IFR Navigation: VOR Basics….can’t seem to get an “A”

[PilotThumpr]

I have finally given the IFR lessons another go after the recent update and have found that the ILS bugged landing was sorted out.

I have had no issues with any of the lessons to get an A on all but the VOR Basics (lesson 4 of 7).

• I have flown this one with no AP, perfectly.
• I have flown it using AP, ALT hold at 4000, heading 240 till the VOR becomes active, switch to NAV, let it fly me in, switch to HDG to hold the 170 and maintain heading as I left the VOR.

In both cases I get a best score of a B. It has points removed for interfering VOR however I have tried different approaches.

• intercepted with AP on NAV as this will start the intercept the moment the VOR is captured.
• intercepted the VOR using AP in HDG and turning the knob to make for a smoother intercept.
• intercepted the moment it tells me to make a left turn to 170

All 3 give the same result.

Would love to hear how other have achieved an A on this one. As a real world private pilot this one ■■■■■■ me off as I have done a lot of instrument flying and would consider myself rather proficient in it.

[Habu2u2]

Hi @G22C
I hadn’t done this particular flight. So I gave it two quick tries today hand flying both times.
First flight was “OK”, well within the FAA margins and resulted in an “A” with about 8032 points. I didn’t get a screengrab of the details, but I remember I got 3999 on the intercept leg and the rest from the VOR legs.
I tried the second flight, and did grab a screen shot of the details. I got 4000 on the intercept and the rest on the VOR leg.
So my basic conclusions are that the intercept leg will give you good points for a pretty straightforward leg.
But noting the differences in the second leg points, leads me to believe that they are very punitive for even very small deviations on that leg.
I certainly didn’t feel like I flew the first flight that much different than the first, but apparently got hit pretty hard for points for even slight deviations.
So apparently the major point loss will be in the second leg, so I’d concentrate on keeping that leg VERY tight.
Doesn’t seem like a very balanced point process for errors on the second leg, but it is what it is!
Regards

[FlightCap9642]

Ha Ha. It is nice to see that other also have had problems with this lesson. After getting a A rather fast in the three first IFR-lessons this gives me gray hair. I have tried this for days and finally with a points from 5000 (C) up to max 7500 pts.
Because I struggled I thought that the AP will be the right way to make it succed but even if I have all parameters right I get never higher than 7700 pts.
Odd because I for myself think I got a perfect interception with the VOR and many times was perfect aligned with the VOR at 170 degrees. Tried both a early wide turn when the “teacher” tells me to turn toi 170 degrees and also a late steep turn when the needle have been active for a while. The turns have been ececuted with the knop on the autopilote for heading.
But nothing gets more points than around 1700 pts or a little more…
To day I get angry and said to myself. Welll I will see what I can det with manual flligth for interception with VOR. And believe it or not. I got an A finally. Wiht 8500 points around. And this flight was far mor bumpy than all of my AP-flighs… Maybe it gives minus points for using the AP?.

I hope that the coming lessons will be easier. but now I skip the flight school for a while and fly just for fun

Woud be nice to hear if anyone else is struggling with this lesson?
I will also say that I am not a pilot. In my youth I flied gliders.

Have a Nice Flight everyone

[PilotThumpr]

Well I finally flew this and got and A (finally at 100% on the flight training).

Flew it with no AP but flew it exactly like the AP would fly it and that seemed to work. Very odd how this one calculates the points total but now I know how to do it.

[AviationWP]

Constantly getting Cs and nothing higher.

I saw online that if we installed the Working Title Garmin 1000 NXi we should delete it. I tried that using the Content Manager and even though I deleted it and restarted MSFS, then deleted it again and restarted it was still there. I finally deleted all Working Title folders from the Community folder.

Here’s where people talk about deleting it and others confirming it in the contents: YT watch v equals GOVNDP-NiLo

After deleting the Working Title Folders from the Community folder I restarted MSFS and they were no longer in the content.

I flew IFR Lesson Four again and got a C!

FlightCap9642 mentioned he got all As on the first three IFR lessons.I did too. Lesson four introduction, tasks, and instruction are poorly designed. It acts like a test but it is supposed to be training–you know,with clear guidance and step-by-step notes.

On literally every other flight training and test of all other activities before I got to IFR the instructors genuinely seemed to be reacting to my actions. And they were very close. In IFR Lesson Four it begins right away complaining about my altitude control. Yet, THAT is where it put me–at c. 3800. So the next time I ran L4 --the moment it began, while the instructor was narrating-- I immediately climbed to 4k and got there before he was done. I was at 4k and as soon as he was done narrating he once again complained about my altitude control! LOL

So, because this element is so tightly controlled, and not reactive to my flying like the other lessons were, I think the rest of the L4 IFR “training” [cough] is like that too. I think It has a very specific envelope you must fly within to get more than a C. So, I’m certain one of the cornerstones to an A on this is the rate at which you make the left turn and perfectly intercept the CDI. Then, of course a major factor is maintaining a perfect 170 heading.

One trick I’ve got working on these is using the elevator trim to keep me at 4k so I can focus on the 170. Aileron trim works but I’ve not been successful with rudder trim.

I’m on about my eight or ninth run and each time I try different things.

I’ve tried the slow turn to 170. I’ve tried the fast turn to 170. I’ve tried an early turn and a late turn. I’ve tried to turn and intercept the CDI without going past it.

On my most recent run I did a moderate turn and intercepted the CDI as I crossed 170, then gently went back and forth between 169 and 171. During that time I got the green and a compliment from the “instructor” who had been hiding in the baggage area instead of training me with, you know… instructions. Even after we passed the VOR and he told me to keep flying 170 I held the CDI almost exactly on 170 until the end when he snuck out of the baggage area again and told me I was a very bad pilot. Just before the simulation ended I thought he climbed back into the baggage area but saw I was alone and his co-pilot door was open (at 4020feet).

I’m going to keep trying until I get a B and then keep trying until I guess correctly what the instructions are supposed to be for this one! LOL

I wish this training lesson had training rather than testing.

All IFR VOR Cs and no As make Jack a dull boy.