Welcome Guest. Sign in or Signup

5 Answers

How to get distance to LOC with a Garmin430

Asked by: 3838 views , ,
Airspace, Flight Instructor, Instrument Rating

I use the G430 in lieu of DME (IFR approved GPS w/current database), but I cannot figure out how to get distance to a Localizer navaid. More specifically, an instrument approach that requires "DME" (and I will use G430), but the distances are based off of the localizer. Not sure how to get this distance since the navaid doesn't show up in the list of options in the G430 database. Specifically the ILS35 at KGXY wants DME off of I-DCI (the localizer). How can I get this in the G430 (the distances also don't show up if I program the ILS approach (for reference SA)). (I know I only need the DME if a LOC only approach, but I still have my question). Thanks

5 Answers



  1. John D Collins on May 02, 2017

    IDCI is in the database. Tune your avionics the old fashioned way to get your localizer guidance if you only have one GNS430. Program IDCI into your GNS430 and use the direct-to button to activate your route. Display the distance on your GPS. If you have two GNS430 systems, load the approach on one and on the other use the direct-to IDCI to get your distance.

    Better yet, avoid this foolishness and fly the RNAV 35 rather than the LOC/DME portion. It has a lower MDA and you don’t have any issues with DME.

    +3 Votes Thumb up 3 Votes Thumb down 0 Votes



  2. Russ Roslewski on May 02, 2017

    If you load/activate the procedure from the database, the fixes (like ARTSS, or the MAP at the runway threshold) should show up with the distances to them.

    But to answer your direct question, if you just wanted it to show the distance to the actual DME source (in this case collocated with the LOC antenna), do “Direct” to the localizer identifier, IDCI (without the hyphen). This should work with any localizer.

    +1 Votes Thumb up 1 Votes Thumb down 0 Votes



  3. John D Collins on May 02, 2017

    Russ,

    ARTSS won’t show up as a named fix on the ILS approach. Generally, stepdown fixes are omitted in the database for an ILS procedure.

    0 Votes Thumb up 0 Votes Thumb down 0 Votes



  4. Russ Roslewski on May 02, 2017

    Thanks John. I’m sure you’re right, I answered too quickly. It has been a while since I have flown (or taught) a Localizer (that had a ILS as well), with stepdown fixes, loaded from the 430 database. (That’s my excuse.)

    It looks like we simul-posted the IDCI answer (not that we can tell on this board).

    0 Votes Thumb up 0 Votes Thumb down 0 Votes



  5. Matthew Beyer on May 09, 2017

    Well my mistake was not entering IDCI correctly. This question is because I didn’t enter it correctly. Yes IDCI is happily in my database and thanks for the answers that supported what I had expected. I will inter IDCI 100 times on the chalk board. Thanks all. (and the purpose was for training purposes)

    0 Votes Thumb up 0 Votes Thumb down 0 Votes


The following terms have been auto-detected the question above and any answers or discussion provided. Click on a term to see its definition from the Dauntless Aviation JargonBuster Glossary.

Answer Question

Our sincere thanks to all who contribute constructively to this forum in answering flight training questions. If you are a flight instructor or represent a flight school / FBO offering flight instruction, you are welcome to include links to your site and related contact information as it pertains to offering local flight instruction in a specific geographic area. Additionally, direct links to FAA and related official government sources of information are welcome. However we thank you for your understanding that links to other sites or text that may be construed as explicit or implicit advertising of other business, sites, or goods/services are not permitted even if such links nominally are relevant to the question asked.