nav or gps mode

With regards to the switch that changes between/ gps and nav - if you are in gps mode the autopilot will follow your gps course entered in when you hit NAV in the autopilot. However if you want to simply fly a heading the autopilot needs to be in heading mode. control h. (you may be in nav OR gps mode)If you switch the gps/ nav switch to NAV then it will take you to navaid you have set in your radio NAV1..(your vor or localizer/ils) ...when you hit NAV in the autopilot. Doing so will take you out of heading mode.

faust1200 wrote:

With regards to the switch that changes between/ gps and nav - if you are in gps mode the autopilot will follow your gps course entered in when you hit NAV in the autopilot. However if you want to simply fly a heading the autopilot needs to be in heading mode. control h. (you may be in nav OR gps mode)If you switch the gps/ nav switch to NAV then it will take you to navaid you have set in your radio NAV1..(your vor or localizer/ils) ...when you hit NAV in the autopilot. Doing so will take you out of heading mode.

Most of the time NAV is real world GPS is for boring direct routes or pushing the AP and forgeting about it. With NAV you have to monitor your distance to or from each VOR depending on if they are DME or not. You will also need to keep track of your flight plan so you know which VOR to tune to next and get it all set up when you activate the next VOR freq.

A typical flight for me from KPHL to KIAD in a Baron58 is KPHL DQO PPM EMI FDK KIAD.

The FDK VOR at KFDK is a non DME so I have to monitor on NAV2 my distance from EMI so I know when to start my turn towards KIAD. Most of the time though I can see so I know when I am passing over the KDFK airport to start my turn towards Dulles.