Operating the Flight Line 530 XP GPSS (autopilot coupling) is really easy:

I've found that having a mouse with a wheel makes inputting flight plans much easier. You can hover the center of the right knob and use your mouse wheel to scroll through the characters much faster than clicking. This works for changing radio frequencies also.

For generating flight plans, I use FSNav 4.5. Run it in undocked mode and show the "Plan" tab with your waypoints. Put FSNav window next to the 530 and you'll get your flight plan entered pretty quickly.

Last night while creating a flight plan, I was sitting on the runway in the C421 with the battery running. After getting the flight plan in, I went to startup and no joy. The battery had gone flat. If you don't have FSUIPC setup to always provide power, don't turn on the batteries or avionics when entering large flight plans. To correct, I just reloaded the plane and got a fresh set of batteries.

If anyone wants the real User Manual for the Garmin 530 it can be purchased at the Garmin web site for about $8 US. It is over 200 pages and spiral bound. It is well worth the price and is very easy to use. The only problem is, I don't think they will ship them out of the US.

If you want, you can also take a copy of the PFD to some copy stations and see if they are setup to make copies. It is much easier to learn all the features when you have a manual in your lap as opposed to on the screen. I got this idea from a major web site.

Here is the address for the Garmin User Manual.

Tired of imputing your waypoint information into the Garmin when your ready to take off?

Then open up the Garmin from the Start menu before you start Flight Simulator and inpute and save your flight plan there. Then it will be ready for you when your ready to fly. You could use FSBuild or Nav31 and have all of your completed fight plans in the Garmin ready when you are without ever starting Flight Simulator

You can also adjust all of your settings and functions there and imagine this.

"Its a great training tool !"

Some of you may have noticed the absence of a cumulative Estimated Time of Arrival while looking at the FPL page... It took me awhile, but I found that you can hit the MENU button (while in the FPL page), scroll down near the bottom and you will find that you can change the data fields listed to the right of the waypoints...

Panning to check entry of route before flying

The panning feature works really well...when you have the map up...use the click feature on the small knob on the lower right...you have to hold it for about 2 seconds and then you will get a new header on the map at the top and now using the big and little knobs on the right you can scroll around your map...change the range...put the cursor in the new position and change the range again and you can zoom in and check your input route...this is beautifully implemented and a great feature for checking those plans before you fly.

I would like to suggest to those of you having problems figuring out the GNS530 to consider buying from Garmin's website, not the full blown manual, but the Quick Reference Guide. I purchased both, but I don't think I've ever needed to use the full 200+ page manual. On the other hand, the Quick Reference Guide has been invaluable.

Together, they only cost about $12 (plus $6 shipping), so you might as well get both, but I bet most people will find the quick guide to be all you need.

Hi,

Here is the link for the Pilot's guide to the Garmin 530. If you download it off the site it is free.