Hi Captains, I am still fairly new to flight simming and trying to get to grips with navigation and navaids. I have a few burning questions (which may sound stupid to many of you so please bear with me) and I hope the experienced simmers and pilots here could help me out a little.
Let’s say you’re flying VFR in the C172(G1000).
If you were to fly this VFR route using AP, would you go using HDG (with manual inputs to the heading value as you go from point to point) or GPS? Of course GPS seems to involve less manual inputs since you wouldn’t need to keep updating the heading from point to point, and I suppose because of this, GPS would be the preferred mode?
If you use AP with HDG mode and dial in the DTK value for the next WPT shown in the MCDU flight plan, will this factor in wind correction?
When is CRS (as distinguished from HDG) specifically used and when do you dial in the CRS value?
If my flight plan has 2 VORs (eg. VOR X and VOR Y) in succession, do I pop in their frequencies as VOR 1 and VOR 2 (with corresponding setting up of the BRG1 and BRG2 in the CDI), or do I just pop in the frequency for VOR X as the active VOR 1, and the frequency for VOR Y as the standby VOR 1 (and make the <—> switch as the flight transitions from VOR X to VOR Y)?
Sorry it’s a bit long but i do hope to get some help with these issues as I’m still struggling to grasp them. Many thanks in advance.
No, it will not, you have to move the heading bug to account for it
In order to use crs, you need a VOR signal. If you need to be on a certain radial approaching a VOR, say 270 degrees, when your VOR needle is pointing to 270 you can use the crs to fly directly to it on that radial. It will account for wind.
You should do a google search to understand more about VOR’s. It is a bit long winded subject as well.
The second part, after the or do I. You can also “fly away” as well as approach on a VOR radial.,
but if using a new frequency, make sure that it is main frequency.!!!
The SevenFlyer pretty much answered your questions, but I urge you to learn to fly the airplane first without autopilot. You can use either GPS or ground-based Navaids such as VOR for navigation but the best way to start is to learn pilotage. I prefer Skyvector but many prefer apps like LittleNavMap, but the point is to have a VFR chart (sectional) open and you use that and your eyeballs looking out the window to find your way from point to point. Use the terrain, hills, rivers, towns (most towns have unique shapes) and highways as reference points. MSFS is actually the best simulator available to fly using pilotage and it is the best way to learn basic piloting techniques. You can start worrying about advanced navigation and use of autopilot after you have 100 hrs.
I would also like to differentiate that a (heading) ‘track mode’ does calculate wind vectors, but are mostly seen on airliners and complex jets. Just so you recognize it when you come across it.
With regards to following VOR beacons and using their proper inbound course, make sure to put your GPS in VLOC mode instead of GPS mode by pressing the CDI button. When you then switch to NAV mode on the autopilot instead of heading mode, it will use automated radio navigation to guide you into the beacon and it will correct for wind accordingly. Provided of course that the beacon is in range and you are receiving its signal.
When you fly the DC6 without GPS like I usually do, you’ll sometimes find yourself in situations of flying on heading hold, waiting for the next beacon to be received and only then to have it intercept the correct course, aligning you up with where you are supposed to be. It’s pretty neat when flying over deserts or large bodies of water for a long time and drifting off course along the way. Very old school.
Anyway, welcome aboard and happy flying! Always feel invited to post your questions here.
Hi Welcome
All heading will do on AP is allow you to fly on a heading. But you will be blown off course by the wind.
I no longer have a current rating but, when I was flying, I was taught that GPS was a secondary flight instrument meaning that is should not be used from primary navigation. Therefore I would always fly with VOR’s or NDB’s.
Using VOR1 and VOR2 you can triangulate between two points so for example you can fly toward one VOR using a specific radial and when your VOR2 needle on another radial is reached the VOR2 needle will deflect meaning that a spot in space where you need to make your turn has been reached.
I would imagine there are many videos on youtube that will allow you to get up to speed with VOR navigation.
I dont think I ever really used CRS when I was flying for real. As I mentioned I would plan my route using VOR / NDB (ADF) radials and fly along them. As you drift off course you can fly towards the deflecting needle to stay on course.. much like intercepting an ILS if you know what I mean.
I hope you keep at it. Navigation is a great subject to learn and master.
Best John.
Would that be different now then, John? As the USA seems to be cleaning up their array of VOR’s and other hardware related navigation, I suppose GPS is now moved forward too as a primary source of navigation then?
Hi,
I dont know the situation in USA. For UK and Europe I just googled can GPS be used as a primary navigation device for aviation and I see :
“The short answer is no. VFR and handheld GPS systems are not authorized for IFR navigation , instrument approaches, or as a primary instrument flight reference. During IFR operations they may be considered only an aid to situational awareness.’
EDIT.. I see G1000 and upwards are considered as primary flight instruments so.. yes for those but no for handheld, ipad, etc.
There is nothing that strictly prohibits the use of GPS for VFR as a primary form of navigation in the US FAA regulations. There is however guidance on its use, cautions and conditions to be aware of outlined in teh FAA AIM https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/atpubs/aim_html/chap1_section_1.html. Here is an excerpt: VFR Operations
GPS navigation has become an asset to VFR pilots by providing increased navigational capabilities and enhanced situational awareness. Although GPS has provided many benefits to the VFR pilot, care must be exercised to ensure that system capabilities are not exceeded. VFR pilots should integrate GPS navigation with electronic navigation (when possible), as well as pilotage and dead reckoning.
Things such as having either a RAIM and/or WAAS-capable GPS unit which meets specific TSO requirements are noted. The G1000 that I fly in the 172 is WAAS capable and can alert of degraded performance. Another note of how GPS is used in the VFR environment here in the US is the use of visual points or “VP” on VFR navigation charts. You’ll see these represented as either a magenta flag to be used visually, or as a waypoint symbol, similar to an IFR waypoint. Both waypoints have a 5-letter identifier like “VPCAF” which will exist in the GPS database and can be included in a VFR flight plan.
FSX had an excellent VOR/NDB/GPS tutorial link in it. I have printed off all the pages and keep them in my FSX Binder. GPS will keep you on course regardless of wind I believe, it does for me in FSX. Nav in MSFS has a lot of bugs so not sure about it.
Do yourself favor, find place like PMDY and practice flying, until you get it down? Learning how the plane operates is way more important than learning navigation first, although you do need to find way back to RW to land, do at least 50 takeoffs and landings to get them down correctly. IRL, you would get ground school (none in MSFS) and then as co-pilot/passenger in right seat familiarization of the instruments and how stuff looks and how plane feels in stalls, ascents/descents, turns etc. NO, nada, no real type of training in MSFS, FSX had very good training in it.
Either Bing or Google, to get glossary of terms, and definitions, FAA website might have good stuff on that. Happy Flying.
Nice updates, just to add, when I was a C152, 172, 210 pilot, PA28 pilot IFR qualified, I never used autopilot. Just to reference the original thread. The first time I used it was when I used to fly a Mooney Bravo. Great aircraft that could cruise around 200 kts.. all the small GA if trimmed correctly will fly nearly hands off so the AP is just a gadget in my opinion. I can fly in a similar fashion in msfs especially in vr (which I really love) best to all, pleasure to meet fellow pilots.
Nice, and agree. I’m not instrument rated so for my VFR flying, I never use the autopilot. If I were instrument rated, or for a longer, multi-state cross-country VFR, I’d absolutely use it to hold altitude and follow a course using the G1000. Having the G1000 is simply too great of a tool to not leverage in some fashion with or without the AP.
Well said. Altitude hold. I can see why. Chill out. Open the thermos, have a coffee, or tea. Check the nav, listen out, be ready to react. GA long haul. Lol.
Yes, Precisely what I posted. That’s why I provided the excerpt so the TLDR folks won’t get discouraged by too many words. So you lifted what I posted and said the same thing? I shared the source of the information so those that want to be informed can learn and not assume this is someone’s “opinion”. What is “too long didn’t read” for you may not be for someone else.
Yeah I’ve been focusing on that lately and had a couple challenging trials landing at WMBT. But yes I totally agree the landings need to be done over and over and over and I’m still in process of chalking up the experience. Thanks for reinforcing that.
Also wanted to point to some good navigation tools like this freeware LittleNavMap that you can download online. It’s so good that it’s hard to imagine it’s free.
When you plot a course, it will give you these distances and course headings between the different beacons, along the yellow course line. If you write those down and select them on the instruments below, you can easily navigate between them without drifting off in heading mode due to wind. Should make your life between the clouds a lot easier.
Personally I think learning basic skills is of course much needed at the start, but don’t overdo it on the learn-it-yourself-first-methodology. Just sitting around in a cockpit, feeling it, tinkering with it and getting comfortable with it is just as important to catch up with this great hobby. Understanding automation helps with that. Once you feel comfortable in an aircraft, you’ll start investigating those other skills too and perhaps even with greater ease and confidence, depending on your style of learning.
Thanks a lot for all your thoughtful and insightful answers, guys. Your replies are truly helpful and motivating. I’ve been busy reading and re-reading through, digesting them and making notes to myself!
Truly a lot to learn and follow-up on. But the wonderful thing about it all is that it’s part of a great hobby of flying and I don’t need to pass exams haha!
