Wait for WAAS for a new plane ?

[sternone]

Is it better to wait for WAAS to be set to buy a new plane with G1000 ?? Or will the wait be to long ??

[dublinpilot]

Surely a G1000 is WAAS capable already?

As I understand it WAAS is only currently available in the US, but I'd be very surprised if a G100 was WAAS capable, given that my €50 gps card is WAAS capable.

[IO540]

You need to research how EGNOS is coming along, and then stand in a dark room with a dartboard on the wall and throw darts at the board, and add 10 to any number you hit, to get an idea of the # of years before the CAA approves VNAV in the UK :)

[denhamflyer]

EGNOS Link (http://www.esa.int/esaNA/SEMTHVLJC0F_egnos_0.html)

I cant hit a board in the daylight so does that mean I get -ve points - so it may happen sooner :p

The original G1000 was NOT WAAS certified (it is the certification that is important) - but all NEW models are certified. When you mention EGNOS to GARMIN they tend to look blankly - initially they told me it wont work. As an electronic/software eng. I know this to be somewhat inaccurate. However until they can "certify" it I suspect the answer will be no. They wont even let you upload waypoints because it might interfere with the integrity of the system :yuk: I havent checked to see if the new one detects the EGNOS system - last I heard it didnt but I dont think EGNOS had enabled the "Im Ok" signals yet.

I would thoroughly recommend the G1000. It is modular so should be upgradeable (mine has been updated numerous times). The G1000 proved its worth to me very recently. If your lucky enough then go for the new one with full VNAV fully integrated autopilot. Otherwise it is still a great system.

[IO540]

I don't know if WAAS has any relevance to Europe. AFAIK it has no relevance to enroute navigation; only to US-style precision approaches that use GPS for the "glideslope".

It does improve overall accuracy but we don't need that. Even with selective availability (~200m error) GPS is plenty accurate enough for enroute nav. Nowadays, you can fly a GPS overlay approach (approved "for monitoring only" ;) ) accurately enough to take you straight down the middle of the runway.

So I wouldn't compromise anything to get a WAAS unit, but if it's free then go for it.

As to VNAV approaches in Europe, that's a pure 100.0% political thing and you can guess as well as I can. My guess is 10 years in the UK (a lot of people will have to retire first) but it may happen sooner elsewhere (most likely, where there is an ILS anyway...).

[denhamflyer]

WAAS is to the USA what EGNOS is for Europe. e.g. it is REQUIRED for precision approaches (GPS equiv of ILS). The WAAS and EGNOS standards are supposed to be the same and compatible. It increases the overal precision to about 2m. They are supported by NATS so technically when EGNOS is certified for use in precision approaches during 2008 I dont see why the CAA wont add the procedures here. See the Limoges test info.

You are correct it is not necassary for enroute.

It would be cheaper in the near term to already have a WAAS approved system. BUT I suspect that you may also require EGNOS certification (although this should not be required by the standards i.e. WAAS=EGNOS). Given the way that certification takes place I would not be surprised if some form of EASA/EGNOS type certificate was going to be required, so you may have to upgrade later anyway.

Given the current process to adopt non-precision approaches at existing instrument runways, I dont see why the CAA would not do the same for EGNOS precision approaches. I also agree that other European countries (e.g. France) will probably adopt first.

I agree but hope that it will be less that 10 years before we see complete GPS only approaches in the UK, but once establish as a principle on exisiting sites then it is hard to justify not allowing them on new sites, without the need for expensive VOR/DME/ILS ground equipment.

[BlueRobin]

Go outside now, switch your portable Garmin on, configure so it tries to detect WAAS and hey presto, lots of sats with D on them and WAAS active.

[drambuster]

With my handheld Garmin 496 (and a 296 before that) you will find with the latest software version that they are all set up to work with EGNOS if you are in Europe. All you have to do is go to the GPS tab and select 'menu' which will give you an option to select (or de-select) EGNOS.
As denhamflyer confirms, the two systems are based on the same specifications (Europe sensibly copied the US rather than trying to develop its own ground station reference specification) and so EGNOS seems to work quite happily with the US GPS satellite network (which is just as well as our Gallileo satellites seem to have hit major funding problems)
I understand the EGNOS network upgraded from 'test' phase to operational mode about a year ago. You can check if its on by looking at the satellite strenth bars where you will see a letter 'D' (for 'differential'), and in the 'Differential' info box at the bottom of the GPS page it will give you the status and accuracy (usually about 5 feet!)
..... but as IO540 points out, that level of accuracy for enroute navigation is no advantage (unless you're into inflight re-fuelling in the clag:\ ), so we will have to wait 10 years plus for precision GPS approaches !
I am quite sure if you look at the GPS status page on a Garmin G1000 that you will find under the menu option that this, too, can have EGNOS/WAAS enabled. Nice to know you have it ....... but not particularly useful in the foreseeable future !
drambuster

[soay]

I've heard that each GIA 63 needs to be upgraded to a GIA 63W, to make the G1000 WAAS compatible. I don't know if they are included with new G1000s, or if the software enables that capability yet.