GPS Confusion: There’s Definitely a Myth About ‘Activating the Approach’

When learning the systems of an airplane and the nuances of its avionics, no detail is too small.

Max Trescott

Wednesday, September 10, 2025 at 08:00 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

In today’s glass cockpit world, knowing everything you can about your avionics is as important as knowing how to fly the airplane. [Courtesy: Max Trescott]

Key Takeaways:

Many pilots mistakenly believe they must "activate the approach" on their GPS, even when the system is already correctly set up, a misconception often stemming from "LOAD" vs. "ACTIVATE" options.
Selecting "ACTIVATE APPROACH" on Garmin avionics merely directs the GPS to draw a straight line from the aircraft's present position to the Initial Approach Fix (IAF), which is often unnecessary or counterproductive.
Erroneously activating the approach, especially when already established or past the IAF, can cause dangerous automation surprises like an unexpected 180-degree turn, and has been speculated as a factor in fatal accidents, emphasizing the critical need for pilots to thoroughly understand their avionics.

See a mistake? Contact us.

Does that APR, or approach mode key, on your autopilot somehow activate a GPS receiver so it can fly an approach? The answer is no, it doesn’t. And if you’re confused about that, you’re not alone.

And is there something in a GPS receiver that must be “activated” at some point before one can fly an approach? Again, the answer is no. You can fly any instrument approach, either via pilot navigation or vectors and never have to “activate the approach.”