Does anyone navigate using dead reckoning?

[LHookins 3,118]

By dead reckoning I mean your flight plan consists of a compass heading, a time to fly, and a waypoint that's an easily recognizable terrain feature, without use of in-game maps or the GPS.

 

I started doing this when I bought the A2A Cub. There are no radio navigation instruments, and no GPS although the plane has a good map that you can access from the cockpit. I used http://www.skyvector.com to create flight plans, although beware that the magnetic deviation isn't the same as FSX which is a few years older and headings might be a few degrees off. Plan-G works pretty well for this, and has the correct magnetic deviation.

 

It's easy enough if you follow roads, rivers or coastlines, but what happens if there aren't any of these convenient to where you want to fly?

 

A recent flight plan looked like this:

 

From KMEZ:

255 degrees, 14 minutes, river bend (which wasn't actually there!)

228 degrees, 11 minutes, north end of lake

177 degrees, 12 minutes, south end of lake

263 degrees, 18 minutes, east end of lake (this was a different lake)

214 degrees, 17 minutes, river bend to the west

254 degrees, 18 minutes, west end of lake (another different lake)

243 degrees, 26 minutes, F00 airport

 

Other waypoints have been small towns and airports.

 

I do not account for wind on these, preferring to make corrections on the fly. I can see which way I'm drifting by looking over the side of the cockpit, and will make corrections by estimate. I do not use Shift-Z to give wind speed and direction unless I'm doing tests. Wind predictions are seldom accurate, and the worst error I ever had was when I tried to use AS2012's "heading to fly" and the wind wasn't quite the same at my altitude; had to use the map to find out where I was.

 

I used to use the GPS with a direct-to-waypoint flight plan, but only for the estimated time enroute while ignoring the magenta line. I've found that using the time to fly and a stopwatch (actually a kitchen timer) tells me what I need to know.

 

I've gotten quite lost on a Merrill Pass flight (PASV to 9AK3), even with top down views and a GPS without a flight plan) until I started using proper dead reckoning procedures. The "time to fly" is invaluable, even when it's off because of winds.

 

When visibility is lousy, and in planes so equipped, an ADF is a good substitute for a visible waypoint. Even more fun if the plane isn't equipped to receive VOR signals, as the freeware 1948 DC-3C available on the FSCaptain site at http://www.fscaptain.net/certified.php (which includes more modern versions as well). On my very first flight in that aircraft I had a total electrical system failure at the beginning, but I was flying along a coast in good visibility on a flight I'd done many times, so I didn't need more than the steam gauges.

 

I've found that completing a flight using nothing but dead reckoning is a very satisfying experience. So I was wondering if anyone else was doing it. Also, if you have some good advice, I'd love to hear it. Stories of memorable flights (war stories, in other words) would be great.

 

Hook

[ryanbatc 13,120]

Once in a while I do... pull out out the trusty ole E6B and try to remember how to use it... that's probably more pilotage though.

[LHookins 3,118]

pull out out the trusty ole E6B

 

Many times I've been tempted to get an inexpensive cardboard student version of the E6B, but haven't run across a situation where I'd really need it. With short legs I can't be too far off no matter what the winds are doing to my flight plan (unless it's like Adak to Atka with 40 knot quartering tailwinds, but in that case I doubt I could make the flight without reference to the islands anyway).

 

Hook

[mpw8679 428]

Does trying to fly a complex airliner with little to no knowledge of the FMC or autopilot count?

[Rations 102]

Does trying to fly a complex airliner with little to no knowledge of the FMC or autopilot count?

Don't we all do that sometimes? It took almost a year for me to stop that and get serious with the PMDG B747. With my next major payware aircraft, I will try to force myself to read the manuals before flying my short test flight from VHHX to VHHH. . . .

[Boeing or not going 578]

Are you using default fsx scenery to fly using dead reckoning? Well that's your problem.

[James1967A1 0]

I've tried to do some SFO to Hawaii using the A2A B377 (without looking at the map). I've also tried a flight of one heading, trying to take into account wind and weather. I've got some old navigation books and they speak of pressure pattern flight and I would like to try that, but not sure if FSX would do it. There was also a FS9 sextant and wind drift gauge that I'd like to learn to use. I need to get back into it more. But since my attempts got me lost, I kind of forgot about it.

[LHookins 3,118]

Are you using default fsx scenery to fly using dead reckoning? Well that's your problem.

 

You obviously know where to get custom scenery for north Texas, east Oklahoma and west Arkansas. Or are you talking about updated magnetic variation for the whole world? Personally, I'm happy with what I have for that. It's not like it causes severe problems.

 

The missing river bend described above is more likely my misreading the chart for the area.

 

Edit: I just checked another source. It's more like a creek. Wouldn't be difficult to miss from an aircraft.

 

I've tried to do some SFO to Hawaii using the A2A B377 (without looking at the map).

 

That's probably not the flight I'd start out with. I'm interested in the B377, have downloaded the manuals, but there aren't any detailed instructions on navigation.

 

Hook

[LHookins 3,118]

I've tried to do some SFO to Hawaii using the A2A B377

 

Hm. Actually, you might be able to do that. Start out at 340 degrees and every 45 minutes turn 2 degrees south due to the great circle route and make sure you keep the heading corrected to the magnetic compass. Tune the VOR radios to the stations at Lihue and Hilo at the north and south ends of the island chain and you should pick up one of them. You've got about 7 degrees on either side of Molokai to play with, and as long as you're within that range you should find Hawaii. If you fly 340 degrees the whole way you'll miss the islands to the north.

 

The 340 degrees assumes there will be some wind from the west or northwest. The VOR radios have a range of 195 miles.

 

If you try this, let us know how it turns out.

 

Hook

[Sara Louise Capon 21]

Pretty much yes, for the same, photo real scenery, say the UK for instance,

helps if you have local knowledge of the areas, or of course a map, even a road map will do,

so you can use those as a reference when you hit your theoretical way points.

Or flying a IFR trip first to get familiar with the terrain,

then using that as a reference for visual sightings etc.

 

The old hand held computer can come in handy too, easy to learn and quick to make adjustments on longer legs.

 

Ebay can again be a help there if you don't want a shiny new one.

[LHookins 3,118]

The old hand held computer can come in handy too, easy to learn and quick to make adjustments on longer legs.

 

I'm pretty sure you can find online versions. Aerosoft once offered one as a free download for its customers at Christmas.

 

Hook

[Boeing or not going 578]

Ultimate Terrain X USA/Canada should be your first purchase. And then FS Genesis mesh. It will greatly help your roads, rivers, lakes, coastline, etc.

[kowgli 2]

What you refer to is standard VFR navigation. This is actually the way I mostly fly using Carenado C152. A good scenery is a must, as a minimum something like Ultimate Terain X, although photo sceneries improve the experience dramatically. I often fly this way as training before RL flights.

 

I would recommend buying a paper VFR map and doing this as you would do in real life. Jeppesen maps have world wide coverage and should be easily available. Just buy a laminated one so you can draw with "permanent" CD markers and later remove it using nail polish remover.

 

The procedure is quite simple:

1. You decide from which and to which airport you want to fly (could be the same).

2. You plot the route trying to keep in "G" space (so you don't have to send a flight plan) and avoiding all TSA's, TRA's, MRA's etc. Keep in mind altitude restrictions. Try to plot the route (straight lines) using easy recognizable landmarks like distinct lakes, cities, large road or rail intersections etc. Following a larger road, railway or river is always a good idea if possible. Try to make the legs no longer than 15-20 minutes of flight so you don't loose orientation (this will be around 25nm for a C152).

3. Check the wind at your flight altitude and sector. Unfortunately I don't know any international sites for this, but you should be able to find it easily. Each country should have some public aviation meteo service. For example in Poland we have something like this

4. Create a VFR flight plan. As a minumum fill in the top section, frequencies and route. For the route at least fill in the magnetic track and distance (from the map, keeping in mind the magnetic declination) and then calculate wind correction angle, magnetic heading, ground speed and time using an E6B (hundreds found online or for mobile devices). Example. Example.

5. On your legs create check points every ~5 minutes and calculate the time you will get there. Alternatively calculate time for passing easily recognizable spots (large roads, rivers, traversing towns etc.)

5. Go flying. Keep the calculated magnetic heading and reset your stopper every time you reach a navigation point. You should get where you want with no issues. If you keep the legs short enough this will really be quite precise navigation.

 

This is how you fly VFR in real life and at least for me it's much more fun than engaging the autopilot and keeping a GPS track, which at least for me is simply boring.

 

Hope I helped.

Łukasz

[kama2004 74]

Yes i do it from time to time both in fsx and in real world. I think that relying too much on gps tend to make you loose the basic of navigation.

 

If you dont practice dead recogning and trying to identify landmarks from a map from time to time (river, power lines, highway, etc), then you will loose this skill and will be less prepared to reac properly the day your electronic gadget will fail.

 

About 10% of flight are dead recogning. 90% gps or other nav.

 

 

[Humpty 752]

I do that all the time and it's pure fun, as my country in FSX is not right so I fly in NL2000 which is free and fly from EHSE to EHAM which lies north of EHSE . I always try and use reference points like if I need to bank after take off I use a Chimney (I think it is a chimney) as a reference and I bank towards it. VFR flying is very very important Yikes failed instrument . In fact don't just look in the cockpit enjoy the view outside, but always check your instruments too for reference.

 

You Should do one thing, when you bank judge your banks on the way the cockpit is tilted.