With the Garmin 430w, the ‘w’ stands for WAAS, or Wide Area Augmentation System. Typically, you can expect to receive signals from at least 6, sometimes up to 11 satellites at any given time. Signals from at least 4 satellites are needed to determine an accurate position, though with only 3 a less accurate location can be determined. When multiple signals from multiple satellites are used, position can be determined by trilateration. The location of the satellite is known (the orbital locations are predictable and held in a database on the unit), so this information can be used to determine distance from the satellite. Put simply, GPS works by comparing the time a signal is sent from a satellite, and when it is received by the receiver unit. Modern receivers may be able to use signals from more than one of these systems.Īerobask's Lancair Legacy has a 530w (left), on the right is a Partenavia P68B with a 430w Collectively, these systems are sometimes referred to as ‘GNSS’, meaning Global Navigation Satellite Systems. Other nations have deployed similar systems, or are in the process of doing so, such as the European ‘Galileo’ and Russian GLONASS. Technically, ‘GPS’ refers to the US-owned GPS satellite constellation. L anding rocket stages accurately on sea-going platformsįinding your cellphone (though this can be done using cell-tower locating, too) GPS devices are popular for many uses, including:įinding your way hiking in the wilderness

It works anywhere that provides for radio signals to reach satellites, so basically anywhere except under the aforementioned rock. If you have been living under a rock for the past 20 years, GPS stands for ‘Global Positioning System’ and describes the system of satellites and receivers used for global, high accuracy navigation. The Garmin 430w / 530w is a ‘GPS’ for aircraft use.

Once you learn to use this technology, it will revolutionize the way you navigate in X-plane! The Garmin 430 is a very popular GPS receiver, and the adoption of these and similar units throughout aviation is rendering older radio navigation aids -such as NDBs and VORs- redundant. This short series will teach you what the X-plane (Garmin) 430w / 530w is, what it does, and how to operate it. Introduction to using the X-plane / Garmin 430w and 530w

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