The GNS-XLS is an integrated, long-range, multi-sensor navigation and frequency management system comprised of the GNS-XLS Control Display Unit and an internal GPS receiver with four antenna options. In addition to conventional selected course/waypoint area navigation, the GNX-XLS provides direct point-to-point navigation along geodesic routes from selected origin and destination waypoints. Some variations of the GNS-XLS are capable of FDE operation, allowing oceanic navigation using GPS as the sole source of navigation. Other navigation capabilities include navigation from flight plans which allows the use of published routes or other flight paths  more complex than direct point-to-point navigation; parallel track flight which allows flight at a selected distance from and parallel to the originally selected track; vertical navigation along ascent and descent profiles whose end points are related to flight plan waypoint; the ability to designate waypoints by identifier, latitude and longitude, or by radial and distance, relative to a selected reference point.The frequency management capability of the GNS-XLS provides complete control of the COMM, NAV, ADF, and DME frequencies and Transponder IDENT. Selected frequencies for all active systems are displayed on the Control Display Unit(CDU).

The GNS-XLS is an “earth-oriented” navigation system. In other words, it determines its location in terms of latitude and longitude. Positional data inputs to the system must also be defined by latitude and longitude, or reference to a point on the ground whose latitude and longitude are known. The database in the GNS-XLS Control Display Unit can be loaded with an extensive library of navaid data, which includes the latitude and longitude of VHF navais including all co-located VOR/DME ground stations, VOR only ground stations; Airport Reference Points of all airports with hard surfaced runways with a length of 2000 feet or more, as well as airport outer markers and runway thresholds; High and Low Altitude Waypoints, Standard Instrument Departure (SID) waypoints, Standard Terminal Arrival Route (STAR) waypoints, Approach Intersections, and Non-precision Approaches. The database loaded into the GNS-XLS at the time of manufacture includes current worldwide navaids and Airport Reference Points for airports with runways of 2000 feet of greater. The GNS-XLS has a full color 4 inch LCD flat panel that is 10 lines X 22 characters and pilot dimmable. The GNS-XLS is 5.75 inches wide, 4.5 inches high, 6.51 inches in length and weighs a maximum of 7.0 pounds.