes a GPS, why would you want to spend the money for 530XP? The GPS in FS 2002 is not like any that I have seen in any aircraft. Even worse, the GPS simulation gets some significant things wrong. Let’s say that you are flying a heading of 180 and have a severe wind from 090. Your heading, the direction you are pointing, is 180. Your track, the direction that you are traveling over the ground, is actually towards the southwest. The GPS FS 2002 reports a value for track, but it is actually the heading.
There are some ramifications to this. Using GPS you should be able to fly directly to a waypoint by turning so that your track matches your bearing. If you try this in FS 2002, you will fly a curved path. This is much like homing using an ADF, but it should not be because the GPS should use track whereas the ADF uses heading.
The GPS in FS 2002 is flat out wrong. However, Reality XP works around this and behaves properly.
FS 2004
I purchased FS 2004 because it included a Garmin GNS 500 and GPS 295. I will give partial credit to the fact that Microsoft fixed the heading verses track issue. The Microsoft implementation of the GNS 500 is a rudimentary simulation that imitates the style and some of the functions of the GNS 500. It is pretty, but it misses the mark in significant ways. The Microsoft GPS 295 has even less resemblance to the functionality of an actual Garmin GPS 295.
I will refer to the Microsoft implementation as the MS 500. The MS 500 falls well short of being a true representation of the Garmin GNS 500. If you are a casual simmer and want to play with GPS, the MS 500 is passable. However, if you want to learn how to use a GNS 500 for actual use or you are a serious flight simmer, the MS 500 is not sufficient.
I just played with the MS 500 enough to get a quick idea of the functioning. This in no way is meant to be a full listing of the shortcomings, but just a couple of quick examples.
On the GNS 500, there is a menu on almost every screen. On most MS 500 screens, pressing the MENU key will result in “NO OPTIONS.†Some of the useful options are the ability to customize the GNS 500 for airspace depictions and warnings. Other options include the ability to change the data fields that are displayed. Although the MS 500 offers airspace warnings and depiction, it does not offer the ability to customize them.
To go directly to a point on the flight plan on the GNS 500, you can cursor to a waypoint on the flight plan and then select the direct key. You can also just press the direct key and choose a flight plan waypoint from the FPL box on the direct menu. If you press the direct key one more time before pressing the ENTER key, then you will get the leg from the previous waypoint to the selected waypoint rather than from the present position. The MS 500 does not work anything like this.
perhaps you might want to try the video games section.
on the free flight menu, build a flight, and then click find route. then takeoff and press alt+f3
hey dude when your in the aircraft press shift+3 and it will pull up the GPS it works in all aircrafts
Press shift-3 to bring up the GPS. There's too much involved in how to use it to explain here; read the manual at http://www8.garmin.com/manuals/GPS500_PilotsGuide.pdf
Also try the "learning center" in FSX. Keep in mind the FSX simulation of the GPS 500 is incomplete; there are many things it doesn't do that you can do in real life.
FSX automatically programs your IFR flight plan into the GPS when you file a flight plan. You cannot program it manually. In addition to the GPS 500 display, you will now see your desired course as a pink line on the multi-function display.
To use the autopilot with the GPS, set the NAV/GPS switch above the primary flight display (A321) or among the autopilot controls (B737) to GPS, then hit the LOC (A321) or VOR LOC (B737) button. Your autopilot will then control your lateral position according to the flight plan in your GPS.
Though I'm not an expert, I believe the GPS 500 is not the most realistic system for the A321 or B737. But that's what we've got in FSX.
I have similar questions
In the A321 my auto break does not work and where are the HDG, NAV buttons to track a heading, vor or GPS flt. some things seem to be missing here.
I'm looking along the top AP panel. I think it is in between course and speed, but I could be wrong. There is a switch there for GPS/Nav. You'll also see two buttons one is app (approach) and the other is loc (nav/gps). You have to click on the loc button as well for the AP to follow either the VOR or GPS.
I don't think the Airbus fleet as an autobrake - at least I have yet to find it. The trust reverser and auto spoiler (shift + '/') works well enough to slow you down on landing.
The 321's engine position means a safe water landing would be very difficult. They will act like giant scoops and will tear that airframe to bits. A ditching in water is not recommended but if it's your only alternative, approach at a low speed and gently let the plane descend.
2- OAT is usually given by a gauge inside the aircraft. But in ISA(International Standard Athmposphere conditions) temp will decrease 2C for every 1,000ft gain.
3-Nothing as long as it's not below 10-5C. Antiice uses warm air from the engines and reroutes them to critical parts of the aircraft like the leading edges.
4- A pin is inserted into the nose gear as to prevent it form. This prevents the aircraft from going to one side during pushback.It's like pushing your bike from the front. You dont have an idea where the hell it's gonna go. You can tell the tug which way to push you by pressing either 1(left) or 2(right) shortly after you press Shift+P
5- Bring up the GPS, press the direct to button, press the arrow key and entre the airport identifier. Press enter.
If you have any more questions email me.
One of the first things that confuses people when it comes to any form of
navigation is that there are in fact two norths. There is True North, which
all lines of latitude and logitude are based on and which runs through the
earths axis from north to south pole, this is the measuring system that GPS
use. Then there is Magnetic North, which obvioulsy, all magnetic compass
point to.The problem is, Magnetic North isn't actually at the North Pole,
it's somewhere under Greenland.
All navigational charts will carry information on the magnetic variation for
the area that chart covers, that is the difference between True North and
Magnetic North. Basically the rule of thumb is, the further north you are,
the bigger the the difference between what your GPS tells you is north, and
what your magnetic compass thinks is north. If you go far enough north in
Greenland and get between the two poles, it is possible to get a difference
of 180deg, that is GPS pointing one way and your magnetic compass pointing
in exactly the opposite direction.
MSFS models the difference quite well, so if you are flying mainly in the
northern hemisphere you will see this difference quite a lot. One point to
remember. All ATC directions and runway headings are given in 'Magnetic' not
'True', so when flying IFR, apply directional instructions to your compass,
and not your GPS.