Hi there, if I selected the INS+GPS option in the PFB, if I just modify my GPS approaach will the auto pilot using the INS button follow the GPS approach procedure?

1 hour ago, YS0430 said:

Hi there, if I selected the INS+GPS option in the PFB, if I just modify my GPS approaach will the auto pilot using the INS button follow the GPS approach procedure?

No, for AP to follow the GPS on approach, one needs to select RADIO on the INS/RADIO button, AND select VOR not INS as well. Also, as is routine on the GNS530, select GPS or NAV on the GNS, as required for the type of approach. Good idea also to tune all 3 NAV radios to the frequency, if flying an ILS, LOC or VOR approach type.

19 hours ago, Nikita2024 said:

No, for AP to follow the GPS on approach, one needs to select RADIO on the INS/RADIO button, AND select VOR not INS as well. Also, as is routine on the GNS530, select GPS or NAV on the GNS, as required for the type of approach. Good idea also to tune all 3 NAV radios to the frequency, if flying an ILS, LOC or VOR approach type.

feels quite complicated to me 🙂

3 hours ago, YS0430 said:

feels quite complicated to me 🙂

This is a complicated model of a complex aircraft. Did you try using the GPS for an approach yet? How did it go for you?

On 5/7/2026 at 1:01 PM, Nikita2024 said:

No, for AP to follow the GPS on approach, one needs to select RADIO on the INS/RADIO button, AND select VOR not INS as well. Also, as is routine on the GNS530, select GPS or NAV on the GNS, as required for the type of approach. Good idea also to tune all 3 NAV radios to the frequency, if flying an ILS, LOC or VOR approach type.

Wait a sec. If this is true, then how does one change from GPS enroute NAV to an ILS approach if BOTH use the "radio" selection? How does it know whether to follow the nav radios or the GPS? How would it know when to switch from one to the other just by changing from "VOR" to "LOC"? What displays on the HSI when both a tuned VOR AND a GPS route are loaded? Which distance and time values are displayed?

Edited yesterday at 05:23 PM1 day by Joshua Green

1 hour ago, Joshua Green said:

Wait a sec. If this is true, then how does one change from GPS enroute NAV to an ILS approach if BOTH use the "radio" selection? How does it know whether to follow the nav radios or the GPS? How would it know when to switch from one to the other just by changing from "VOR" to "LOC"? What displays on the HSI when both a tuned VOR AND a GPS route are loaded? Which distance and time values are displayed?

Let's back up a bit. To navigate using the GNS530, one has to select RADIO and VOR in the AFCS. Then to navigate by GPS, press CDI on the GNS530 to select GPS.

To navigate by VOR, LOC or ILS; press CDI on the GNS530 to select VLOC. This is the same thing as pressing GPS/NAV in MSFS, but put that aside for the L-1011.

For example: I'm navigating by INS enroute through a standard arrival (STAR). Near the last STAR waypoints, I want to switch over to the GNS530 for the approach procedure. I switch from INS to RADIO, select VOR, and navigate by GPS along the approach procedure until time to intercept the ILS (or LOC or VOR depending on the procedure). Then I need to press CDI on the GNS530 to select VLOC. (What I and many others have been doing is to tune the ILS to all 3 radios: Nav 1, GNS530, and Nav 2.). Now the GNS530 in VLOC mode is "in tune" with the aircraft, and I can now select ILS on the AFCS. This is a lot of switch work, but if done in sequence, it will work (with patience).

Now the HSI is another matter altogether, and there is a thread around here for that. Long story short, the distance on the HSI, as I recall, only display from the INS. Look up that other thread to make sure.

The photos below are not from the TriStar model, but the GNS530 is the same WT model in many MSFS aircraft models, so it works the same as in other planes.

Make sense?

Edited yesterday at 07:05 PM1 day by Nikita2024

Actually I am still deciding to buy the plane or not, somehow I love a trijet but the tfdi seems more refined at the meantime and with a fms I am more familiar with. I still struggles to find a tutorial on how to do a given approach like syncing the rnav approaches on PARO

13 hours ago, Nikita2024 said:

Let's back up a bit. To navigate using the GNS530, one has to select RADIO and VOR in the AFCS. Then to navigate by GPS, press CDI on the GNS530 to select GPS.

To navigate by VOR, LOC or ILS; press CDI on the GNS530 to select VLOC. This is the same thing as pressing GPS/NAV in MSFS, but put that aside for the L-1011.

For example: I'm navigating by INS enroute through a standard arrival (STAR). Near the last STAR waypoints, I want to switch over to the GNS530 for the approach procedure. I switch from INS to RADIO, select VOR, and navigate by GPS along the approach procedure until time to intercept the ILS (or LOC or VOR depending on the procedure). Then I need to press CDI on the GNS530 to select VLOC. (What I and many others have been doing is to tune the ILS to all 3 radios: Nav 1, GNS530, and Nav 2.). Now the GNS530 in VLOC mode is "in tune" with the aircraft, and I can now select ILS on the AFCS. This is a lot of switch work, but if done in sequence, it will work (with patience).

Now the HSI is another matter altogether, and there is a thread around here for that. Long story short, the distance on the HSI, as I recall, only display from the INS. Look up that other thread to make sure.

The photos below are not from the TriStar model, but the GNS530 is the same WT model in many MSFS aircraft models, so it works the same as in other planes.

Make sense?

Let me study this a bit. This sounds enjoyably complicated compared to more modern planes. May I ask how’s your feel on hand flying it? I think this is likely quite far from a study level?

3 hours ago, YS0430 said:

Let me study this a bit. This sounds enjoyably complicated compared to more modern planes. May I ask how’s your feel on hand flying it? I think this is likely quite far from a study level?

I am satisfied so far with hand flying using my TM Boeing TCA yoke. This model is near study level in the sense that if one does not take the time to understand how the legacy systems are modeled, one will have a tough time managing a complete flight. This model is short of study level so that many different sim pilots across different systems can find a way to enjoy it, in my opinion. Let us know if and when you decide to buy it for yourself. Please on what platform do you fly in MSFS 2024? Cheers!

16 minutes ago, Nikita2024 said:

I am satisfied so far with hand flying using my TM Boeing TCA yoke. This model is near study level in the sense that if one does not take the time to understand how the legacy systems are modeled, one will have a tough time managing a complete flight. This model is short of study level so that many different sim pilots across different systems can find a way to enjoy it, in my opinion. Let us know if and when you decide to buy it for yourself. Please on what platform do you fly in MSFS 2024? Cheers!

Yes I am flying on FS24 since release, and mainly flew the ini A350 and the Fenix A321, I love how the A350 model feels but it kind of lacks the immersion the Fenix gave me, so I was like holding on to buy the Tristar or not in some sense. And for some reason I can't find it in the inistore app, so it kind of decided for me lol