Initial Alignment, Verify Aircraft Position WPT0

[Captain Orso]

Going by Chuck's Hornet Guide on page 74 in the startup procedure, I'm verifying the aircraft position against INS alignment.

 

While sitting in the cockpit I display the info bar and adjust the coordinates display to deg°min'sec"00.

Chuck says to open the F10 map and then put the mouse pointer over your aircraft to read the coordinates from the top bar, but I've confirmed that the info bar works exactly as well, but is easier to use.

Then in HSI select waypoint 0 and DATA to read the coordinates.

 

Now the confusing part. Chuck says, "in the waypoint page, see the WYPT 0 (aircraft position) coordinates and make sure that they match", but they don't, and even in Chucks guide in the illustrations, they don't match.

 

What's happening here?

 

Is Chuck's guide wrong?

 

If not, what am I doing wrong?

 

Is there a better way to confirm the INS alignment?

[TomCatMucDe]

they must match in DCS. Change the coordinate type in the F10 view. Use left alt+y to cycle through the different types.

[Harker]

By default at startup, the coordinates are in DD.MM.mm(mm). You need to change them from the HSI AC page to DD.MM.SS(.ss), if you want to use the format with the seconds. IIRC, it's the bottom right OSB option.

[takamba]

left alt + z for german keyboard

[Captain Orso]

they must match in DCS. Change the coordinate type in the F10 view. Use left alt+y to cycle through the different types.

 

By default at startup, the coordinates are in DD.MM.mm(mm). You need to change them from the HSI AC page to DD.MM.SS(.ss), if you want to use the format with the seconds. IIRC, it's the bottom right OSB option.

 

left alt + z for german keyboard

 

Thanks for all the replies :D

 

I've assigned somewhat different binds, because A. I'm flying in VR and I need very distinctive (easy to feel) key combinations, and II. I'm using a German keyboard and DCS does weird things with non-US keyboards.

 

From my experience, in DCS, which switching between DD-MM-SS.ss and DD-MM-SS, DCS simply drops the .ss but does not rounding-up. EG with the DD-MM-SS.ss display setting, if the map coordinates were 39-13-45.99, when switching to the display setting to DD.MM.SS DCS will not show 39-13-46 (rounding 45.99 up to 46), but instead the map will show 39-13-45(!!).

 

I hadn't thought about changing the HSI coord. display yet, because the discrepancy is far more than hundredths of minutes.

 

Here's a recent example showing a major difference between seconds on map and seconds in WPT 0

[Swift.]

In the picture, your map is using LatLongSec and your aircraft is in LatLongDec.

 

There are 2 modes of LatLong coordinates, with each having a precise submode:

- Degrees Minutes Seconds (DecimalSeconds) = DD MM SS.ss

- Degrees Minutes DecimalMinutes = DD MM.mmmm

 

To change the mode of the hornet, go to HSI>DATA>A/C then press the bottom right button label 'LatLongDec' or 'LatLongSec' to toggle between the two.

[takamba]

Just change the coordinate display mode in your hornet to the most precise display format, like Swiftwin9s described above and you will see there is no difference at all.

[Captain Orso]

In the picture, your map is using LatLongSec and your aircraft is in LatLongDec.

 

There are 2 modes of LatLong coordinates, with each having a precise submode:

- Degrees Minutes Seconds (DecimalSeconds) = DD MM SS.ss

- Degrees Minutes DecimalMinutes = DD MM.mmmm

 

To change the mode of the hornet, go to HSI>DATA>A/C then press the bottom right button label 'LatLongDec' or 'LatLongSec' to toggle between the two.

 

Just change the coordinate display mode in your hornet to the most precise display format, like Swiftwin9s described above and you will see there is no difference at all.

 

OMFG :doh: that's the dangers of VR :cry: .... :D

 

Many thanks guys!!

[Captain Orso]

Just as a FYI, it worked, ofc! :D