G1000 - SUSP key

[olasek]

In Trescott's G1000 book on page 180 (3-rd edition) in the section on Flying an ILS Approach with Holding pattern under Own Navigation I found the following sentence:

Note that during the turn inbound, auto-sequencing resumed, the HSI no longer displays SUSP and the SUSP softkey is gone.

However just below that regarding the same approach he writes this:

If ATC had directed your to hold at VOVRY, you would have needed to press the SUSP key each time you approached VOVRY, so that G1000 wouldn't auto-sequence to the next leg of the approach.

I don't have a G1000 simulator quite yet to test this behavior but just reading the above sentences I see a contradiction. How can you keep pressing the SUSP (when needed) as suggested in the second sentence if apparently the SUSP key is gone - per the former sentence.

Anyone can shed some light on this?

 

[TangoWhiskey]

I have the G1000 sim (relatively recent version 8.01 for Cessna aircraft), and version 1 of Trescott's book (it has the same text you described, on page 172).

He says "As you reach VOVRY, auto-sequencing is suspended, SUSP is displayed on the HSI and the SUSP softkey appears."

It didn't do that for me in the sim (see screenshots attached). I loaded the approach with VOVRY as the IAF, then placed myself over BVO to fly the 044-degree 3000' feeder route from Bartlesville. As I approached VOVRY, the SUSP softkey DID appear, and the G1000 annunciated the upcoming "turn right" to heading 175 for the hold, but SUSP did NOT appear automatically on the HSI as described in the text. Looks like the G1000 intended to properly send me one time around the hold then autosequence to JEFFE (faf).

To test the need for an additional turn in the hold, I pressed the SUSP softkey before getting back to VOVRY. Now, the SUSP annunciation DID appear on the HSI, and the G1000 directed me through another turn around the hold. Only once I pressed the SUSP softkey again, and SUSP was not annunciated on the HSI, did it continue auto-sequencing me to JEFFE.

This is intuitive, and as I'd expect it to behave. Max watches this board and I'm sure he'll update his excellent text.

Hover over the thumbnails for descriptive names of where in the approach I was.

 

[John Collins]

In a hold where you have a choice of continuing in the hold or just going one circuit such as the hold in lieu of a procedure turn, there are two states to the SUSP soft key, one will continue holding, the other will continue with the approach sequence. You can toggle back and forth between them when SUSP is on by pressing the soft key under the SUSP label. The SUSP characters will be displayed in white on a black background if the aircraft is going to sequence to the next leg of the approach or will be black on a gray background if it will remain in the hold.

The SUSP will not come on until you pass the hold fix on the hold entry. It will come on with white on black, indicating that it will auto sequence onto the approach. The net effect is that it will only go around the hold once unless you take an action. If you press the button under the SUSP, it will toggle to black on gray and will stay in the hold until you take another action. When you want the aircraft to proceed with the approach on the next crossing of the hold fix, you press the SUSP button and the label switches back to white on black. As soon as you pass the hold fix inbound, SUSP extinguishes.

 

[TangoWhiskey]

In a hold where you have a choice of continuing in the hold or just going one circuit such as the hold in lieu of a procedure turn, there are two states to the SUSP soft key, one will continue holding, the other will continue with the approach sequence. You can toggle back and forth between them when SUSP is on by pressing the soft key under the SUSP label. The SUSP characters will be displayed in white on a black background if the aircraft is going to sequence to the next leg of the approach or will be black on a gray background if it will remain in the hold.

The SUSP will not come on until you pass the hold fix on the hold entry. It will come on with white on black, indicating that it will auto sequence onto the approach. The net effect is that it will only go around the hold once unless you take an action. If you press the button under the SUSP, it will toggle to black on gray and will stay in the hold until you take another action. When you want the aircraft to proceed with the approach on the next crossing of the hold fix, you press the SUSP button and the label switches back to white on black. As soon as you pass the hold fix inbound, SUSP extinguishes.

Good explanation, and it matches what I saw on the simulator this morning. I would add that in addition to the 'black on gray' SUSP softkey state, you'll also see "SUSP" in magenta (if on GPS nav) in the HSI plan view, as shown in picture 3 above.

I like this behavior, because I only have to decide once -- during that first time around the hold -- whether I want to remain in it, and the next action I need to take with the SUSP softkey is when I choose to leave the hold. That's an easier workload than having to press SUSP each time around the hold to remain in it, as was described in the OP's second quote.

 

[olasek]

Thanks fellow captains, excellent info...

 

[MaxTrescott]

Thanks to everyone who posted. Your timing is perfect; changes for the fourth edition should go to typesetting tomorrow. Here's what the fourth edition will say:
"After timing outbound for a minute, make a right turn back to approximately 355° to intercept the localizer inbound. Press the APR key to set the approach mode on the autopilot to track the inbound course. If ATC directed you to hold at VOVRY, press the SUSP key before VOVRY, so that the G1000 won’t auto-sequence to the next leg of the approach. Press the softkey again when finished holding.
"Approaching VOVRY, “NEXT DTK 355° is displayed and the CDI will switch to NAV1 (figure 11-28), assuming the ILS CDI Capture function on the System Setup page is set for “AUTO.” Alternatively, you can manually select NAV1 using the CDI key. Remember that after the CDI is switched manually or automatically, the autopilot will revert to ROL mode and you will need to engage the approach mode. Since this is an ILS approach, check to see that the autopilot’s GS (glide slope) mode is armed.
"Inside VOVRY, you can descend to the next lower altitude published on the instrument approach chart. Note that auto-sequencing resumed, the HSI no longer displays SUSP and the SUSP softkey is gone. As you approach JEFFE the green diamond-shaped glide slope indicator gradually moves down toward the center of the glide slope indicator."

You're welcome to cut and paste this into your older books! Or wait until early October to buy a 4th edition which includes more than a hundred changes! Thanks again to everyone on the board here for your help!
Cheers,
Max

 

[John Collins]

If the hold in lieu of a procedure turn is required, it will be in the procedure. In some cases, you may get a clearance direct to an IF, cleared straight in ... where the IF waypoint is also the intersection for the hold. With this clearance, you are not expected to go around the hold once, but regardless the G1000 will take you around the one time. An easy way to handle this situation (not the only way) is to go to the flightplan, turn on the cursor and move it to the hold, press CLR and ENT, and the hold is gone.

 

[olasek]

"After timing outbound for a minute, make a right turn back to approximately 355° to intercept the localizer inbound. Press the APR key to set the approach mode on the autopilot to track the inbound course. If ATC directed you to hold at VOVRY, press the SUSP key before VOVRY, so that the G1000 won’t auto-sequence to the next leg of the approach. Press the softkey again when finished holding.

Do I have to press APR key even though I was asked to hold? Or can I wait with APR mode on the autopilot until finished holding?

 

[John Collins]

Do I have to press APR key even though I was asked to hold? Or can I wait with APR mode on the autopilot until finished holding?

You should be able to press APR under either situation, although I generally wait until I am on the final leg to the FAF.

 

[jdwatson]

You're welcome to cut and paste this into your older books! Or wait until early October to buy a 4th edition which includes more than a hundred changes! Thanks again to everyone on the board here for your help!
Cheers,
Max

Hey Max, glad to see you on the board. I'm infrequently on here since the economy clipped my wings for now. I did enjoy your 1st Edition G1000. It saved me about 5hrs of flight time during checkouts. I used your book, and the Cessna simulator. By the time I got to the plane, I knew inside and out. Even got to shine with the instructor by showing him your tips for efficient button-ology. I did my VFR and IFR (including an IPC) in 5hrs instead of 10hrs.

I'm looking forward to the new book. Congrats !