Any chance we can get a video or step by step on how to setup and follow a simple ILS approach?
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I've been trying to figure out automatic approaches in Starship and I'm a bit stumped. Any chance we could get a short video or step-by-step explanation on how to load and follow a simple ILS approach and follow the GS, whatever the maximum automation is? If you use the GNS 430 is the autopilot supposed to glide you down or just guide you horizontal? I could not get either to work actually, I had my approach loaded in the GNS, source was FMS/GNSS. Perhaps I didn't activate the approach, I'm not sure sure if hitting APP on the panel does it or if you have to activate somewhere in the GNS (which I'm unfamiliar with). I did read the manual but clearly I'll have to re-read it a few times if the answer is there (bear in mind I don't have any formal training in aviation so I need it simple
I've been trying short flights so far with only one waypoint and then an approach, and I found that at some point the autopilot does not take me to subsequent waypoints anymore even though source is FMS and the whole flight plan appears on the MFD, I had to resort to HDG mode. Auto Leg enabled, next waypoint was purple and I was heading towards it close to the purple line. I could not see what was different from when it would take me successfully to the first non-approach waypoint, I didn't change anything. If load an approach with a transition, is it able to follow all the waypoints including the transition?
Same question for RNAV, what is the maximum level of automation for an RNAV approach and how do you load it exactly what are the gotchas that could cause the autopilot to stop taking you to the next waypoint. If vertical guidance is never provided, are you supposed to manually put in all the altitudes in the VNAV page for the approach or just take care of the altitude manually? What do real Starship pilots do for vertical guidance?
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I have to head out momentarily, but I wanted to give you a quick answer, since these are such good questions.
Starship in its original form has no vertical guidance except for an ILS. In order for the autopilot to follow the glide slope indicator from an ILS, you select a VOR/LOC navigation source, and then press the "APPR" autopilot button.
When flying with FMS as the active NAV source, Starship in its original form has no vertical guidance, so you must do each altitude step-down manually. This is an "LNAV" approach.
This is one of the advantages of having the optional GNS, and my most intended use for it. Lower minimums are available to pilots using a coupled "LPV" GPS approach, rather than the "LNAV" only approach. With the approach activated in the GNS, the autopilot will follow the glideslope indicator generated by the GNS, so long as you have selected GNS as the active NAV source, and you press the "APPR" autopilot button.
MSFS tends to be a little finicky with autopilot capture of glideslopes, so I recommend pressing the "APPR" button only when you are at glideslope intercept. This isn't strictly necessary, but I've never seen it miss a glideslope capture using this method.
Again, always feel free to share any of this with the folks on the official forums. Always happy to help anyone!
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So to dumb it down / make it clear for a noob:
- Vertical guidance (following the glideslope) is possible without using the GNS, and you must select VOR 1/2 as the source, have the ILS freq tuned for that VOR, and catch the GS at the correct altitude/distance
- When FMS is the source, it will follow the LOC but not the GS, no vertical guidance
- When using FMS as the source, AND “GNS” green, AND the approach is activated in the GNS 430, AND the APPR autopilot button selected, Starship should follow the glideslope. For this case, does lateral guidance also come from the GNS 430 or only the vertical? Do you need to make sure every single waypoint matches exactly between GNS and FMS or bad things happen? If in this scenario (FMS with GNS green) it’s following the GNS for lateral and slope, do you even need to put in the full flight plan into the old FMS? I think you mention in the manual that the GNS 430 is meat to be used only for approaches, so is there major drawbacks to relying on it for the full flight plan?
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Point one and two are 100% correct.
Luckily, using the GNS is not nearly so tricky. The GNS will take over the lateral and vertical guidance, and ignore everything happening with the FMS. You can continue to edit and view your flight plan in the FMS, and neither one should interfere with the other. When you want to return to flying the FMS route, just deactivate the GNS as the active nav source, and the autopilot will start flying back to the FMS course.
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Can u confirm which APPR button must u press (RNAV)? When I switch to GNS, AP disconects and have to activate it back, but then AP buttons don’t work anymore and can’t hit APPR. I want to check if it works using the cockpit one, since noticed AP lights were on there. The whole RNAV method is not clear to me in the starship.
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Yes, I'm referring to the APPR button on the autopilot Mode Control Panel (MCP). If the lights are not working, it might be the occasional fluke with the Working Title GNS's hot-swapping system. I've noticed it is the least stable of the major GPS units in flight sim. Try just toggling the GNS on and off again using the AP NAV SRC option on the CDU.
Let me know if you have any more questions about navigation with Starship. There really aren't any major tricks, so you might be overthinking it, as I have seen with some other posters. Always happy to help!
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Hi, I managed to do it but I had issues. I copy what I wrote on other forum.
So, after trying several times, here my findings:
1) Switch immediately to GNS and not during the flight or u will have issues. 2) Do not introduce anything in the Garmin unit until u switch otherwise all data will be lost. 3) U have to introduce the FP in the Garmin unit also. Do NOT use AP transfer button or u wont be able to select GPS on the Garmin unit. (honestly I dont know what it does since I did everything without it) 4) The plane will fly the FP with the Garmin unit. U have to select the HDG or NAV button but NAV will obey the Garmin unit. U can use the AP for ascent and descent (vertical movement: IAS-VS-DES). Activate the Approach button on the AP and it will do the final descent.I believe there are several bugs since I had a lot of issues.
It works, but I would say ILS is much simpler and at the moment without bugs.I will take into account waht u said and switch multiple times but check that the Garmin data is lost. Also sometimes if u click some options in the Garmin unit (for example I activated the fields and FP was gone), the data is lost.
The PLANE is phenomenal by the way!!!! So congrats !!!
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You will see my response in the other thread, but what happens on the WT GNS in terms of what buttons you press should be identical to any other aircraft, as all I do is import the WT GNS, just as any other aircraft.
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Is it OK to setup your flight in the MSFS 2024 flight planner and then do "Send to ATC and Avionics"? Or do you need to enter manually in the FMS and then the GNS (if you want RNAV)? Does either or both of them have any issues getting flights from the MSFS flight planner?
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So I tried a flight today, and it was never putting anything into the GNS 430.
If I do "Send to ATC and Avionics" before starting the flight, it would send it to the FMS flight plan.
If I do "Send to ATC and Avionics" after I start the flight, it would never update the FMS, it doesn't seem to do anything. The flight has to be entered manually.
Following waypoints seems to be hit and miss for me, I can't figure out why sometimes it follows the flight plan and sometimes it doesn't. On the upside I managed to do my first ILS landing, following the GS, using only the FMS. Loading the approach from the FMS got me the wrong ILS frequency though, for CYGK it loaded 111.9 instead of 111.3.
