Santa Monica Muni. to Palm Springs Intl.

• RE: May 9 0200z Multiplayer Plan,Ben_Chiu, 22:38z, 05-10-04
  • RE: May 9 0200z Multiplayer Plan,RobertVA, 05:56z, 05-11-04
    • RE: May 9 0200z Multiplayer Plan,Ben_Chiu, 04:42z, 05-13-04
  • RE: May 9 0200z Multiplayer Plan,RobertVA, 06:47z, 05-11-04

Hi Robert:

Thanks again for your efforts with the flight planning.

There seems to be some issues that need to be addressed.

The first one I ran into. You don't seem to include initial headings or frequencies for the first leg. During the flight you indicated that you left it out because the GPS would take you to SMO before continuing to the first way point. Might I suggest that perhaps all waypoints that are for GPS (sans VOR as in this example) feature a star (*) or the letter "G" or some other indication for those using GPS to know that you'd use this waypoint? My thoughts are those learning navigation will start with radio navigation rather than GPS.

The second issue has to do with intersections. David mentioned that he had no idea where to find these. Perhaps we should take up this subject in the Flight Training forum, but the quick solution is fly intersections based on VOR radials than as RNAV/GPS waypoints. This way the name becomes less important.

Just some thoughts...

Ben

-= VPC OffLine Reader 2.1 =-
Registered to: Ben Chiu
-OLR.PL v1.83-

I will continue to utilize a VOR for the end of the first leg when the beacon is receivable promptly after takeoff. That would actually make radio navigation easier, since it would eliminate a frequency change, intersection and possibly a radial change midway along the leg.

I don't have the charts to determine the two official VOR bearings for intersections. Where an intersection is between two VORs, being the second in a series of three waypoints, similar information is available in the plan. The distance information in the plan often permits the use of DME to determine when the plane is approaching a waypoint. Some waypoints immediately before the destination airport can be identified by using heading hold near the end of the leg and watching for movement on the HSI or OBI set for a localizer. Where there is a VOR at the destination airport, but no localizer, I will use the facility type "Airport/VOR" and add the VOR frequency to the destination line.

If map view is zoomed in and the proper map features enabled, intersections will be labeled in Flight Simulator 2004. At intermediate zoom levels a "tool tip" balloon will appear when the pointer is held over an intersection. Intersections used for approach alignment are normally within the map window when at fairly tight zoom levels when the destination airport is centered in the map window. I will check shortly to determine if the tight zoom labeling is also available in FS 2002 Pro. The approximate position of waypoints should be evident from the heading and distance information in the plan.

If enough people want to download the plan file I could email it to Ben.

Robert

Near KORF

Hi Robert:

> I will continue to utilize a VOR for the end of the first leg when the
> beacon is receivable promptly after takeoff.

A magnetic heading would work too. If you're next waypoint is an intersection, you could insert a waypoint as intercepting one of the radials that makes up the next waypoint/intersection.

> That would actually make
> radio navigation easier, since it would eliminate a frequency change,
> intersection and possibly a radial change midway along the leg.

Radial changes along a leg is difficult unless you're using DME or using another VOR radial to make up the waypoint.

> I don't have the charts to determine the two official VOR bearings for
> intersections.

"Official" intersections aren't necessary (not for RNAV at least). You can define any waypoint between any two VOR radials or a single VOR radial and a DME distance.

> Where an intersection is between two VORs, being the
> second in a series of three waypoints, similar information is available
> in the plan. The distance information in the plan often permits the use
> of DME to determine when the plane is approaching a waypoint. Some
> waypoints immediately before the destination airport can be identified
> by using heading hold near the end of the leg and watching for movement
> on the HSI or OBI set for a localizer. Where there is a VOR at the
> destination airport, but no localizer, I will use the facility type
> "Airport/VOR" and add the VOR frequency to the destination line.

Understood. If no NAVAID is available, again, a simple magnetic heading will get you there.

> If enough people want to download the plan file I could email it to Ben.

Aren't some of the guys getting lazy enough already about flight plans?

Ben

-= VPC OffLine Reader 2.1 =-
Registered to: Ben Chiu
-OLR.PL v1.83-

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2002's map view doesn't seem to have the "tool tip" popup balloons, but it does have intersection labeling at tight zoom levels. The labels are quite readable when the zoom level is at about ten mile radius with Ohare centered in the map.

Robert

Near KORF