Direction of pushback on VATSIM

[LeifApex 1]

Hello,

I wanna start off by noting that i know to push the aircraft back in the opposite direction of the “facing ....” instruction, so i of course would be facing that direction.

I fly the PMDG 737-800 in FSX:SE, and up until now when commencing I’ve only heard ATC instruct either “pushback approved facing east” or “pushback approved facing west”, so since I’ve only heard those two I thought it just meant pushback facing your right or your left, but I’m beginning to have second thought.

 

So, does it work as how my theory was explained, or can ATC instruct facing all directions?

If my theory was wrong, how would I know which current compass direction I’m facing in the NGX? I see that little compass pointer beneath the FWD overhead panel, but I can’t see anything on it, it’s too blurry. How do you guys know? Is there a right and wrong way of doing it?

Regards and thanks in advance.

[Olympic260 415]

You know the heading you are facing by the compass on the ND, the stb compass, and even the sim shows the hdg on the screen menus.

Also the ground chart can give a reference when Norht is and can see where you are parked.

 

For example if I am in ATH parked in A13 and ATC told me push facing south I know that south is on my left so I will push with nose facing left, Same if they told me facing East will push with nose facing right.

[LeifApex 1]

4 hours ago, Olympic260 said:

Also the ground chart can give a reference when Norht is and can see where you are parked.

 

For example if I am in ATH parked in A13 and ATC told me push facing south I know that south is on my left so I will push with nose facing left, Same if they told me facing East will push with nose facing right.

I’ll try looking at some charts when I get home to familiarize myself with this - thank you.

4 hours ago, Olympic260 said:

You know the heading you are facing by the compass on the ND, the stb compass, and even the sim shows the hdg on the screen menus.

As I said, i’m Referring to the Compass direction (I believe that’s called magnetic heading - please correct me if i’m Wrong) (north, south, east, west) Where can I see that on the ND?

[Jim Erwin 7]

The heading on the ND is at the top labeled either TRK or HDG per selected option. 

 

Jim Erwin

[DaveCT2003 1,820]

Take yourself out of the aircraft to think about this might also help.  So we know that airports have many different geographic orientations, and that ramps (pushback areas) can face all sorts of different directions from ramp to ramp and airport to airport.  With this in mind, Ramp Control (ATC for the most part in flight sim) will have you push facing a direction that lines up with the exit for the ramp area onto a taxiway.  Knowing this, you might be asked to face any particular heading.

I hope this is helpful to you!

Best wishes!

 

[LeifApex 1]

I have tried looking at multiple airport charts, and i Cannot find a label that indicates north, east, South Or West. (Just eg. West apron, which is not to any use in my case).

i cannot find a display that shows either north, east, South Or West Or a compass that i Can read OFF in the NGX cockpit. If anywhere Else than previously suggested, please let me know.

2 hours ago, DaveCT2003 said:

Take yourself out of the aircraft to think about this might also help.  So we know that airports have many different geographic orientations, and that ramps (pushback areas) can face all sorts of different directions from ramp to ramp and airport to airport.  With this in mind, Ramp Control (ATC for the most part in flight sim) will have you push facing a direction that lines up with the exit for the ramp area onto a taxiway.  Knowing this, you might be asked to face any particular heading.

I hope this is helpful to you!

Best wishes!

 

This is a good suggestion, however in some airports there are Two says out of the ramp, so i sadly cannot rely on this method.

i’m nor sure if i’m not looking in the Right places Or if the NGX aircraft simply does not show Tour compass direction (north, east, South, West)

reagrds,

[downscc 1,327]

I think you are making this too complicated.  If you want to "pushback facing East," then the direction of your push back depends on the direction you are pointed or facing before pushback.  If you are parked facing North then you want to pushback tail to the left, if you are parked facing South then the pushback is tail to the right to end up facing in a general East direction.  If you are not parked either of these then the ATC clearance makes no sense.  The aircraft has a compass.. maybe you don't know how to read it?

[LeifApex 1]

4 minutes ago, downscc said:

I think you are making this too complicated.  If you want to "pushback facing East," then the direction of your push back depends on the direction you are pointed or facing before pushback.  If you are parked facing North then you want to pushback tail to the left, if you are parked facing South then the pushback is tail to the right to end up facing in a general East direction.  If you are not parked either of these then the ATC clearance makes no sense.  The aircraft has a compass.. maybe you don't know how to read it?

What my problem is, is that i don’t know which Way i’m facing to begik with, and i haven’t had Luck finding out using charts. And AS i have Said multiple times, i cannot read the compass. I’m at a wrong angle, and its  Blurry. (I an talking about the compass just below the FWD overhead panel).

regards,

[downscc 1,327]

9 minutes ago, LeifApex said:

What my problem is, is that i don’t know which Way i’m facing to begik with, and i haven’t had Luck finding out using charts. And AS i have Said multiple times, i cannot read the compass. I’m at a wrong angle, and its  Blurry. (I an talking about the compass just below the FWD overhead panel).

regards,

The whisky compass should not be blurry... something is wrong with your display settings.

You also have an ND display and as someone has already pointed out is tells you what direction you are pointing.  Have you reviewed the Introduction document and flown the tutorial yet?

[DaveCT2003 1,820]

26 minutes ago, LeifApex said:

This is a good suggestion, however in some airports there are Two says out of the ramp, so i sadly cannot rely on this method.

Sure you can my friend. ATC is going to tell you which direction to face, and by having an understanding of how the airport is laid out, you will be a step ahead of the game!

Also, airport charts always have a North Orientation graphic on them.

If you're still struggling, you can always get EFB software or use LittleNavMap (freeware) to help you with the orientation.  That said, I agree with the statements above, you already have a compass in the aircraft, you can just use that as well.

 

Best wishes!

[skelsey 765]

4 hours ago, LeifApex said:

What my problem is, is that i don’t know which Way i’m facing to begik with, and i haven’t had Luck finding out using charts. And AS i have Said multiple times, i cannot read the compass. I’m at a wrong angle, and its  Blurry. (I an talking about the compass just below the FWD overhead panel).

regards,

As others have said, the navigation display shows your current heading in degrees. This is the direction in which the aircraft's nose is facing measured relative to magnetic north

000 = north, 090 = east, 180 = south, 270 = west and so on.

Get yourself a chart, look at the heading indicated on the ND and take a moment to orientate yourself. I'll be honest - this is where having an actual paper chart you can rotate to align with the aircraft (or at the very least on a separate tablet that you can rotate) is quite helpful.

Obviously when ATC instruct you to face west or east etc they do not expect you to end up facing exactly 270 or 090 degrees etc;  they just want you to be pointing broadly in that direction. If you are parked facing roughly north (i.e. roughly 000 ish ) then if you are instructed to push facing east then you are going to want the nose to go to the right and vice versa if you are asked to push facing west.

Being able to orientate yourself with a map and compass is a worthwhile skill to have even in this modern age of aircraft GPS/moving maps/car satnav etc...

[DaveCT2003 1,820]

4 hours ago, LeifApex said:

What my problem is, is that i don’t know which Way i’m facing to begik with, and i haven’t had Luck finding out using charts. And AS i have Said multiple times, i cannot read the compass. I’m at a wrong angle, and its  Blurry. (I an talking about the compass just below the FWD overhead panel).

regards,

 

Try using this to help you get used to a compass rose.

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/57ewdsy6fxj97hi/COMPASS ROSE.pdf?dl=0

 

Best wishes.

 

[winged532 7]

If you are on the ground at a gate and you want to know which direction you are facing, simply press "shift+z" and look at the text at the upper left of your monitor screen.  One of the text items will be the direction (0-360) degrees. 

[LeifApex 1]

23 hours ago, skelsey said:

As others have said, the navigation display shows your current heading in degrees. This is the direction in which the aircraft's nose is facing measured relative to magnetic north

000 = north, 090 = east, 180 = south, 270 = west and so on.

Get yourself a chart, look at the heading indicated on the ND and take a moment to orientate yourself. I'll be honest - this is where having an actual paper chart you can rotate to align with the aircraft (or at the very least on a separate tablet that you can rotate) is quite helpful.

Obviously when ATC instruct you to face west or east etc they do not expect you to end up facing exactly 270 or 090 degrees etc;  they just want you to be pointing broadly in that direction. If you are parked facing roughly north (i.e. roughly 000 ish ) then if you are instructed to push facing east then you are going to want the nose to go to the right and vice versa if you are asked to push facing west.

Being able to orientate yourself with a map and compass is a worthwhile skill to have even in this modern age of aircraft GPS/moving maps/car satnav etc...

 

22 hours ago, DaveCT2003 said:

 

Try using this to help you get used to a compass rose.

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/57ewdsy6fxj97hi/COMPASS ROSE.pdf?dl=0

 

Best wishes.

 

Thanks for the explanation and compass tool. I guess this is what i needed to get back on track.

thank you to everyone who responded.

regards,