a,b yesc never trust an installer completely, you are going to install other meshes later probablyYes you can :) Now go and do something actually! :(

Alright. I'm learning the ropes of navigation these days, slowly, and I have some context questions for anyone who wants to contribute. I'll start with a simple one:I can understand what a VOR and what an NDB is but I can't seem to understand what their actual uses are, when it's time to use them and why do I need to use both?

I think it would be a positive thing if you explained how you understand VOR and NDB. Then we'll take it from there.

Since everyone seems to have you on the right track scenery-wise, I'll have a stab at your other questions.A VOR beacon (VHF Omni-Direction and Range), is a static beacon placed usually at either end of an airway (airways are the 'roads' in the sky which aircraft often fly along), although VOR beacons can be in other places too, such as at airports, on the tops of hills, etc. Most VOR beacons are in fact VOR/DMEs (Distance Measuring Equipment), which means you can find out what bearing the VOR is on from your position, and how far away it is too.But VORs have another trick up their sleeve, which is that instead of emitting a single radio signal, they in fact emit 360 of them (one for each degree heading of the compass from where they are located). These radiate out from the VOR like the spokes on a wagon wheel if it was laying on the ground, with the beacon itself being the hub of the wheel if you want to continue that analogy. This means that when you tune in a VOR on your navigation radios, and also enter a compass bearing on the cockpit's nav course (CRS) display, the display will tell you not only how far you are away from that VOR beacon, but also whether you are heading to or from it, and on which 'spoke' of the wheel, with info about which way to turn as well. Since you will have entered a specific heading in your nav equipment, the display will tell you which direction you need to turn in order to get on that particular 'spoke of the wheel'. This is basically the same system you use to line up an airport's runway, although there are some differences in that procedure, but that's the gist of it, and basically how instrument landings are done.A NDB is much simpler, it is a radio beacon, but not in the same way as a VOR is, thus tuning into one will only tell you which direction it is from you, and nothing more, it does this by means of a needle on a gauge in your cockpit which can rotate through 360 degrees around the dial to tell you which way you need to turn to face the NDB, so it will not give you info about which radial spoke you are on, as will a VOR, nor how far away from it you are. Basically, if the needle is pointing straight up on the gauge, you are heading toward that NDB, and that's all you get. Most NDBs and indeed VORS are identified by a three letter morse code signal which they send out repeatedly, which you can listen to, in order to check you have the right one tuned in. The letters often relate to where they are located, for example, the VOR at Manchester airport in the UK is called MCT, and it sends out the letters M-C-T in morse code repeatedly if you listen to it. This can sometimes be used to determine how far away a beacon is, since a weak signal is likely to be a long way off, but that method is not very scientific, although occasionally useful.Both VORS and NDBs are used for simple point to point navigation most of the time, although you can also fly arcs along them keeping them at a specific distance, which is done during more complex navigational procedures on occasion. VORs and NDBs can also mark parts of the routes you fly on approaches to runways. So both can be used for a number of things, notably to determine you exact position, by tuning in two of them which are some distance apart, which will of course then allow you to draw a line on a chart and where the lines cross will be your position, since you will know what direction it is to the two navigation beacons. Thus you can basically 'triangulate' your position by tuning a few VORS in, which is typically what most GA pilots do if they are not using a GPS.The fancy navigation equipment in modern airliners are usually doing this sort of thing 'under the hood' combining VOR and NDB info with GPS signals, plus there are various gyroscopes and ring laser gyros and all sorts of fancy gizmos such as inertial navigation systems, in order to keep the pilots appraised of where they are, and most airliners will be flown along a series of waypoints on a flight plan using that system to keep the aircraft going where it should be going, often with this info linked to the autopilot, so that the aircraft effectively flies the route unaided, but of course, the pilots have to monitor this process, and they do have to ensure that they put all the correct data in for it to work in a safe fashion.The waypoints airliners fly to are very often positional fixes that are defined by where two VOR radials cross rather than always being exactly where the beacon is, and these will typically have names comprised of five letters, often a simplifed word similar to the name of the nearest town, for example, there is a town near Manchester airport called Congleton, and the fix near to that is named CONGA. So if you see points on a map named with five letters, that is usually what they are.Hope that helps a bit - Al

Greatly appreciate the info. I can't pretend that I understood all the references but I think I get the general idea. What I don't get is if I need to do all these during a flight in the simulation, especially when I'm using a GPS.From what I gather VORs and NDBs are navigational aids that can help you find your position on the map and then pick a right bearing for a landing. Do I need to do these in order, for example, to approach the runaway with the correct bearing for a landing? If not how do you know you have the correct approach (do you take a look at another instrument?).Last, how can I tune to my VOR or NDB and how do I enter a compass bearing to the CRS? Is this info available before my flight or can I ask for them during my flight from an ATC?

Greatly appreciate the info. I can't pretend that I understood all the references but I think I get the general idea. What I don't get is if I need to do all these during a flight in the simulation, especially when I'm using a GPS.From what I gather VORs and NDBs are navigational aids that can help you find your position on the map and then pick a right bearing for a landing. Do I need to do these in order, for example, to approach the runaway with the correct bearing for a landing? If not how do you know you have the correct approach (do you take a look at another instrument?).Last, how can I tune to my VOR or NDB and how do I enter a compass bearing to the CRS? Is this info available before my flight or can I ask for them during my flight from an ATC?

Watch this. Then go practice in a real or a flight sim aircraft.

You will find that once you learn how to tune your ADF in to the NDB and watch the instrument indicate the position of the NDB, you will find it a walk in the park.

Thanks for the help.Now, after suggestions here I downloaded and started using G-plan in order to make my flight plans. I must admit it seems like a great program. My problem with it (and it's the reason I won't be using it probably) is that it's not integrated with FSX. I have to play the simulation in window mode if I want to use its connectivity (and thus its features) which I find it annoying.Nevertheless, I do have some questions that I don't know if they are Plan-g's fault or simply aren't included in FSX. For example, in Plan-g I have set altitudes for each waypoint. Is there a way to show inside the plane's GPS what altitude I should aim for in the waypoint I'm heading or what speed is allowed? Or when I'm reaching my landing airport, is there a way for a program to let me know what my altitude should be for this airport in order to land? Can this information be available during flight or do I have to know it and write it down each time?- Also, Plan-g says it's a VFR program. Does that mean that I can't use to plan an IFR route?- When I was reaching the end of my tutorial flight plan I had to land at Liverpool. Do I have to contact to tower each time and in each flight in order to get landing clearance?- Do I have to put the coordinates on the GPS to calculate an approach, even when I'm flying VFR and I can see the airport fine?- When I load a flight plan from Plan-g to FSX, should I also press "calculate route" in the game or not?- Last but not least, can you recommend me a flight planning software that can be integrated with FSX and I don't have to play in window mode in order to obtain some basic information? Doing some research I found out that Electronic Flight Bag does this and its free for 30 days. It's also a good program from what people say.Kind regards to all

I have to play the simulation in window mode

And this is the reason why most simmers have a networked laptop running beside the main computer.

. It's also a good program from what people say.

EFB is currently one of my favorite side-programs. Never flying without it. I just need a bigger monitor for it! Yeah, gonna run a 2nd screen off the laptop with only EFB on it. Mmmmmm :)

Also, Plan-g says it's a VFR program. Does that mean that I can't use to plan an IFR route?

Great site:- http://www.navfltsm.addr.com/And'>http://www.navfltsm.addr.com/And yes, you can select IFR within PlanG. All you need to know is how to navigate from a to b using a pair of nav/com rx's with a dme, and adf unit, and an autopilot (if you're lazy). Just set an altitude, get out your nav map (http://www.navfltsm.addr.com/) turn the clouds up and the visibilty down, and away you go! If you have an extra pc you can run PlanG on the second machine and connect to FSX, so that you can get out of trouble as you're learning how to fly blind.

And this is the reason why most simmers have a networked laptop running beside the main computer.EFB is currently one of my favorite side-programs. Never flying without it. I just need a bigger monitor for it! Yeah, gonna run a 2nd screen off the laptop with only EFB on it. Mmmmmm :)

I thought EFB was integrated in FSX and you don't need it to run in a separate laptop.Also, can a good man please take the time when it's convenient for him to answer some of my questions from the above post? I really need some basic guidance.Kind regards

From what I gather VORs and NDBs are navigational aids that can help you find your position on the map and then pick a right bearing for a landing. Do I need to do these in order, for example, to approach the runaway with the correct bearing for a landing? If not how do you know you have the correct approach (do you take a look at another instrument?).

Also, can a good man please take the time when it's convenient for him to answer some of my questions from the above post? I really need some basic guidance.

Your questions about navigation can be learned in the FSX Learning Center. When you first start up FSX, you have a learning center which answers questions like above. We all went through it when we first got FSX and learning how to read the instruments can be a complicated process depending on the aircraft. So that's why I'm directing you to the Learning Center. If you want to get more involved based on an aircraft, your best bet is to read the manual provided by the developer.Best regards,Jim

Your questions about navigation can be learned in the FSX Learning Center. When you first start up FSX, you have a learning center which answers questions like above. We all went through it when we first got FSX and learning how to read the instruments can be a complicated process depending on the aircraft. So that's why I'm directing you to the Learning Center. If you want to get more involved based on an aircraft, your best bet is to read the manual provided by the developer.Best regards,Jim

Dear Lord, I had completely forgotten the learning center... :Shocked:Many thanks!p.s. For EFB though, isn't that integrated? If so I'd like to learn to use that instead of Plan-G.

Totally agree with Jim. Please go through a learning phase alone, and when something's unclear, then you might ask. That's in all fairness the best process.EFB, if we are talking about the Aivlasoft product, no, it's not integrated. It's a separate program, which you can run on the same computer or the networked one. Hell to setup up, but once running, the best thing ever. Coupled with real approach charts, you can't miss anything.Though something I was really wondering... is Aivlasoft EFB something real pilots have in cockpits nowdays? Doesn't have to be same looking, but working on the same principle?

Totally agree with Jim. Please go through a learning phase alone, and when something's unclear, then you might ask. That's in all fairness the best process.EFB, if we are talking about the Aivlasoft product, no, it's not integrated. It's a separate program, which you can run on the same computer or the networked one. Hell to setup up, but once running, the best thing ever. Coupled with real approach charts, you can't miss anything.Though something I was really wondering... is Aivlasoft EFB something real pilots have in cockpits nowdays? Doesn't have to be same looking, but working on the same principle?

When I say integrated I mean that you can use it without alt+tab, from inside FSX (thus staying full screen) like this:Is that possible?

Oh yes, that is also possible, totally forgot. If you are running single computer, you can access it like that. But still, you don't have the whole program there, and many functions are missing.I'm gonna be moving the EFB onto the 2nd screen, my old Samsung 245B, now retired by a new Dell U2412M, connected to the laptop as a 2nd screen.