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GTN 650 “LPV” approach mode in yellow

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Instrument Rating

I have a pilot friend who took his instrument checkride recently, and he was setting up to fly an LPV approach when a few miles from the FAF the examiner went into the GTN650's menus and disabled WAAS.

The mode annunciator showed "LPV" like it normally would as you approach the FAF, but the color of the text was yellow. I'm not sure if WAAS was disabled before or after the integrity check was done (which is performed 60 seconds prior to reaching the FAF).

I looked through the Garmin GTN 650 manual and could not find an answer to why the text was yellow and what that means. The manual mentions either the possibility of the approach being downgraded to LNAV or a message appearing essentially saying to abort the approach since GPS integrity is so bad it can't even meet the LNAV requirements.

On the checkride, my pilot friend simply went "missed" early and that was acceptable to the DPE, but he didn't notice any messages appear and doesn't know why the text color was yellow for the LPV approach mode. We assume it has something to do with loss of integrity or the DPE disabling WAAS.

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1 Answers



  1. John D Collins on Nov 23, 2020

    Yellow is Amber. The annunciation changes from Green to Amber if the integrity is inadequate for the annunciated approach. You can expect the downgrade to LNAV if it shows as amber.

    The DPE may have disabled WAAS in the SBAS setting. Normally this will disappear the WAAS satellites and WAAS LPV and LP procedures, although when it is done may affect an already loaded approach.

    On the satellite page, if you see VFOM parameter above 60 feet, expect to see the downgrade for an LPV with a DH 250 feet or more. For a DH less than 250 feet, usually 40 feet is needed.to avoid a downgrade to LNAV.

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