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I noticed sometimes when I fly with a G1000, or Garmin 430 and am doing multiple practice approaches I can't always load my next approach. It forces allows me to activate the approach, which would sequence me to the IAF of the next approach, and sometimes I may not be cleared to or ready for that.
Why is activate the only option?
How do you get around this?
If you take a look at the manual for the 430 you will see that you can only load one approach at a time.
Turn the large right knob to highlight ‘Load?’ or ‘Activate?’ (approaches only) and press the ENT Key. (‘Load?’ adds the procedure to the flight plan without immediately using it for navigation guidance. This allows the pilot to continue navigating the original flight plan, but keeps the procedure available on the Active Flight Plan Page for quick activation when needed.)
The 430 only allows one approach to be loaded then subsequently activate because this is the flow of a general IFR flight and the approach is not technically in the flight plan (its just "primed"). You should know the most likely approach based on winds and weather before even departing. Once en-route you may get assigned a different one but either way you can load the likely approach en-route. If you know your transition point you can even select that as your approach start. If you are unsure, VTF (Vectors To Final) is generally safe with a change when needed. Since the approach is somewhat side loaded and not in the actual flight plan, activating it will defeat all other navigation and take you to the chosen IAF (or nearest leg for VTF).
The other reason that the unit is built this way is approaches rarely follow each other in quick succession. There is often a hold in between or possibly more en-route flight, which is why the suspend button is there (and important for missed approaches).
You are likely missing some of the procedural work that occurs on a real IFR flight. Sims are fun to just hop from field to field flying the ILS but that is not the reality of an IFR flight plan so the hardware is not designed for that.
If you are flying X-Plane or the like and using the mouse to tune the G430 then the apparent programming time is much slower than reality as well. I would advise checking out something like this and you will see how much quicker you can really program a 430 when you have tactile knobs.
Here are some thoughts.
If neither of these work, see if you can provide specific examples of approaches that do and don't work properly.
Yes, both allow you to “LOAD” an approach without “ACTIVATE”-ing it. Slow down for just a moment when plugging in the approach. Or, better yet, practice doing it in a AADT or higher sim or on the ground until it is muscle memory.
Try finding Max Trescott’s G1000 book.
