Jump to content

Navigraph subscription, worth it?


Recommended Posts

It seems that the only way I can get an ILS approach to work in the Garmin 3000 is to set up a flight plan in it, the way a RL pilot would do it, instead of through the FS World Map. I've tested this by flying approaches with the World Map flight plan loaded into the G3000, vs. entering it into the G3000 within the sim. With World Map-entered flight plans, the G3000 can't find the glideslope, but when I set up a flight plan in the World Map, then exit, start a new flight, and enter the plan with all its waypoints, intersections, etc. into the G3000 with its in-sim touch-screen, it latches onto it.

 

So I'm looking for a good add-on flight-planning tool. I've tried flight planning with Little Navmap, but quickly gave up on it; its GUI is too complex (for me, anyway) and I found I'd rather spend time flying than hours trying to learn how to use it. I can't make head nor tails of Simbrief. Navigraph looks like an intuitive and user-friendly flight planner (plus, I know you can do much more with it). I'd like to hear from folks here who use it. How easy is it to use? How much of a learning curve does it require? And what does a subscription cost in U.S. dollars? The only prices they show before you get to actually subscribing are in euros.

HP Omen 25L Desktop, Intel i7-1070 CPU, 32 GB DDR RAM, Nvidia 3070 GPU, 1 TB SSD, Logitech flight yoke, throttle quadrant, rudder pedals, multi-panel, radio panel, TrackIR 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Signed up for a monthly "ultimate" subscription today to see if it's any use to me. I spent more time planning a flight from Watsonville to Sacramento and entering it into the Daher TBM's G3000 than the 42 or so minutes it actually took to fly it. Nevertheless, I still couldn't get the AP to "shoot" the glidescope to RWY 34L. Just as well, because when I asked for clearance to land, the tower told me to fly left downwind for RWY 16R. Having already disengaged the AP anyway, I complied. I oughta get some points on Steam for that. Again, the TBM handled well on base and final, hand-flown by me even though it was.

 

2021-07-31 KWVI to Sacramento.jpg

KWVI to KSMF (Watsonville to Sacto. Intl.), Mt. Diablo is in the background

HP Omen 25L Desktop, Intel i7-1070 CPU, 32 GB DDR RAM, Nvidia 3070 GPU, 1 TB SSD, Logitech flight yoke, throttle quadrant, rudder pedals, multi-panel, radio panel, TrackIR 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Is your NAV mode engaged on the Autopilot to follow the course?

After setting up a flight plan either through the World Map or directly in the G3000 prior to takeoff, engaging the AP's NAV and ALT modes are the first things I do after takeoff. Before I take off in the Daher, I go to the G3000 MFD's PROC screen to set up the ILS approach, or make sure an ILS approach I've set up on the World Map is entered in the G3000. My problems with the G3000 often occur when I reach the intersection where the AP should pick up the LOC signal and the final ILS descent should begin. Generally, I've found that if I set up/enter a flight plan and ILS approach in the G3000 via the MSFS World Map, I cannot activate the APR mode at that point, and the AP will not follow the glideslope on final. But if I set up the flight plan and final approach in the G3000, it will--but not always. This may have something to do with the order in which I enter the waypoints and so forth into the Garmin. Sometimes, I have an option to load a final approach for activation later, and sometimes, I don't. The only option then is to "activate" it or "remove" it, and my understanding is you don't want to activate a final, ILS approach until you get there. I've watched numerous YouTube tutorials on how to do this, so I figure I'm missing something. I'm still trying to figure out what it is.

 

I don't have this problem with flight plans/ILS approaches I've entered into the G1000 via the World Map. It always catches the ILS glideslope if there's one to be had. I'm looking forward to the day (soon, I hope) when the Working Title/Asobo team add true VNAV/VPTH capability to the new G1000 NXi. I don't think it's there yet.

HP Omen 25L Desktop, Intel i7-1070 CPU, 32 GB DDR RAM, Nvidia 3070 GPU, 1 TB SSD, Logitech flight yoke, throttle quadrant, rudder pedals, multi-panel, radio panel, TrackIR 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sorry if I've missed this, but are you using the Working Title G3000? I use it mainly in the Longitude and it's 100% reliable on ILS approaches. The G1000 NXi will only replace the existing G1000's in the C172, Cirrus and Diamonds etc., not the G3000's in the Daher, Longitude and (I think) the Caravan.

Tim Wright "The older I get, the better I was..."

Xbox Series X, Asus Prime H510M-K, Intel Core i5-11400F 4.40GHz, 16Gb DDR4 3200, 2TB WD Black NVME SSD, 1TB Samsung SATA SSD

NVidia RTX3060 Ti 8Gb, Logitech Flight Yoke System, CH Pro Pedals, Acer K272HL 27", Windows 11 Home x64

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sorry if I've missed this, but are you using the Working Title G3000? I use it mainly in the Longitude and it's 100% reliable on ILS approaches. The G1000 NXi will only replace the existing G1000's in the C172, Cirrus and Diamonds etc., not the G3000's in the Daher, Longitude and (I think) the Caravan.

Yes, Working Title G3000 in the Daher. G1000 Nxi in the Cessna, etc. I'm doing something wrong with the G3000, and I'm having trouble figuring it out. Do you enter your flight plans and approaches directly into the G3000's MFD or via the World Map? If you punch 'em directly into the MFD, what's the order you go in? I'm grateful for any guidance you can give me. It's frustrating.

HP Omen 25L Desktop, Intel i7-1070 CPU, 32 GB DDR RAM, Nvidia 3070 GPU, 1 TB SSD, Logitech flight yoke, throttle quadrant, rudder pedals, multi-panel, radio panel, TrackIR 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I only use the World Map, where you can also select approaches from the drop-down list or enter your own by adding waypoints which you've clicked on the map itself.

Now, on ILS approach some aircraft will automatically tune the NAV1 radio to the ILS frequency but most won't - you usually have to enter the ILS frequency yourself, so this is something to check before you begin your final approach and switch the CDI from GPS or FMC to NAV1 and select APP on the Autopilot.

Tim Wright "The older I get, the better I was..."

Xbox Series X, Asus Prime H510M-K, Intel Core i5-11400F 4.40GHz, 16Gb DDR4 3200, 2TB WD Black NVME SSD, 1TB Samsung SATA SSD

NVidia RTX3060 Ti 8Gb, Logitech Flight Yoke System, CH Pro Pedals, Acer K272HL 27", Windows 11 Home x64

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Once you've planned your flight using the world map, save it as example kwvi to ksmf. The path file will be located here:

C:\Users/nameAppData\Local\Packages/Microsoft.FlightSimulator_8wekyb3d8bbwe\localstate\kwvi ksmf.pln

Now you can load your saved plan directly into the g3000. Enter the ils loc freq for rwy 35L 111.1 into your nav radios.

This is just one way of importing flight plans from external sources, into the g3000 and other Garmins.

Hope this helps.

 

FLP-kwvi-to-ksmf.jpg

RAM: Team T-Force 32GB CPU: RYZEN 7 3700X 8-Core 3.6 GHz (4.4 GHz Max Boost) Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 super C Drive: M.2 SSD 1.0tb CPU Air Cooler: DEEPCOOL GAMMAX GTE V2, PSU: Bronze 600W, Flight Stick: Thrustmaster T.16000M FCS, W10
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Now, on ILS approach some aircraft will automatically tune the NAV1 radio to the ILS frequency but most won't - you usually have to enter the ILS frequency yourself, so this is something to check before you begin your final approach and switch the CDI from GPS or FMC to NAV1 and select APP on the Autopilot.

Another thing I always do before taking off: I dial in the LOC frequency of my destination runway on NAV1, using my Logitech radio panel, which is so much easier than trying to mouse a virtual radio knob.

HP Omen 25L Desktop, Intel i7-1070 CPU, 32 GB DDR RAM, Nvidia 3070 GPU, 1 TB SSD, Logitech flight yoke, throttle quadrant, rudder pedals, multi-panel, radio panel, TrackIR 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Once you've planned your flight using the world map, save it as example kwvi to ksmf. The path file will be located here:

C:\Users/nameAppData\Local\Packages/Microsoft.FlightSimulator_8wekyb3d8bbwe\localstate\kwvi ksmf.pln

Now you can load your saved plan directly into the g3000. Enter the ils loc freq for rwy 35L 111.1 into your nav radios.

This is just one way of importing flight plans from external sources, into the g3000 and other Garmins.

Hope this helps.

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]226893[/ATTACH]

Thanks. But why create the plan in the World Map, save it and then load it into the G3000? Does that work better than just creating the plan in the map and then jumping into the plane, where it's already loaded by default?

HP Omen 25L Desktop, Intel i7-1070 CPU, 32 GB DDR RAM, Nvidia 3070 GPU, 1 TB SSD, Logitech flight yoke, throttle quadrant, rudder pedals, multi-panel, radio panel, TrackIR 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks. But why create the plan in the World Map, save it and then load it into the G3000? Does that work better than just creating the plan in the map and then jumping into the plane, where it's already loaded by default?

 

If I understand your question, I think if you save the plan to file, it becomes instantly available for future use in other Garmin panels to name a few:

Garmin GNS530 - Piper PA44 Seminole

Garmin G1000 - Diamond DA62

Garmin G3000 - TBM 930

RAM: Team T-Force 32GB CPU: RYZEN 7 3700X 8-Core 3.6 GHz (4.4 GHz Max Boost) Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 super C Drive: M.2 SSD 1.0tb CPU Air Cooler: DEEPCOOL GAMMAX GTE V2, PSU: Bronze 600W, Flight Stick: Thrustmaster T.16000M FCS, W10
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Once you've planned your flight using the world map, save it as example kwvi to ksmf. The path file will be located here:

C:\Users/nameAppData\Local\Packages/Microsoft.FlightSimulator_8wekyb3d8bbwe\localstate\kwvi ksmf.pln

This is just one way of importing flight plans from external sources, into the g3000 and other Garmins.

I can't figure out a way to save a flight plan in the World Map, other than to fly it, after which it's saved in my logbook, where I can click on any previously flown flight and fly the same route again. I looked for an option to create a plan and save it without doing all that, but I couldn't find one. What did I miss?

HP Omen 25L Desktop, Intel i7-1070 CPU, 32 GB DDR RAM, Nvidia 3070 GPU, 1 TB SSD, Logitech flight yoke, throttle quadrant, rudder pedals, multi-panel, radio panel, TrackIR 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I can't figure out a way to save a flight plan in the World Map

 

World Map flight plans are saved by title name of your choice, in a file location here:

C:\Users\name\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.FlightSimulator_8wekyb3d8bbwe\localstate\kwvi ksmf.pln

As noted in an earlier post, if you save the plan to file, it becomes instantly available for future use in other Garmin panels to name a few:

Garmin GNS530 - Piper PA44 Seminole

Garmin G1000 - Diamond DA62

Garmin G3000 - TBM 930

 

 

A few screen shots for reference:

 

LOAD-SAVE-SAVE.jpg

 

WORLD-SAVE-AS-KWVI-KSMF-a.jpg

RAM: Team T-Force 32GB CPU: RYZEN 7 3700X 8-Core 3.6 GHz (4.4 GHz Max Boost) Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 super C Drive: M.2 SSD 1.0tb CPU Air Cooler: DEEPCOOL GAMMAX GTE V2, PSU: Bronze 600W, Flight Stick: Thrustmaster T.16000M FCS, W10
Link to comment
Share on other sites

So I deleted Navigraph this afternoon because its plugin(s) seemed to be causing MSFS to crash. Deleting Navigraph and then restarting my computer got rid of the CTD issue, however ... there's a bit of Navigraph left that's pretty well messed up my World Map flight planning. I launched MSFS this evening to double-check that it was still running OK, which it was. To further check it, I tried to file a familiar, low-level IFR flight plan from Watsonville to Monterey, with an ILS approach to RWY 10L, which I've done multiple times. Instead of the flight plan I expected, MSFS generated a ridiculous out-of-the-way FP that I won't get into here. The point is the departure that I'd used before didn't result in the course it had generated previously, and to make matters more confusing there was no longer an option to select an ILS approach to RWY 10L at KMRY, only to RWY 10R. I recalled that when I subscribed to Navigraph (just yesterday), I'd downloaded a "navdata" file. That's the leftover bit that's evidently screwing things up. Now I have to get rid of it to revert to MSFS's "stock data." Turns out Navigraph subscribers can use a handy tool to do this, but because I canceled my subscription already, I now have to: (1) go into the community folder to delete the Navigraph-navdata file that's still in there; then (2) because I have the Steam version I have to go to c:\users\my name\roaming\microsoft flight simulator to delete a "content.xml" file still residing there. This is all according to Navigraph's instructions. I hope there's not more than one of those content.xml files. Also Navigraph didn't get the Steam file path right in its instructions, which is somewhat concerning.
HP Omen 25L Desktop, Intel i7-1070 CPU, 32 GB DDR RAM, Nvidia 3070 GPU, 1 TB SSD, Logitech flight yoke, throttle quadrant, rudder pedals, multi-panel, radio panel, TrackIR 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

World Map flight plans are saved by title name of your choice, in a file location here:

C:\Users\name\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.FlightSimulator_8wekyb3d8bbwe\localstate\kwvi ksmf.pln

As noted in an earlier post, if you save the plan to file, it becomes instantly available for future use in other Garmin panels to name a few:

Garmin GNS530 - Piper PA44 Seminole

Garmin G1000 - Diamond DA62

Garmin G3000 - TBM 930

 

 

A few screen shots for reference:

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]226898[/ATTACH]

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]226899[/ATTACH]

 

I think Navigraoh disappeared the World Map load/save function. I expect to see it restored (haven’t looked yet) now that I’ve deleted Navigraph and all its bits and pieces because it CTD’d MSFS.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

HP Omen 25L Desktop, Intel i7-1070 CPU, 32 GB DDR RAM, Nvidia 3070 GPU, 1 TB SSD, Logitech flight yoke, throttle quadrant, rudder pedals, multi-panel, radio panel, TrackIR 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...