Thank you so much for taking the time explaining this so clearly!!
It totally made sense to me now, thanks!!
So let me get this straight.
First you plot your route. Determine the course from each leg with your plotter. This is your true course related to the true north.
Then add or subtract the magnetic variation found on the chart ( my chart lacks of magnetic variation ). This is your magnetic course, MC.
To get your magnetic heading, MH, we need to add or subtract the wind correction angle, calculated with the E6-B. And for our compass heading, CH = MH +/- deviation found on the compass correction card in the plane.
And the CH is what we want, ok got it.
So what about my magnetic variation found missing on my chart? Is there any other way I can circumvent this issue?
Question, what would a take off or landing in a Cessna 172 that is fully loaded in both fuel and passenger luggage capacity look like in MSFS2020? Would it be realistic?
True track → variation → magnetic track → wind correction → magnetic heading → deviation → compass heading.
Planning for an IFR flight is a little easier as all tracks are already magnetic (and you don’t need to measure them with a plotter).
One little detail, you’ll need to measure the true track at the middle of your leg, VFR charts are Lambert Conical Projections on which a straight line resembles more or less a great circle, if you look carefully you will find that the meridians are slightly converging towards the north pole (or south pole in SH). You will find that measuring the true track at the beginning and end of your leg that there will be a difference, measuring the track in the middle will give you an average (+/- rhumbline track).
Performance wise I did a test, comparing the take-off run with the POH performance data and it was surprisingly realistic. But that was some time ago, I don’t know if it is still the case as they keep tweaking the flight model.
One little datail, that if missed, the outcome could be a huge deviation!!
resulting in maybe getting lost and therefor more fuelburn, which you didn’t account for.
of course, this applies only when crossing loooong legs, short legs, not so much.
But that doesn’t say it is less important regardless when flying short legs.
Thank you @anon50268670 for this so called “little detail”
I like the little details and sure will keep this one in mind!
Not trying to overload you with information, but I went through some of the lesson material I have written in the past and took the slides from the basic navigation presentation out for your reference (warning, its a whole book ). There is way more where this came from so if there is anything else you wanna know let me know.
Today i filled out a navlog for an hour flight in a cessna 152.
According to my calculations I filled the bird with 16 gallons of avgas.
During my flight I witnessed my left fuel gauge was the only one working. The right one stayed at its level at the moment I took off.
Odd behaviour in my opinion.
Anyways my stress level intensified as my flight goes on. With an ETE remaining of 15 minutes and my left fuel gauge was pressing against the red bar, it was dumb luck I made it to my intentional airport.
To give you guys an idea, this is how I plan my flights lately. I can tell you that doing it this way adds a whole other dimension to your flying experience.
For me, this is much more fun than just flying and follow a gps course.
Once I’m done in the UK I’m thinking about wallpaper my wall with sectional charts of the USA😁
). There is way more where this came from so if there is anything else you wanna know let me know.
