I recently saw a repaint of MAAM DC3 in old Continental colors. I saw a similar DC-3 on a dual XC to RDG when I was going for my PPL a few years ago. That got me thinking.I have old sectional charts, one from the 40's and another from the 50s. I was wondering if those stations could be simulated? If not, is there a way to remove certain navaids to re-create only those navainds for a particular period of time?I'm guessing some of it might be based on sound and that might not be too good with FS9 and some sound cards. Thoughts? Thanks!Jim

HI Jim,A great idea to remove and/or replace nav aids to simulate that time. How do the nav charts compare to today? I don't have any answers on how to, but thinking if the AI traffic coulc be made to also simulate those old routes and with the correct a/c, wouldn't that be something?Bruce.

You can always make an exclude BGL for each and every navaid in the area you want to fly and load those when you fly there. That will cancel out all navaids. If you then add the navaids you do want you're set.AFAIK FS is limited to NDBs and VORs for navaids though, however you can tweak those for different range and frequencies (within limits).In the 1950s NDBs were common and VORs starting to come on line.

The navaids you are talking about were usually NDB's or a four-course radio range, while the NDB's are simulated I'm not sure if the four-course radio range can be simulated at least easily (true anything can be programmed it's just a matter of someone spending the time... like the absence of VOR based RNAV radios despite using their approach plates albeit for GPS). The bgl files which contain the information about navaids can be date dependent, so in theory the sim could be made to actually give navaids, elevation mesh, landclass, buildings, rivers, lakes and dams, highways and roads, even airports that change depending on what date the sim is set to. This is a feature I would love to see implemented so that you could recreate historical flights and not only fly the original route but see out the window a simulation of what was there at the time instead of present day cities/roads/airports/lakes/volcanoes/etc. A further enhancement to this would be to create the AI traffic bgl to also be date dependent so if you went back to fly in the 50's the traffic would include prop airliners, no jets and correct period GA traffic... would be really neat don't ya think?ZanePS. For all the purists out there, and you know who you are... Yes, I am aware that many of the present approved GPS approach plates come from prior RNAV plates, that is why they are labeled that way and, yes, the GPS is a far better navigation tool and will someday replace all VOR based RNAV radios. Just look at the number of used aircraft for sale that still utilize VOR based RNAVs, there are many simmers that do fly aircraft like these and would love to have these radios in the sim.

So, those of us that like to fly with approach plates into airports would need new charts too, it sounds like. With Zane's suggestions of period scenery as well, it's almost like a new sim :), or at least a big add-on project.Bruce.

I dunno how much I'd want to fly four-course radios in a sim, sounds about like using NDBs in real life having to listen to that incesant morse code beeping in the background. From what I've seen with the four-course system, you followed them by sound, not by any instrument. It was a morse N and it's reciprocal so that if you were on course, the two would cancel each other out to make a steady hum., if you got off course, you'd start to hear morse code and by the letter that came in, you'd know which direction you were off course. You can correct me if I'm mistaken, but I believe that is how it was described in my Jeppessen Private Pilot Handbook.----------------------------------------------------------------John S. MorganReal World: KGEG, UND Aerospace Spokane Satillite, Private 130+ hrs.Virtual: MSFS 2004"There is a feeling about an airport that no other piece of ground can have. No matter what the name of the country on whose land it lies, an airport is a place you can see and touch that leads to a reality that can only be thought and felt." - The Bridge Across Forever: A Love Story by Richard Bach

You are not mistaken. Learned how to use those in Primary Flight Training back in 1959. Trust me, I am NOT nostalgic for those "old times". :-)They were a real pain then, that has not improved with time. :-)As an OLD pilot,(as opposed to a BOLD pilot), I love the nav stuff they are using today, would have killed to have had it 40 years ago. Just wish I could participate in real world flight today. Regards,Paul

Yeah hearing

Hello John,I gotta second you on not wanting to fly four courses, yet when VOR starting taking over some pilots complained about having to learn a new more complex (?) system. The point I wanted to make though concerned the ability to make a simulation that would be historically correct in more than the detail of the aircraft itself. Bill and Lynn Lyons have released two add-ons that will alter files to bring back period era flying to a certain extent, if not installed to the letter though you can mess things up (back up any related files and follow the readme and instructions to the letter).Zane

Yeah, the four-course isn't hard, just irritating., if you're off course you'll be hearing incesant, constant, repetative morse code, if you're on course, you hear an incesant, constant hum. I know after listening to the morse code beeping over and over again on NDB approaches, I find myself gritting my teeth. Hehe. The period senery is definately cool. I know Ted Stevens Anchorage International for instance, has many top down arial photographs from various years starting at I think the 1950s showing it's many stages of construction.----------------------------------------------------------------John S. MorganReal World: KGEG, UND Aerospace Spokane Satillite, Private 130+ hrs.Virtual: MSFS 2004"There is a feeling about an airport that no other piece of ground can have. No matter what the name of the country on whose land it lies, an airport is a place you can see and touch that leads to a reality that can only be thought and felt." - The Bridge Across Forever: A Love Story by Richard Bach

Zane,I wonder if it would be possible to narrow the gauge face of a CDI so that one would only see 1/2 to 1 needle deflection and show just the four compass directions while using current day VORs in the places where the four course radio ranges were.I don't think I'd want to fly with a headphone full of static myself, real or sim.As far as the charts go, I only have the NY sectional from 1942 and 1957. EBay rocks! There seemed to be alot more little airports.Thanks everybody!Jim

while maybe theoretically possibly, the amount of data required to implement that globally (or even for a single country taking enough detail into consideration like change of cities and land use, shifting river courses, land reclamation efforts, etc. etc.) would be prohibitive, as would the amount of time and manpower required to gather and prepare all that data.It's pretty much the same reason there is no photographic scenery worldwide for all seasons that works well from all altitudes.Even for a smallish area such as Megascenery provides you usually get a single season and it only looks good from a narrow altitude band.

Hi Jim;Thought you might be intrested inhttp://forums.avsim.net/dcboard.php?az=sho...d=224122&page=2Any how Tom Gibson's Calclassic web site listed at the bottom of the post is just chock full of great period flying info from the1930's to 1960's including a whole section on your question;-) Hope this helps.DN