Simviation Forum - Flying Distance Question

Mar 10^th, 2011 at 8:15pm

MattF Offline
Major
I Like Flight Simulation!
Las Vegas, NV

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Posts: 4

When I started flying I only flew by direct GPS and found that it did not work for me very well. Since then I fly only by IFR and use only the ATC for heading directions. The problem is that when I used the direct route GPS, I could see how many nm's I had left but now flying this new way I have no clue. Is there a way to find this out either by exporting my flight plan or by some other software. I tried a flight calculation program that was supposed to work with FSX but it only works with earlier versions. Any advice would be great.

PS: I mainly fly the 747 World Traveler and I find the default GPS too confusing. Huh

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Reply #1 - Mar 10^th, 2011 at 8:35pm

wlix261 Offline
Colonel

Posts: 51

FSC (flightsim commander) works fine for me

Win7 64 Bit O/S Intel Core-2 6420 2.13Ghz 2.14 Ghz 4.0GB-RAM NVIDIA GForce-210
FSX Acceleration SP2

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Reply #2 - Mar 12^th, 2011 at 11:24am

Grant06 Offline
Colonel
I love YaBB 1G - SP1!

Posts: 34

I don't fly big jets. Just GA aircraft usualy below class A (FL160). I don't use the GPS anymore as it's too easy, takes the real pilotage out of it. While IFR, center will vector you to your waypoints as filed.
I will usually fly IFR/Vor. The DME will give you distance. When you get close to your destination you should be able to pick up your ILS frequency on the DME for distance to the airport. Before flying I will always create my flight plan from a real chart. I use SkyVector. Example.( online and free- http://skyvector.com/?ll=33.02970082459057,-110.72592252997332&chart=83&zoom=6&p... )
Before takeoff, I always have frequencies and radials written down. I enter them in manualy, before I click on "tune to ect. ect." Also like to fly VFR because center WON'T tell you where to go.
What's fun too is turning off the DME so you only have Vor nav. That way, every so often, you have to dial up an adjasent Vor to get a fix on your position.
Don't worry about your GPS, It's cheating Wink

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Reply #3 - Mar 12^th, 2011 at 2:29pm

beaky Offline
Global Moderator
Uhhhh.... yup!
Newark, NJ USA

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Posts: 14187

At the very least, you can use very simple dead reckoning (the art of determining position using time, pre-verified distances, speed and heading). If you can see the ground, you can also apply pilotage (the art of determining position based on what you can see).

When you make your flight plan, try to insert as many waypoints as you can, close to or on your intended course. Note the distances involved, and based on your airspeed as you go, try to calculate at any given time how far you've come and how soon you'll expect to arrive at the next waypoint.

If that leaves you with a squiggly course line, re-do the plan for a straight shot, but keep that list of waypoint distances handy. It won't be 100% accurate on your straight-line course, but it will help.

Of course, there will probably be wind aloft, so your airspeed won't count for much. But if it takes you xx minutes to get from point A to B, and you know the distance between A and B- voila! You can figure out your average ground speed with very simple math. You can then apply that ground speed at any time to get a reasonably accurate estimate of how far out you are (distance remaining based on time remaining at that ground speed).

If you're in clouds or above clouds, use the times that you pass certain VORs as your waypoints. Even if a VOR station is a long way off from your course, if you know that you'll be passing, say, west of it , if you set the OBS for 270, when the receiver flips from TO to FROM (or vice versa) you will know when you've passed it, more or less.

None of this works as well as using a chart and actually navigating, but it's better than nothing, assuming you are not using GPS.

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Reply #4 - Mar 14^th, 2011 at 11:27am

Mr._Ryan Offline
Colonel
I love YaBB 1G - SP1!

Posts: 141

beaky wrote on Mar 12^th, 2011 at 2:29pm:

At the very least, you can use very simple dead reckoning (the art of determining position using time, pre-verified distances, speed and heading). If you can see the ground, you can also apply pilotage (the art of determining position based on what you can see).

When you make your flight plan, try to insert as many waypoints as you can, close to or on your intended course. Note the distances involved, and based on your airspeed as you go, try to calculate at any given time how far you've come and how soon you'll expect to arrive at the next waypoint.

If that leaves you with a squiggly course line, re-do the plan for a straight shot, but keep that list of waypoint distances handy. It won't be 100% accurate on your straight-line course, but it will help.

Of course, there will probably be wind aloft, so your airspeed won't count for much. But if it takes you xx minutes to get from point A to B, and you know the distance between A and B- voila! You can figure out your average ground speed with very simple math. You can then apply that ground speed at any time to get a reasonably accurate estimate of how far out you are (distance remaining based on time remaining at that ground speed).

If you're in clouds or above clouds, use the times that you pass certain VORs as your waypoints. Even if a VOR station is a long way off from your course, if you know that you'll be passing, say, west of it , if you set the OBS for 270, when the receiver flips from TO to FROM (or vice versa) you will know when you've passed it, more or less.

None of this works as well as using a chart and actually navigating, but it's better than nothing, assuming you are not using GPS.

That's all well and good, but some people are too busy flying 747's to learn basic airmanship! Roll Eyes

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Reply #5 - Mar 18^th, 2011 at 9:39am

DenisH Offline
Colonel
Fly FS
ca, usa

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Too easy. But hasn't GPS systems (Garmin for e.g.) almost entirely replaced traditional navigation in both GA and commercial flying? Or maybe it hasn't?

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Reply #6 - Mar 21^st, 2011 at 12:43pm

Mr._Ryan Offline
Colonel
I love YaBB 1G - SP1!

Posts: 141

DenisH wrote on Mar 18^th, 2011 at 9:39am:

Too easy. But hasn't GPS systems (Garmin for e.g.) almost entirely replaced traditional navigation in both GA and commercial flying? Or maybe it hasn't?

In GA not even close.

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