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Flightsim Navigation with NDB, VOR, DME, GPS


Rudy_B

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Stuck at home thanks to the Corona virus I started a series of blog posts and videos about flightsim navigation with NDB, VOR, DME, GPS, which might be of interested to those who like to start flying IFR. The first posts are online, more to follow.

 

/ Link to the blog

 

No reference to clock..? That's not REAL navigation, even in Flight Sim!

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Patience, mallcott. He says there are more videos to come, and what I've seen so far is what any good instructor will do, namely introduce things to the student a piece at a time. Knowing what an NDB or VOR is, knowing how to use it to determine heading/course/etc., finding yourself on a map are all pieces of the puzzle, NOT the complete thing.

 

So he has not yet completed the "how to navigate," but rather has started introductions to various pieces, the "building blocks" if you will, that the student will need to start understanding what's going on and how to do the job. Learning navigational techniques is NOT a 5 minute job for those who are new to it. In fact had he talked about the clock and its use at this point, I'd have downgraded him for getting too far ahead of the student's progress, thus hindering the learning.

 

So let's see what the remainder of his contributions bring before being judgmental.

 

Larry N.

As Skylab would say:

Remember: Aviation is NOT an exact Science!

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Flight Sim Navigation 09 A Flight with NDB Navigation only.

 

In this video & blog post we first create a flight plan based on NDB navigation only, then we fly it. All challenges of the previous videos are covered: track an NDB inbound and outbound, cross wind bracketing and intercept a bearing. Despite an i7 processor the video has some stutter, I definitely need to get myself a new rig, even more with MSFS2020 coming!

 

 

Link to the blog post.

 

 

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Flight Sim Navigation 10 Fly To or From a VOR.

 

Video 10 shows the steps to take to fly to or from a VOR (Very High Frequency Omni-Directional Range) radio beacon.

1: Tune the VOR frequency in one of the nav radios and listen to the Morse code to verify.

2: Turn the OBS knob until the CDI needle is vertical AND the TO/FR indicator shows what you want: fly towards or fly away from the VOR.

3: Read the bearing at the top of the scale and change heading to that bearing.

 

 

 

Link to the blog post.

 

 

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Flight Sim Navigation 13 Landing at Lukla Tenzing Hillary Airport

 

After 12 videos on NDB and VOR flight navigation using the radios and the ADF and CDI instruments it’s time for a short intermezzo. This video is a visual flight with approach and landing at Lukla Airport in the Himalayas.

 

We’re all eagerly awaiting MSFS2020. The screenshots and the short videos that have been shown so far all look breathtaking, and I bet the flight experience and cockpits will be too.

 

In anticipation a group of enthusiasts built a website called FlighLoc.com that contains an ever growing collection of 'must see' places on earth to fly tover or to land at with our flight simulator. First on the list is Tenzing Hillary airport at Lukla in the Himalayas.

 

I can’t wait for FS2020 to arrive, but in the mean time we can alreeady enjoy the scenery with the Google Earth Flight Simulator. We can even land, be it that I have not found any brakes on the plane.

 

 

Link to the blog post.

 

 

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Flight Sim Navigation 15 VOR Navigation with Garmin G1000

 

The video shows how to tune a VOR radio beacon on the Garmin G1000 and how to show the VOR CDI display on the display. The bearing to or from the VOR can be found by turning the course knob until the needle is straight.

 

 

Link to the blog post.

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Flight Sim Navigation 16 FSRadioPanel Android App for Radio Stack, Auto Pilot, and more

 

With instrument navigation a lot of radio tuning takes place during flight. I went on the lookout for an app that I could use on my Android tablet to have a separate Radio Panel available on the desk, under hands reach. It would decrease the need to change cockpit views all the time and it would be fun, giving a bit more of a ‘cockpit feel’.

 

Several apps could be found and I tried all those that had a free demo. The one that stood out for me was FSRadioPanel. It’s not just a radio stack … it has a lot more under the hood, 7 apps in one.

 

 

Link to the blog post.

 

 

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Flight Sim Navigation 18 DIY Radios & Autopilot Panel Project Part 1

 

Using the FSRadioPanel Android app the idea came to mind to add physical knobs to and create a cockpit panel. Looking for ways to connect the hardware to the flight sim I came across the MobiFlight software for use with an Arduino Mega or -Pro Mini. I tested it and it worked like a charm, after which the idea for a DIY project grew a bit larger ... why not add encoders, buttons and displays for a complete autopilot? This video shows the start of the project ... more to follow when there is progress.

 

 

Link to the blog post.

 

 

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Flight Sim Navigation 20 Radios and Autopilot Panel Design and Drawings

 

The intention is to laser cut the four panels out of 'milk' plexiglass and to laser engrave the texts in the dark gray spray paint layer, after which hopefully they light up nicely in the dark with some LED strips functioning as back light.

 

The design is done in Fusion 360, which is free for personal non commercial use. The Fusion file, the drawings and the laser DXF files all are available for download on the blog.

 

 

Link to the blog post.

 

 

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Edited by Rudy_B
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  • 2 weeks later...

Flight Sim Navigation 21 VOR Tracking, Bracketing

 

VOR navigation has some advantages over NDB. The course deviation indicator needle is more sensitive and the needle does not inverse when flying away from the VOR or after having made a heading correction. This makes things less confusing. To get back on track we always fly to the needle.

 

The video shows tracking a VOR radial in a stiff crosswind using bracketing.

 

 

Link to the blog post.

 

 

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Flight Sim Navigation 22 Radios and Autopilot Project: Prototype and Modifications

 

The hobby club reopened after a couple of months of Corona lock down. It meant I could laser cut the first prototype of the Radios & Autopilot Panel Project. Some modifications were needed which in the mean time are incorporated into the Fusion 360 design..

 

 

Link to the blog post.

 

 

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Flight Sim Navigation 23 Radios and Autopilot Project: Prototype 2, Encoders, Displays, Mobiflight

 

The second prototype of the panel is laser cut out of 3mm multiplex. KY-040 encoders and MAX7219 displays are connected to an Arduino Mega for a first test with Mobiflight.

 

 

Link to the blog post.

 

 

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