course vs heading

[pabloc720 0]

Thanks L that makes the waypoints a little clearer to me especially about the restricted airspace, mountains, etc and if I understand you correctly you can program the route you would like to take or sections you have or want to avoid and then plug the GPS into the auto-pilot and the route would be followed by the AP. Is this type of routing possible in FS9 cause I can use the GPS system and auto-pilot but I never got them to work together.thanksPaul

[n4gix 4,947]

>you are correct Donny I think I took it out of context a bit>and should have seen it for what the comment was.I'm glad that Donny explained the intention behind my question, because it would have been too self-serving for me to have done so.In any case, the real "meat" to the question is that the easiest way to learn any new task is to break it down to the simplest components, and simply the variables as much as possible. (Gee, that sounds like algebra! ;)If you truly wish to learn about navigation, the best course of action is to take it low and slow, and that my friend translates to something more like the C172 or C182... ;)That gives you plenty of time to set things up, and see how all the basics fit together, without having to do fifty-dozen other things at the same time.No baby pops out of the womb and immediately enters a 10k run... they learn to burp & drool first, and only later master crawling. ;)

[LAdamson 240]

Sometimes I do use the flight planner to create an FS9 GPS navigated flight, but most of the time, I just fly shorter airport to airport, or VOR segments of a cross country.Just punch in the airport or VOR with the "direct to" button & the GPS will line up a track for the next segment. Use "Nav" on the auto-pilot, and there should be another switch somewhere on the panel that say's NAV/GPS. Switch this one to GPS.But, on the other hand, I just might see the track line on the GPS, and turn my heading indicator to the approximate track, using "heading" instead of "nav" on the auto-pilot. Then I'll just make a few heading bug corrections as required for any crosswinds, until the heading & trak is the same.L.Adamson

[Guest Adverse Yawn]

Extrapilot,Your post should be a sticky.

[mgh 89]

>Extrapilot,>>Your post should be a sticky.I agree!

[Guest ExtraPilot]

I've been a pilot and flight instructor for more than 30 years, taught folks on a variety of flight training devices (e.g., such units as the Frasca 142), flown with students and pilots in many types of aircraft, and watched hundreds of people "fly" Flight Simulator. It's remarkable how similar those experiences can be.Many of the frustrations that pilots and virtual aviators have when they climb into the cockpit stem from the basic fact that they don't understand what they're supposed to be doing. If you don't have at least a tenuous grasp of the theory, procedures, instruments, avionics, and proper actions to take, you can't fly precisely and smoothly and manage all the tasks a pilot must juggle, whether cruising along in great VFR weather in a simple single-engine piston airplane or flying a complex IFR arrival in a turbine-powered transport.That's why I advocate that even virtual aviators try to emulate the process pilots follow as they learn to fly. You can certainly skip some steps if you just want to enjoy virtual flight--e.g., there's no need to memorize a bunch of regulations or sweat all the details of weather theory--but you'll enjoy your flying experience more and make much better progress toward your goals if you invest a little time in learning the fundamentals. In other words, practice your scales before plunging into sonatas.(This is not to say, of course, that in Flight Simulator even as a beginner you shouldn't occaisonally free your inner airline captain and just experiment with the 747, for example. Only your ego will suffer adverse consequences.)In the recent past, following that advice meant, at a minimum, buying a shelf full of expensive books. But with the authoritative resources now available on the Web (many of them free), anyone can explore the areas they're most interested in at little expense, except for time spent learning about what you're already interested in.The references I linked to in my previous message are not, of course, the only sources of good information. Unfortunately, however, I've noticed over the years that many pilots and virtual aviators struggle with the same questions and often get misleading and incomplete information as replies. And there are so many duplicative efforts to explain the same concepts (say, for example, VOR navigation or how to develop an effective instrument scan) that's it difficult for folks to find complete, accurate, and well-presented background information. Plus, a lot of effort is expended re-creating what's already been done pretty well.That's why I often direct folks to the FAA training handbooks that I cited in my earlier message. They are fundamental, comprehensive sources for pilots learning to fly in the U.S., and they're the primary official references cited in the Practical Test Standards that govern flight tests for certificates and ratings issued by the FAA. And, of course, much of the information in those FAA books applies regardless of where you fly--and more importantly for everyone here, is directly applicable to flying PC-based simulations.The excellent materials provided free by the AOPA Air Safety Foundation via the special page for Flight Simulator pilots (http://www.aopa.org/special/microsoft/flightsim.html) do a wonderful job of consolodating facts, tips, and other information from many sources.I frequently use AOPA materials as teaching aids, homework for students, and review materials for pilots getting back up to speed. Again, you can pick the Safety Advisors, Online Courses and other offerings depending on your experience, type of aircraft you fly, etc. Choosing items off your regular menu, however, may encourage you to expand your flying experiences.Combine those resources with the Learning Center and the articles on the updated Microsoft Flight Simulator site (http://fsinsider.com/articles/)for information specific to Flight Simulator), and I bet you'll find you have a lot more fun, regardless of what type of flying--real and/or virtual--you pursue.

[Guest iiMiller]

Interesting topic. Following with great interest.Miller