Reality XP GNS 430 or 530?

[Cessflyer]

Hi,
I am considering buying one of the Reality GPS instruments for my Cessna 172. I am considering the 430. Any kind soul have any opinions on which one to buy?

[Great Ozzie]

With respect to the units themselves, it's kind of like as with monitors; I like having more screen real estate.

The 530, the first NAV page has the Nav info on a map; the 430 does not have the map behind the Nav info. So I prefer the 530 from that standpoint. Both do have a map on the next page. You can see what I mean i.e. what the pages look like by downloading the manuals from Garmin (info below).

One thing that has prevented me from using these units more... landing at an airport, and having (what seems is a bug) the terrain warning fussing at me that I am "Too Low". Drives me absolutely nuts... to the point where I shut the whole unit off. You can go to the TAWS page and select INHIBIT Terrain (not easy in flight - and seems not to be persistent i.e. the warning can mysteriously reactivate later). Wouldn't mind just the visual terrain warning during landing / takeoff if just the audio could be disabled. TAWS can be disabled in the Reality ini file, so I am playing around now with those settings.

The 430 appears to be half the height of the 530 - both look good in the 172s panel.

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Manual download @ https://support.garmin.com/support/manu ... fresh=true Then make the following selections:

Market: In the Air
Subcategory: Discontinued
Product: 430s/530s (you'll see them in the list)
Product version: Appliance data

[Oliver Branaschky]

I, too, am thinking about buying one of those, but can you guys even recommend buying it at all? I believe I've heard that there's no support whatsoever and that the dev even was AWOL...

Also, can you actually fly some sort of RNAV approach with it? Can you update the AIRAC database? (Navigraph?)

I'm asking because here in Germany your aircraft has to be GPS equipped in order to fly IFR legally. I would refrain from spending more money if I cannot use the product the way you can in the real world.

Looking forward to hearing your opinions.


Viele Grüße/Best regards
Oliver

Oliver Branaschky

[Tim-HH]

As mentioned, the RealityXP developer has vanished. So one can't expect any kind of official support anymore. Which I think is quite a problem for a $50 addon.

But there is a great alternative: Flight1's GTN 650 and 750. The Garmin GTN series is the succesor of the GNS series and it's much more powerful and easier to use.

The only downside right now is the fact that there is no option to integrate them into the VC of the C172 or the PA-28. So for now one has to live with a 2D popup. But as A2A has already indicated that their next Accusim release will fully support the GTN units, I have high hopes that they will then retrofit it into the C172 and PA-28.

However, both - RealityXP and Flight1 - are based on the respective Garmin trainer software. So I would recommend to download and install both trainers: 400W/500W Series Trainer | GTN PC Trainer

That makes it quite easy to compare both series and also the different versions

Greetings
Tim

[Nick - A2A]

Which I think is quite a problem for a $50 addon.

Yes, I'd be tempted to take a punt at the old Reality XP GNS unit - even after all these years - if the price had been reduced at some point based on its vintage and the lack of support. I might seriously consider the Flight1 GTN one of these days though. All the posts imploring A2A to add GTN support to the C172 and Cherokee suggest it must be pretty good...

A quick question for Rob, Tim or any other GNS or GTN users: what sort of a frame-rate hit do these avionics incur with the Garmin trainer running in the background?

Thanks,
Nick

[Great Ozzie]

Just to add a bit more... the subject has come up here (as Tim-HH has alluded to). One thread where there was some discussion: Considering RXP GNS 430W, any input?. The one "upside" with the Reality XP units is they are "good to go" just as they are.

As far as some of your other questions, Oliver, there is an (unofficial) forum at SimForums for the Reality XP. The subject of the database recently came up as you can see in this 530/430 LPV Trouble thread.

As far as I would refrain from spending more money if I cannot use the product the way you can in the real world. I have never flown a GPS approach RW, however, I do download and use the FAA approach charts to fly GPS approaches with the 530 from time to time. Maybe someone with some RW experience could comment. The database to me is the biggest issue, but I just reference a downloadable FAA .xlsx that has the initial publication date for e.g. an LPV approach, then pick one. So far that works well. The database I currently use came from someone who posted it here at A2A.

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Nick... I cannot say I have ever noticed any frame hit w/ the Reality units. For me, the TAWS nag was an issue (I seemed to have resolved by shutting it off in the .ini). The other issue is just pure laziness. I like using the FSX flight planner from time to time on long flights. Even for something simple as having an "FAF" or a point 5 miles or so off the approach end so I know to be there at a certain altitude / speed. Plan, load, go. Simple. The FSX GPS you can actually use the keyboard to type in the airport name. With the XP unit you have to dial in the airport, pull up an approach, etc. In other words, act like you are really flying.

Something to think about as there are other options now - and they seem like good ones.

[Nick - A2A]

Thanks Rob. I guess it's time I tried out the Garmin trainer for these add-ons. I've never really felt the need for a high-fidelity GPS sim before as I usually tend to make rather short forays into FSX so will quite often just fly a few circuits or a quick cross-country using VORs/NDSs.

However, I think learning a bit more about GPS approaches in particular is long overdue in my rather erratic progress through the FS world...

Cheers,
Nick

[Oracle427]

Be careful if expecting to fly real world GPS approaches in FSX. The updates do not add or amend procedures at airports add those can only be updated by replacing the individual airport scenery data files.

I know that some aftermarket GPS maintain their own nav database allowing one to load current procedures.

Without the current procedures, the only and not legal way to simulate this is to manually add the approach waypoints into a flight plan after updating the intersections in FSX.

As a result I do not fly many GPS approaches in FSX add they do not exist in the sim or they have been changed since the Sim was released.

[Great Ozzie]

As a result I do not fly many GPS approaches in FSX add they do not exist in the sim or they have been changed since the Sim was released.

Ok, I do try to get a plate that matches what I see in the Database. For example, the current RNAV (GPS) RWY 10 at Lafayette / Purdue Univ. seems to be what is in the database (same IAFs, same FAF, MAP, same holding radial etc). That is all fine and good. But if it didn't, I am more concerned with: can I fly the approach in the sim as I would RW. That's my "big thing".

For example, I learn to fly precisely the ILS RWY 10 approach at Purdue, I know what I need to know to fly an ILS anywhere (well, basically ). So if I were to use the Reality 530, are the steps / procedures going to be similar enough, so that if I do fly a GPS approach "here" in the sim (and this my question) will I be able to go "there" RW (current database & current chart) and use the same (or at least similar) steps / procedures with an actual Garmin 530w.

That to me is where FSX can be beneficial. Is what I do in the sim... can it translate (in a useful, training sense) to what I would do RW. The currency with any procedure... or runway environment for that matter being out of date (the runway number changing / the actual number of runways changing) that I can live with. I can dig out (I think ) an old IAP pub with the KLAF NDB RWY 10 approach (now cancelled). Cannot use it RW... but it is useful for training purposes for flying an NDB approach.

-Rob

[Oracle427]

I'm on the same wavelength with you Rob. I just want to warn anyone that thinks they will be able to update the sim to allow them to fly RW current approaches.

You can get the same training value with different approaches. How to you find old plates?

[Great Ozzie]

I'm on the same wavelength with you Rob. I just want to warn anyone that thinks they will be able to update the sim to allow them to fly RW current approaches.

Yes sir, that was understood. Exactly right tho... that is a concern. (sry, maybe my explanation a bit verbose... a inherit weakness ).

I do not have a source for old charts, other than what is scattered around the house. But I think it is possible - thought I found some source a while back, but it has been some time (don't really remember).

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Edit:

Here Oracle, check this (govt. charts)

https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/flight_ ... v/faq/#q2b

[Tim-HH]

Hi Nick,

A quick question for Rob, Tim or any other GNS or GTN users: what sort of a frame-rate hit do these avionics incur with the Garmin trainer running in the background?

I haven't noticed an impact on the frames with the GTN units

Greetings
Tim

[Nick - A2A]

Thanks chaps for the heads-up. I'm not too concerned about specific procedures I'd fly in the sim matching their current, real-world counterparts. I'd be content to learn more about realistic GPS approach procedures, even if they're based on nav. data from when FSX was coded. (Not sure if this is a contradiction in terms though; for instance, were LPV approaches commonplace when FSX was developed?)

I haven't noticed an impact on the frames with the GTN units

Thanks Tim. Seems a bit ludicrous that these are priced the same as the old RXP product which you'd think would be in the 'bargain bin' by now! Can't recall if Flight 1 was originally a vendor for the RXP GNS units but have stopped selling them. I'm pretty sure I bought the RXP 'Flightline' gauges from F1.

Cheers,
Nick

[Cessflyer]

Thanks to everyone for their helpful advice.

[ryanbatc]

Thanks chaps for the heads-up. I'm not too concerned about specific procedures I'd fly in the sim matching their current, real-world counterparts. I'd be content to learn more about realistic GPS approach procedures, even if they're based on nav. data from when FSX was coded. (Not sure if this is a contradiction in terms though; for instance, were LPV approaches commonplace when FSX was developed?)

I haven't noticed an impact on the frames with the GTN units

Thanks Tim. Seems a bit ludicrous that these are priced the same as the old RXP product which you'd think would be in the 'bargain bin' by now! Can't recall if Flight 1 was originally a vendor for the RXP GNS units but have stopped selling them. I'm pretty sure I bought the RXP 'Flightline' gauges from F1.

Cheers,
Nick

RXP always had the F1 wrapper. I don't think F1 sells them directly from their store. The RXP page is still there though.

LPV approaches weren't commonplace when FSX came out. In fact GPS approaches were semi new around that time. When I started air traffic in 2007, GPS was a relatively new term to the people where I work (small tower/tracon). Now you'll really see them at small airports, rural GA airports that never had a NDB or VOR (much less ILS) - they can easily have an RNAV (GPS) approach nowadays.

As for the GTN 750 - well I'm really starting to enjoy it. There's one feature I miss from the 530W - VOR tuned to NAV1 shows on the map page with radial and DME. Someone said over at F1 forums that Garmin forgot this feature and will include it in a new hardware update. Probably means the GTN trainer won't get it though... Anyway other than that - yeah it's far better than 530. The best feature is ability to add airways via connecting fixes etc... fairly intuitive. VNav planning works great. I do notice a slight perf drop with two 750's in the PC12 but that's just my "old" 2500k 4GHz probably along with GTX570 in P3D. The downside of the GTN is updating all the nav sources. I've got fairly current navdata (anyone feel free to PM me if you want it) but no great way to update terrain, charts, safe taxi data, etc. (Unless you want to spend a ton of money).

As more developers integrate it it will be commonplace imho as the goto addon GNS. Alabeo is adding it in their upcoming Saratoga TC. Realair is putting it in their T Duke v2 along with updated Legacy/Duke v2 piston for P3D/FSX.

I'd recommend downloading the GTN trainer to see if you like it. It seems smoother in the sim imho.
http://www8.garmin.com/support/download ... sp?id=5380