Shawn: Thanks for checking in. I actually went on a test flight yesterday with my "avionics buddy" Raymo in the back seat. With his help we were able to test a large number of options for getting the system to function correctly. I'm enclosing the email I just sent to the VAF site (in the avionics section under AFS EFIS Survival Tips). Sorry it is more than a bit wordy, but it's intended only to help those who are as confused by their somewhat kluged up systems as I am. If any of this doesn't sound right, please let me know:

Okay: Hope this doesn't bore anyone who already understands all this, but for those like me who don't, Raymo and I finally got out on a good navigation test flight yesterday.

The point of sharing all of this is that there may be others who have kludged up systems like mine (I only did this to get ADSB-out; the 5600 EFIS is over and above). Unlike me, probably most people are buying fully integrated systems in the first place, whether AFS, Dynon, or Garmin, etc. and not trying to make a home-spun setup like mine behave correctly. A second problem is that I don’t know all the terms properly yet. Rob: As a result, I misnamed my Course CDI source, it is GNAV1, not GPS1. Another was that I was not aware of how the relationship between the GPS navigator, the 5600, and the two different autopilot controllers is supposed to work in my non-standard setup. Regardless, we made some progress on this flight.

Basically, as I now realize and as my airplane appears to be wired, the TSO'd nav box (430/530/etc) is the normal source for all complex flight plans. That is all except the 5600 direct-to option (excepting the ForeFlight option for the moment). The 530 can provide fltplans to the 5600 and through the 5600 to the TruTrak Gemini. The 5600 can drive the Gemini itself on a direct-to flight but not on plans transferred from the 530. The 530 must drive any fltplan transferred to the 5600 from the 530 itself. If I've got any of this wrong, someone please say so because this is for sure how it seems to work on my system. Note: I understand the 5600 AP will also drive the Gemini on any fltplan loaded directly into INTFP through ForeFlight, including complex flt plans. I haven’t tried that yet.

And finally, I discovered that I had missed the requirement in the 5600 Pilot's Guide to select Course [CRS] in order to complete the process of transferring the 530 fltplan to the 5600 Map view. After that, my displays seemed to be working as in the Pilot Manual.

So...yesterday with a flight to a nearby airport and its approach firmly in the 530, we set sail. Sure enough, no amount of fiddling with the internal 5600 autopilot would get the system to fly the fltplan (we were still learning at this point). This attempt was with the Gemini “on” but not “engaged”. Then we engaged the Gemini with the 5600 AP “off”, and just as if it were connected directly to the 530, it came up in GPSS. Voila! For the first time ever, the airplane turned to intercept the course to the first fix in the approach. It wandered about it bit in altitude though, but then on a hunch we adjusted the upper altitude setting on the 5600 AP and engaged it (“altitude” on the 5600AP) and the Gemini settled right down and tracked the approach plate required altitude smoothly. So?…It takes the lateral input from the 530 (flight plan) AND the 5600 (altitude setting and controller) for the Gemini to properly function in my configuration? I would not have thought that---primarily because I understood that the 5600 AP was out of the loop in my configuration. Maybe I could have used the VS and altitude settings on the Gemini to do the same thing, but it is certainly easier to do on the 5600 and appears to work well.

The big test came when we hit the first fix. For the first time ever, the autopilot turned the airplane in accordance with the fltplan. Hoorah! I did not detect an “early” turn but it wasn’t much of a turn. Next turn was 60+ degrees however, and sure enough the autopilot early-turned it. Things were getting better all the time. This put us on course for the FAF. Throughout (so far) the airplane was locked onto to the approach plate altitude (1,900’). All was going smoothly, with the Gemini (as usual) “demanding” trim changes as I adjusted the Rocket’s speed slowly downwards. The 530 provided all the correct warnings, switched to LPV, and displayed the glide slope bug on the 5600, but the Gemini never lowered the nose at the FAF. Huh? It overflew the airport right down the runway at 1,900’. Darn! Re-engaged the fltplan back direct to the middle fix (to save time). The Gemini flew direct to the selected fix, made in interestingly tight left reversal (which we were warned of in advance by the 530) and re-intercepted the approach plate course back toward the FAF again. This time when we hit the FAF, the Gemini commanded the nose down and with a modest power reduction, we slide down the glide slope like we were on rails! Hands off to minimums (set on the EFIS) and called out by the 5600 audio. The Gemini then leveled us off (right on minimums). Success!

We ran it a third time, again with no problems, so we’re calling that a win. Still don’t know why it didn’t work on the first try. Weather is shaky today, but I’ll be off tomorrow to try holding, VOR/ILS, etc. And, even though it’s the reason for this system upgrade in the first place, we still have problems with traffic and ADSB weather. We think that is likely a “box” problem with our new hardware. Time will tell.

Someone tell me if any of this doesn’t sound right. It looks like the 530 to Gemini connection is functioning properly, but additional functionality is available through 5600 EFIS/AP options (altitude hold, level off at minimums, etc) which are provided to the Gemini not by the 530 but by the 5600’s EFIS and AP controller. These functions are apparently “layered” on top of traditional 530/Gemini functionality. Which ones that I haven’t tried yet will work and which won’t, I’m nowhere near through checking out. I’ll need a secretary to keep up with that I expect! Nevertheless, yesterdays flight seemed like a real breakthrough to me.

Thanks to everyone for the help provided!


Lee…