I took my HJG DC-9-50 out for a flight today from KDTW-KORD as per real world routing and used VORs to navigate. I noticed that my VOR indicator will always show my plane is offset from the radial and will only show it is on course if I'm about 5nm to the left of the course (whether this is north south east or west).I've been away from jets for a while especially the older ones but I remember on the TinMouse 732 it also did this until I found a little switch with writing that was too small to read. When pressed, the VOR indicator would to swing to wherever the plane actually was but when turned off it would go back to being constantly 5nm off.From this memory I assume this is a real world aircraft system and not just a bug so I'm wondering what is this and how do I turn it on/off? I figure it must have a standard button on planes with this feature.

Does the default MSFS 9.1 default Cessna also do the same thing?Were you on autopilot?Did you happen to get a screnshot of your panel?

I had thought this was only a jet thing but I loaded up the C172 on the same VOR (PMM radial 276) and it also tracked incorrectly. Note this probably is not a specific install problem since the last time I flew using VOR was on my old system so this is a totally new install with only the HJG DC-9-50 on it right now.Here's a shot of the panel along with the map. The red line on the map is where it the plane has to be to show that it's on course. And yes I was slightly off course... but that was after I had switched AP to NAV and it swung me out to the left then ATC came on and corrected my position.Oh and the reason why just about every warning light is on is because the screenshot came from a saved flight and I don't think this plane has panel save states.

How can your airspeed be zero?You did not Slew to that position did you?Is your Sim Rate normal or like 1X 2X etc?Got to get the default cessna cold and dark at KSEA.Power it up.Takeoff.Circle and get on the ILS and see how it goes.When you are in the Cessna if problem, take a screenshot .. it will be easier to help you from the Cessna.I am not sure about your setup to track the VOR.

How can your airspeed be zero?You did not Slew to that position did you?Is your Sim Rate normal or like 1X 2X etc?Got to get the default cessna cold and dark at KSEA.Power it up.Takeoff.Circle and get on the ILS and see how it goes.When you are in the Cessna if problem, take a screenshot .. it will be easier to help you from the Cessna.I am not sure about your setup to track the VOR.

1. Airspeed is 0 because I loaded this then did a screenshot and didn't unpause so the panel hadn't refreshed all the gauges yet but the VOR stayed incorrect after I unpaused it and let it fly2. No slewing was done on this flight. However after I took the screenshot and unpaused I did try slewing it to where the VOR showed I was on course and it was about 5nm left of my course3. I did the flight with the default Cessna and tracked both the ILS and the VOR and both were spot on then loaded the DC-9 in the same position and it was spot on alsoI've probably just forgotten how to set up a VOR, I dial in the frequency to my Nav1 radio, set it to the active frequency, turn my course indicator to my selected radial which was 276 in the DC-9 flight, and then track right? Or is there a magic button I forgot?

Yes,On VOR navigation with autopilot or manual.You dial the desired radial with CRS.Then use HDG to do an intercept until you are on the radial.The Autopilot can track it.Then "NAV" button to let A/P track it.Gotta mash all the right buttons!***********************************I just flew into KBUR ..and took a screenshot for you.I have wind from the right while on the ILS.Notice the right correction required while on autopilot?See the offset "broken" line on the noes of the 441 Conquest II?

I think this is a procedural issue, not an equipment one.How did you generate the desired course in your map screenie?Why do you think that course line coincides with the 96^o radial of the VOR you are flying to?Not sure what the C172 shot is showing us other than you are right on the localizer.Are you by chance using real world charts to plot VOR to VOR and determine the proper radial?If so, it has been my experience that the sim never exactly matches what the charts say is the magnetic course for airways.Hope this helps.regards,Joe

I've probably just forgotten how to set up a VOR, I dial in the frequency to my Nav1 radio, set it to the active frequency, turn my course indicator to my selected radial which was 276 in the DC-9 flight, and then track right? Or is there a magic button I forgot?

If you want to fly directly to a tuned VOR you rotate the CRS knob until the needle centers and the TO/FROM flag shows TO and then track.If you want to fly a particular VOR radial you dial in the radial with the CRS knob and then you have to intercept the radial by turning towards the needle and when the needle centers then you track the set radial.In your first screenshot it appears to me that you are indeed to the right of your desired 276 radial. You did say "I did try slewing it to where the VOR showed I was on course and it was about 5nm left of my course". Your course and the desired radial are not one and the same. You need to turn left say 30 degrees and then wait for the needle to center then turn right to a heading of 276 and then you track the 276 radial. Of course you have to take into consideration any wind so your heading while tracking the radial may be something other than 276 degrees.Todd

If you want to fly directly to a tuned VOR you rotate the CRS knob until the needle centers and the TO/FROM flag shows TO and then track.If you want to fly a particular VOR radial you dial in the radial with the CRS knob and then you have to intercept the radial by turning towards the needle and when the needle centers then you track the set radial.In your first screenshot it appears to me that you are indeed to the right of your desired 276 radial. You did say "I did try slewing it to where the VOR showed I was on course and it was about 5nm left of my course". Your course and the desired radial are not one and the same. You need to turn left say 30 degrees and then wait for the needle to center then turn right to a heading of 276 and then you track the 276 radial. Of course you have to take into consideration any wind so your heading while tracking the radial may be something other than 276 degrees.Todd

Thanks I think this is what I was doing. I know how to tune a VOR and intercept it but I guess I was still off the radial due to magnetic deviation or windows or some such thing.My course on the screenshot was all done using the FS9 flightplanner using headings and directions from the kneeboard no outside charts used except some sectional charts open on my laptop.Thanks for the help on my navigation skills guys!

If you are supposed to be flying the J70 airway from SVM to PMM, according to the chart I believe you should have shifted from the 276 radial from SVM to the 091 radial to PMM already. scott s..

If you are supposed to be flying the J70 airway from SVM to PMM, according to the chart I believe you should have shifted from the 276 radial from SVM to the 091 radial to PMM already.

Oh geez I never know I was supposed to be tracking on the radial as it went AWAY from the VOR. I guess I wasn't the big flying expert I thought I was. So if I tracked 091 should that have lined up the VOR correctly?

According to the chart Scott posted you would track the 276^o radial AWAY from SVM until you get to ALPHE. Then you would track the 91^o radial TO PMM. You would have a course change at ALPHE. Assuming you were following J70.Assuming your FS flightplan matches Scott's chart.We don't know that, and that is why I asked about how you generated the route in my first reply.We don't know how current Scott's chart is, nor do we know how closely it matches FS, or if you have a modified magdec.bgl.It has been my experience using RW charts that they commonly differ from the FS info by a couple degrees.If you want to pursue this further, did you save your flightplan? And if so, can you take a screenshot of the navlog and post it here?regards,Joe

It has been my experience using RW charts that they commonly differ from the FS info by a couple degrees.

Unless you install http://hsors.pagesperso-orange.fr/hssoft0705/MagDec_Update.rar :)

According to the chart Scott posted you would track the 276^o radial AWAY from SVM until you get to ALPHE. Then you would track the 91^o radial TO PMM. You would have a course change at ALPHE. Assuming you were following J70.Assuming your FS flightplan matches Scott's chart.We don't know that, and that is why I asked about how you generated the route in my first reply.We don't know how current Scott's chart is, nor do we know how closely it matches FS, or if you have a modified magdec.bgl.It has been my experience using RW charts that they commonly differ from the FS info by a couple degrees.If you want to pursue this further, did you save your flightplan? And if so, can you take a screenshot of the navlog and post it here?

Hi Joe I was indeed following J70 from ALPHE however I did not come from SVM but rather from intersection DUNKS. My flight was taken directly off of a flight from Flightaware that had taken off just minutes before I started up FS.I don't use magnetic variation updates but I may now since those should correspond to charts better. Also here is my flightplan but I think my best solution is relearning VOR navigation since I was tracking the complete wrong radial.Thanks again guys.

simmer9304: This site is quite useful with it's flash demonstrations. This one shows the VOR:http://www.luizmonteiro.com/Learning_VOR_Sim_2.aspx