Selecting an approach trap

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   So I was doing some training and I flew to one airport to do a VOR approach, then to a second airport to do an RNAV approach (which I entered after the initial airport procedure). Then I started toward another airport and entered Direct to it.  But I decided to call it a day and head back to my primary/home airport.  I entered the waypoint of the home airport, at the bottom of the FMS list, but did not enter Direct, just flew the heading ATC gave me.  
When it cam e time to enter the approach for the home airport, I selected the home airport in the list and pressed PROC. A list of approaches appeared, and I selected the ILS 33.  When I started getting vectors for the approach, I noticed that the GPS was in APP mode but something didn't look right.  I got vectors for the "base leg" onto the ILS and noticed the ILS frequency was wrong.  I asked for vectors to get things sorted out.

I found that I had selected an approach at the third airport (it has the same runway numbers and approaches, so I didn't catch it).  I selected the home airport by pressing the airport in the FMS list and pressed PROC again only to see that the third airport came up again.  I tried to go Direct to the Home airport and it still didn't let me select the approaches at the home airport (that really confused me). 

I deleted the approach and the home airport waypoint and re-entered, this time pressing Direct to that airport, then I pressed PROC and this time the approaches came up.  

I think I had the impression that merely selecting the airport in the FMS list, that those approaches would come up if you press PROC.  That might be a a good alert to let the pilot know he has selecting an airport that is different from the one he selected (ie the one that he is navigating to).  I know the airport name appears at the top of the list but I just didn't catch it when I saw the same ILS 33 listed.

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cavu Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 17 Apr 2015 Location: KRME Status: Offline Points: 152	Post Options Post Reply Quote cavu Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Selecting an approach trap Posted: 21 Aug 2020 at 3:07pm
	So I was doing some training and I flew to one airport to do a VOR approach, then to a second airport to do an RNAV approach (which I entered after the initial airport procedure). Then I started toward another airport and entered Direct to it. But I decided to call it a day and head back to my primary/home airport. I entered the waypoint of the home airport, at the bottom of the FMS list, but did not enter Direct, just flew the heading ATC gave me. When it cam e time to enter the approach for the home airport, I selected the home airport in the list and pressed PROC. A list of approaches appeared, and I selected the ILS 33. When I started getting vectors for the approach, I noticed that the GPS was in APP mode but something didn't look right. I got vectors for the "base leg" onto the ILS and noticed the ILS frequency was wrong. I asked for vectors to get things sorted out. I found that I had selected an approach at the third airport (it has the same runway numbers and approaches, so I didn't catch it). I selected the home airport by pressing the airport in the FMS list and pressed PROC again only to see that the third airport came up again. I tried to go Direct to the Home airport and it still didn't let me select the approaches at the home airport (that really confused me). I deleted the approach and the home airport waypoint and re-entered, this time pressing Direct to that airport, then I pressed PROC and this time the approaches came up. I think I had the impression that merely selecting the airport in the FMS list, that those approaches would come up if you press PROC. That might be a a good alert to let the pilot know he has selecting an airport that is different from the one he selected (ie the one that he is navigating to). I know the airport name appears at the top of the list but I just didn't catch it when I saw the same ILS 33 listed.

dmtidler Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 12 Feb 2016 Location: USA Status: Offline Points: 628	Post Options Post Reply Quote dmtidler Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 22 Aug 2020 at 9:39am
	Interesting...it might be good on a round robin flight like that to list the origin airport additionally as the last waypoint in the flight plan. That way, the "origin" airport will automatically be listed on the first or successive pushes of the PROC button depending current active waypoint. This would eliminate having to make the origin airport the active waypoint to get it listed with the PROC button.

cavu Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 17 Apr 2015 Location: KRME Status: Offline Points: 152	Post Options Post Reply Quote cavu Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 23 Aug 2020 at 12:17pm
	Actually, I did add the home airport again at the end of the list. Maybe i'm not understanding your point.

dmtidler Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 12 Feb 2016 Location: USA Status: Offline Points: 628	Post Options Post Reply Quote dmtidler Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 23 Aug 2020 at 1:35pm
	Multiple pushes of the PROC button generally cycles through those non-origin airports in the active flight plan that have approach procedures. Only if the origin airport is the FMS active waypoint will the origin airport be included among those airports the PROC button cycles through. If the origin airport is also duplicated as a waypoint later in the active flight plan, then the duplicated instance of the origin airport should show up upon one or more pushes of the PROC button regardless of the FMS active waypoint. If all of the airports you intend to fly to are non-origin waypoints in the active flight plan including a planned return to the origin airport, just push the PROC as many times as necessary to cycle to the airport you wish to add or change an approach to. It shouldn’t be necessary to do any sort of pre-selection or direct-to in order to get the desired airport to show. If there is an unplanned return to the origin airport and an approach is required, then a direct-to the origin airport is one way to quickly allow an approach selection with the PROC button, adding the airport as a waypoint to the active flight plan would be another.

cavu Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 17 Apr 2015 Location: KRME Status: Offline Points: 152	Post Options Post Reply Quote cavu Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 24 Aug 2020 at 9:11am
	Thank you for this response. Edited by cavu - 24 Aug 2020 at 9:11am

dmtidler Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 12 Feb 2016 Location: USA Status: Offline Points: 628	Post Options Post Reply Quote dmtidler Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 24 Aug 2020 at 11:39am
	Hopefully it was helpful.