Doppler, CDI, needle, hands off flight, Nav Assist with magnetic deviation.

[WildBillKelsoe]

So I am looking at three things to ask:

1- The doppler needles pointing to the left with lateral deviation window measurement in units;

 

If the needle is off to the left by 10°, that means I am to the right of the course? Is this similar to solution to intercept or solution to parallel the original course as in E-6B?

 

The lateral deviation drum counter digits XYZ. If XYZ is 007 and increasing, Am I right to assume that I am 7 km, 700 meters, or 70 meters deviated (and increasing) from my intended course?

 

How to center back the needle (except the backwall testing panel all the way to left then back to full right switch position)?

 

2- The autopilot hands off approach demands that I set a bank angle trim on attitude pitch and roll channels countered by a stabilised yaw from the Yaw channel. How to tell if autopilot will not bank more and change heading? From the autopilot dash _ / \ windows?

 

 

Say I want to fly 278° and I set that. Then autopilot engaged, then heli starts to sloooowly roll to the right implying new heading 280°. Which instruments to use to assure zero bank, coordinated, ruddered solid, stable attitude horizontal navigation? How should the dashes look like on A/P channels?

 

3- When contacting ATC of airfield for Nav Assist, course spoken is Magnetic or corrected True? What is the Mag declination to be added (or subtracted since it is Easterly?) if the latter?

[Looney]

First off, as far as I know, that autopilot, which isn't an autopilot but a stabilizer, and doppler system are not connected.

 

For the stabilizing channels to work correctly, you'll need to trim the helicopter fairly good before the channels will be able to make it work for you.

 

The doppler system shows the deviation from a desired track. So if you want to fly 278 and you see the needle point 10 degrees to the left, it means you are travelling roughly 268 instead of 278 and should turn right to intercept the 278 track.

 

The doppler system takes into account drift by wind.

 

One of my wing mates (132nd.Makeshift) wrote a great document on the use of the ground speed and drift angle indicator. Although this centres on flying a PAR (Precision Approach Radar) approach, it will give you a good indication on how to use the instrument.

 

You can find it here:

 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6qQgASGyF_9WHZHZ2xwS1pDaWs/view

[lmp]

If the needle is off to the left by 10°, that means I am to the right of the course?

 

That means you're drifting 10 degrees to the left in relation to the ground. It has nothing to do with the course set on the coordinate calculator (which doesn't even need to be on for the drift indicator to work). It's an independent instrument with a different purpose, the only connection it has to the coordinate calculator is that it uses the same doppler sensors.

 

Is this similar to solution to intercept or solution to parallel the original course as in E-6B?

 

No.

 

The lateral deviation drum counter digits XYZ. If XYZ is 007 and increasing, Am I right to assume that I am 7 km, 700 meters, or 70 meters deviated (and increasing) from my intended course?

 

Yup, 7km and increasing in whichever direction the flag is telling you (left or right).

 

How to center back the needle (except the backwall testing panel all the way to left then back to full right switch position)?

 

Cancel the drift with your pedals and stick.