Simviation Forum - "Compass, Clock and Chart" tutorial series/ VFR charts

Apr 26^th, 2011 at 11:57am

beaky Offline
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Finally available for download here at the Big V... for now you will find it in the FSX-Utilities library, but the nav techniques, and the charts, will work in other sims.

[edit: now available in a separate "FSNavigation" section]

http://simviation.com/1/browse-FS+Navigation-140-0

This is a tutorial for those interested in navigating the "old fashioned" way, without GPS, in any flight sim that is based on a map of the real world.

I've also compiled and formatted all of the US sectionals; I'm going to start uploading them today, although the tute already includes the charts necessary to follow the planning/flying exercises.

If anyone tries the tute, or just grabs some charts, feel free to offer any feedback... I am curious to see what you all think!

« Last Edit: Apr 30^th, 2011 at 8:55pm by beaky »

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Reply #1 - May 14^th, 2011 at 2:00pm

trvdmeulen Offline
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I have studied part 1 and pre-studied part 2 (since I haven't the E6B and the Plotter jet)(I used a combination of a protractor and a setsquare). It took some time had a lot on my mind lately. tonight I am doing part tree. There is a problem I couldn't draw the 3 leg course in the pdf sectional chart. I tried Adobe Photoshop CS3, Gimp and Paintshop Pro Photo wouldn't install.(Java or Flash problem) I was able to convert to bitmap and draw the course in Paint but then converted to PDF again I was not able to read it good.
Can you deliver the Cincanatti Section with the course lines and markings of the waypoints to the Forum or maybe you now a good program to draw the lines without loss of quality of the chart?

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Reply #2 - May 14^th, 2011 at 4:07pm

beaky Offline
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trvdmeulen wrote on May 14^th, 2011 at 2:00pm:

I have studied part 1 and pre-studied part 2 (since I haven't the E6B and the Plotter jet)(I used a combination of a protractor and a setsquare). It took some time had a lot on my mind lately. tonight I am doing part tree. There is a problem I couldn't draw the 3 leg course in the pdf sectional chart. I tried Adobe Photoshop CS3, Gimp and Paintshop Pro Photo wouldn't install.(Java or Flash problem) I was able to convert to bitmap and draw the course in Paint but then converted to PDF again I was not able to read it good.
Can you deliver the Cincanatti Section with the course lines and markings of the waypoints to the Forum or maybe you now a good program to draw the lines without loss of quality of the chart?

It can be done with the GIMP... hilight the chart in the pdf, copy&paste it into GIMP, then save as a jpeg. Then select the paintbrush, set the opacity for 30% or so, make the size pretty thick (about the size of an airport icon), then left click and hold Shift as you drag the line over.
This goes quicker if you are not in full screen mode, and your window is not up against any edges of your desktop.
Then save the modded chart at 100% (after cropping),and covert to pdf.
For pdfs, i use openoffice... start with a presentation, then export as a pdf. PM me if you still can't make it work.

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Reply #3 - May 15^th, 2011 at 2:42pm

trvdmeulen Offline
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thanks that worked

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Reply #4 - May 15^th, 2011 at 8:06pm

beaky Offline
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trvdmeulen wrote on May 15^th, 2011 at 2:42pm:

thanks that worked

Excellent. Took me a while, myself, to figure out how to do that with the GIMP... Roll Eyes

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Reply #5 - May 24^th, 2011 at 9:10pm

trvdmeulen Offline
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hello. Thanks for all the effort and time you took to made this course, pity that no more people seem to be interested. I have now a rotating plotter(ASA) and the student E6B from Jeppesen. So now I can continue with part two, and tree wich I pre studied. tried to add a sim chart from Jeppesen of the Ashe airport to this message so you can add it to your course but I couldn't get my scanner to work. maybe later. Wink

Also bought the Saitek X65F HOTAS it flies really amazing. maybe a better name for this course is Pilotage and Dead Reckoning that is what we do isn't it? maybe it attracts more people. Embarrassed

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Reply #6 - May 25^th, 2011 at 12:03am

beaky Offline
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trvdmeulen wrote on May 24^th, 2011 at 9:10pm:

hello. Thanks for all the effort and time you took to made this course, pity that no more people seem to be interested. I have now a rotating plotter(ASA) and the student E6B from Jeppesen. So now I can continue with part two, and tree wich I pre studied. tried to add a sim chart from Jeppesen of the Ashe airport to this message so you can add it to your course but I couldn't get my scanner to work. maybe later. Wink

Also bought the Saitek X65F HOTAS it flies really amazing. maybe a better name for this course is Pilotage and Dead Reckoning that is what we do isn't it? maybe it attracts more people. Embarrassed

I mention in the tutorial that users should seek out whatever additional material might be useful, such as airport charts. There are thousands of airports in the US, so adding airport diagrams, etc. to my material would just be too much work. In fact, adding them for just the airports in the tute would be too much work. Wink

I expect users trying the tute to be able to figure this stuff out on their own, just like the basics of flying. I had to narrow the focus to what was important, and finding your way around the airport was not important to the tutorial.

As for the name of the series: it explains the fundamentals of pilotage and dead reckoning, and dismisses any misunderstanding that this is anything like programming the FMD and letting the airplane fly the course, while ATC directs. If it sounds too arcane, so be it... this kind of navigation is already nearly extinct in real life, anyway (although it should be taught as a backup, if nothing else).
I didn't expect any huge response... although a lot more have downloaded it than have commented here or e-mailed me, so I am content.

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Reply #7 - May 25^th, 2011 at 12:36pm

trvdmeulen Offline
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oke

Hardware: Intel Core i3 2100(4 CPUs), ~3.1GHz Memory: Corsair 16340MB DDR-3 RAM 1333 Mhz 2 modules (till a maximum of 32 Gb)
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Reply #8 - Jun 5^th, 2011 at 10:54pm

trvdmeulen Offline
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I think I am ready to fly. It took me some time and exercise to get familiar with the E6B and the nav log. I flyed with this piper cub. At first I crashed during takeoff but now I can fly and land with it. I must get familiar with this magnetic compass too. Maybe I do some pilotage first. I have several maps from parts of the EU. Including one of Holland and Belgium. I have already used some pilotage during my first flights with this airplane. Think I can use this type of navigation using map, and chart and E6B for the F-16 also (when I use the other side of the speed lines section of the E6B it goes to 500 kts/mi) . Think I must fly as slow as is possible 300kts/ 350 kts. To maintain course and see the landmarks on the ground. But I start flying with the Cub. Grin

Hardware: Intel Core i3 2100(4 CPUs), ~3.1GHz Memory: Corsair 16340MB DDR-3 RAM 1333 Mhz 2 modules (till a maximum of 32 Gb)
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Reply #9 - Jun 6^th, 2011 at 12:44pm

beaky Offline
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trvdmeulen wrote on Jun 5^th, 2011 at 10:54pm:

I think I am ready to fly. It took me some time and exercise to get familiar with the E6B and the nav log. I flyed with this piper cub. At first I crashed during takeoff but now I can fly and land with it. I must get familiar with this magnetic compass too. Maybe I do some pilotage first. I have several maps from parts of the EU. Including one of Holland and Belgium. I have already used some pilotage during my first flights with this airplane. Think I can use this type of navigation using map, and chart and E6B for the F-16 also (when I use the other side of the speed lines section of the E6B it goes to 500 kts/mi) . Think I must fly as slow as is possible 300kts/ 350 kts. To maintain course and see the landmarks on the ground. But I start flying with the Cub. Grin

Using the mag compass on that Cub is quite difficult... but in real life, it's a bit easier to have a good close look at it for a moment. It wouldn't really be "cheating" to pull up the heading/alt information when flying once in a while.

But in general, yes, pilotage helps you compensate for an unsteady compass... in the sim and real life I use the compass primarily to verify that my airplane heading is correct for keeping my course heading, after finding some visual landmark ahead. That is on or close to the course line.
It's nearly impossible to fly very far using only the mag compass as a heading reference, when you also need to be looking outside for traffic, clouds, etc. It's actually easier when flying under IFR, because you're not expected to be looking outside.

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Reply #10 - Nov 18^th, 2012 at 9:19pm

trvdmeulen Offline
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Hello Beaky I am back, was busy with other things. Have re-studied part 1-3. I am not quite familiar with the E6B yet, must practice a bit, but I am gonna plan my first flight using a VFR chart of Holland and Belgium. I'll use a composite pencil to draw the course legs, that's easy to erase. I fly the piper cub from a2a simulations. Question: what is the fuel consumption at 2000 ft MSL?? That's the height I am gonna fly. I am sorry for having been away for so long time but I am determined to complete this course, allthought it may take me some time, It's pretty heavy stuff haha Grin

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Reply #11 - Dec 6^th, 2012 at 2:00pm

beaky Offline
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For just about any altitude you'd be flying a Cub at, assuming power is set near full throttle, you should plan on 4.5 gph. I don't know that particular model, but I'd imagine 4.5 gph would be about right for it.

To account for any differences in virtual models, an easy "cheat" to find out the fuel burn is to fly for a while (not necessarily an entire hour), then check the actual amount remaining. You could also try this at different altitudes, but with that A65 engine, you probably won't see a great difference, except at the highest possible altitudes (the burn will be higher).

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Reply #12 - Dec 7^th, 2012 at 1:46pm

trvdmeulen Offline
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I think I stick to 4.5 gallon/hr. I posted this question also on the a2a forum piper cub:
http://a2asimulations.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=62&t=32815

Thanks for your reply

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