Can you program in a radial off of a VOR to use as a GPS course?

For example, say your cleared from your present position to intercept a given
radial inbound. Up to this point you've been flying direct, or flying a set of
GPS waypoints. You're navigating off of GPS, not VOR. When this happens to
me, I always have to dial in the VOR freq. on the Garmin, set the OBS to the
proper radial and then switch the GPS from GPS navigation to VOR navigation.
In this situation, it's not too much of a problem and doesn't really bother me.
However, when I'm issued an IFR clearance that includes an outbound radial on
one VOR to an inbound radial on the next VOR it would be nice to be able to
program those into the flight plan. I haven't read anything about it the
manual and didn't think it was even possible until I read an earlier post about
a guy programming his flight plan into his Garmin after an unusual IFR
clearance (using radials).

Another similar question. Lets assume your being radar vectored on departure,
departure instructs you to intercept an airway to resume your own navigation.
What's the best way to intercept an airway with a 430? I've been having to
lookup the radial for the airway on the nearby VOR and then enter into the
Garmin to track inbound using VOR mode. It seems to me you could easily enter
the two VOR's or nav points that define the airway and have the Garmin create a
route overlying the airway. If you try this, you end up with a route from your
present position to the first VOR and then to the second VOR. You don't end
up with a route to intercept the airway between the two VOR's. You could fly a
manual course using GPS mode and when you think your on the airway (by looking
at the display on the Garmin) you could hit direct to the second VOR. Doesn't
seem ideal. There's got to be a better way to do it?


Steve:
Me thinks you have not really learned the software or the benefit of flight
plans. If you were told to fly the XYZ vor 180 radial inbound, thence join V123
as filed. What would be wrong with having the airway in your flight plan,
select the XYZ vor as your current waypoint either thru the flight plan page or
the FPL box after you press DIRECT. Then move the cursor down to the course box
and dial in 360. You're done. You have defined a 360 course line to the XYZ
vor, then resume the flight plan.

In your second problem (or misunderstanding) I would suggest bring the cursor
down to the waypoint you want on the flight plan, press DIRECT twice which
tells the Garmin 400/500 series that you want to fly the leg XYZ-ABC. Again
problem solved.

What instructor did your training on the Garmin 400/500 series? That would be
my question. I think you have not been taught the concept of using the DIRECT
button to define course lines nor how to activate selected legs on your flight
plan. A very convenient feature to master if you are doing GPS approaches.

I would strongly suggest that you evaluate the quality of your training on the
Garmin 400/500 series.


paul k. sanchez, cfii-mei
on eagles’ wings
2011 south perimeter road, suite g
fort lauderdale, florida 33309-7135
305-389-1742 wireless
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954-965-8329 home/fax