Garmin 430

[desertdog71]

I find myself needing to learn how to use a Garmin 430. Interestingly enough I have never used a GPS of any kind before. I am downloading the simulator off the Garmin website. Do you guys think this is a good tool to get me acquainted with the system? Are there other resources I should also look at?

Thanks

[Cessnaflyer]

Thats a good way to do it.

I feel much better if I can plug in a GPU and sit in the cockpit and play with it though.

[tprops4me]

Yes, thats the best way in my opinion to learn it. It is the only form of training I have ever had on it, and I feel very comfortable with it.

[jawright]

You can also go here and download the manual and the quick guide in pdf format. Both files are free.

[MidlifeFlyer]

Garmin also has a video instruction course. I think they give it (or at one time gave it) to purchasers of the units. The course uses the downloadable simulator, which makes it easy to follow along. See if you can find someone who has a copy you can borrow.

(BTW, I was in the same situation as you. I was going on a trip and was going to rent an airplane at my destination. It had a 430, which I had not previously flown with)

[BobDDuck]

Those videos are brutal. About as dry as the King videos (and not even an attractive Martha to look at).


(ok, I don't need the sarcasm tag there do I? people get I'm being sarcastic right?)

[mojo6911]

It is pretty intuitive. The simulator should be plenty.

[surreal1221]

The following is all you need. . .

D> Button
Small knob (select appropriate letter of choice)
Big Knob
Small knob (select appropriate letter of choice)
Big Knob
Small knob (select appropriate letter of choice)
Big Knob
Small knob (select appropriate letter of choice)
Big Knob

ENT key
ENT key

-----
At least that's about as much as most of my students know. Granted, a couple actually understand it more than I do, and have showed me some of the finer details.

The simulator and pdf's are really all you need, that and actually going out and messing with it.

[caliginousface]

The simulator should do it and then go out in the plane and play around with it. And if you kill the battery, it's a great time to perfect your hand-propping skills.

[desertdog71]

Originally Posted by caliginousface

The simulator should do it and then go out in the plane and play around with it. And if you kill the battery, it's a great time to perfect your hand-propping skills.

I only have 7 of my fingers now. Hand propping is out of the question.

[averyrm]

Originally Posted by desertdog71

I only have 7 of my fingers now. Hand propping is out of the question.

Oh hand propping wont' take off your fingers.






your arm though, possibly.

[MidlifeFlyer]

Originally Posted by surreal1221

The following is all you need. . ..

I will agree that, along with knowing how to enter communication frequencies, that's the bare minimum. But saying that's all you need is like having 2 comm radios on board and only using one because you don't know how to switch the control panel from 1 to 2. Or never moving the seat to the position that works best for you since whatever position the last pilot left it in was good enough and you never figured out how to change it.

[desertdog71]

Originally Posted by MidlifeFlyer

I will agree that, along with knowing how to enter communication frequencies, that's the bare minimum. But saying that's all you need is like having 2 comm radios on board and only using one because you don't know how to switch the control panel from 1 to 2. Or never moving the seat to the position that works best for you since whatever position the last pilot left it in was good enough and you never figured out how to change it.

I am more concerned with the little changes that need to be made enroute. Like ATC gives you direct to an intersection, or starts giving you vectors for the approach, or tells you to hold, or ammends your clearance. I need to be able to do these things quickly and not be bumbling with the GPS when I need to be doing something else.

[SIUav8er]

You cannot do holding patterns with the 430 unless its part of an approach procedure. (well you CAN, but it involves puting the GPS in CDI mode, then selecting the radial you need to hold on, just like using VOR...its not worth it, just use VOR for enroute holding)

As for going direct to an intersection, you can either hit D-> then type it in, then hit enter twice. OR, if its already in your FLT plan, just go to FLT plan and highlight the intersection and hit D-> then enter enter.

[mojo6911]

Originally Posted by SIUav8er

You cannot do holding patterns with the 430 unless its part of an approach procedure. (well you CAN, but it involves puting the GPS in CDI mode, then selecting the radial you need to hold on, just like using VOR...its not worth it, just use VOR for enroute holding)

OBS mode.

[MidlifeFlyer]

Originally Posted by desertdog71

I am more concerned with the little changes that need to be made enroute. Like ATC gives you direct to an intersection, or starts giving you vectors for the approach, or tells you to hold, or ammends your clearance. I need to be able to do these things quickly and not be bumbling with the GPS when I need to be doing something else.

That is =exactly= what I was thinking about when I wrote that post but given that we might be dealing with VFR use only, I wanted to keep the examples even simpler.

[surreal1221]

Originally Posted by MidlifeFlyer

I will agree that, along with knowing how to enter communication frequencies, that's the bare minimum. But saying that's all you need is like having 2 comm radios on board and only using one because you don't know how to switch the control panel from 1 to 2. Or never moving the seat to the position that works best for you since whatever position the last pilot left it in was good enough and you never figured out how to change it.

I was being slightly sarcastic as well.

[MidlifeFlyer]

Originally Posted by SIUav8er

You cannot do holding patterns with the 430 unless its part of an approach procedure. (well you CAN, but it involves putting the GPS in CDI mode, then selecting the radial you need to hold on, just like using VOR...its not worth it, just use VOR for enroute holding)

I'm not sure about the "not worth it" part. An airplane I teach in has an enroute only GPS. Nevertheless, on the theory that, so long as it doesn't increase workload beyond the benefit received, one should use all the equipment, it should be used for extra situational awareness.

An alternative to OBS mode is to enter the holding fix and create a desired track creating an inbound course line. The extra situational awareness is terrific and the fiddling is not much greater than you would need to do do accomplish a lot of primary GPS tasks, so there is a training benefit beyond the immediate task. I'd probably do the same with a VFR-only GPS or a handheld.

(BTW, this is =after= learning how to do the non-GPS task without the GPS and setting up the GPS is =after= setting up the primary navs.)

[Sheep44]

Try this.

It's not bad, and it's free.

http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/.../WinGarmin.cfm