How to find desired course in CDU?

[EagleBeak]

Is there a way to find the desired course for a waypoint in the CDU?

To be clear I am not looking for how to find the direct heading to a waypoint/steerpoint (I am an intermediate DCS user, not a noob). I am looking for the "course", which is the invisible line between two points that the aircraft must maintain in order to adhere to the flight plan.

I am asking this question so that I can input the correct course into the HSI when adherence to the flight plan is critical. However, there currently seems to be no way to find the desired course between 2 waypoints without cheating and using the F10 map.

For example, in the A-10C "Navigation" Training mission late in the mission the instructor tells you that the desired course between waypoints 3 and 4 is 270 degrees and he instructs you to input that number into the HSI. I realized that in order to properly navigate in the future that I need to be able to find that course number myself. However, I searched every page in the CDU and the number "270" doesn't appear anywhere. After searching the forums and the manual, I realized that you're supposed to be see the course number with the following steps:

1. Set "From" waypoint"

2. Set Steer point

3. Go to the "attributes" page

4. Switch to STEER mode to "TO-TO"

5. A line will then pop-up with your desired course, for example: "HSI set at 270".

 

However, the number that it gives is wrong every time. For example, in that navigation training mission, when I know for a fact that the course is supposed to be 270, it tells me to set it to 353. If so then I'll just accept that the HSI is useless in the A-10.

So, is this feature still bugged since 2012? Is this considered a non-issue because no one uses the HSI (because everyone just references the course lines on the TADS instead?)
_________________________________________

I've search the DCS forums and the manual for answers before posting. The only post I could find addressing this problem was from 2012, however most people misunderstood the OP's question, and the rest said that there was a bug preventing this feature from working:
 

 

[Akiazusa]

Hi

I just tried it, and it works correctly for me.

Most of your steps seems fine,except "Go to the "attributes" page and switch to STEER mode to "TO-TO""

The TOTO/2D/VNAV you select on the attributes page only decides what default attributes will be used for you next new created waypoint,it won't change the attributes of existing waypoints

You may need to click into your flight plan page and click under each waypoint to make sure they are already in TO TO mode if you are in Flight plan mode

or you need to click into NAV-Waypoint page to make sure they are in TO TO mode if you are in MISSION mode

 

And also the attributes for a waypoint and "the same waypoint but in the flight plan" can be different,you need to check them both if you want to switch between FLIGHT PLAN and Missions.

 

I didn't fly the A-10C recently,but I used this function a lot back in the days ,also the VNAV function. I just tested both of them and they both works.

Edited February 21, 2023 by Akiazusa

[jaylw314]

I can't get that "Set HSI to xxx" feature to work either, and as far as I can tell, and there's no other depicted way of finding the desired track to the next waypoint.  OTOH, it's hard to imagine this would be the normal way of doing things.

Probably an easier workaround once you're at the previous waypoint is to flip the STEER knob to MISSION and select the next waypoint.  Turn the HSI needle in the vicinity of pointer #1, then flip the STEER knob back to FLT PLN. No point in being exact, since you'll fly off the needle instead of the course arrow anyway, in the same way having your course arrow a little off from the ILS doesn't matter much either.

The easiest is way, of course, is to just leave the STEER knob in MISSION and just do TO-FROM with every waypoint.

[Akiazusa]

I recorded some short tracks, showing my steps of setting it up.Don't know if they could help.

2 ME preset waypoints +1 cockpit added waypoint,using TO-TO and VNAV in different mode.

TO-TO and VNAV,FLT PLN mode .trk

TO-TO and VNAV,MISSION mode .trk

 

I put 2 waypoints using the ME,one was lined up to the runway,the other one was directly at the runway,then using TO-TO and VNAV did a kinda crazy approach in fog.

TO-TO + VNAV landing in fog .trk

Edited February 20, 2023 by Akiazusa

[EagleBeak]

I appreciate the help everyone.

16 hours ago, Akiazusa said:

I recorded some short tracks, showing my steps of setting it up.Don't know if they could help.

2 ME preset waypoints +1 cockpit added waypoint,using TO-TO and VNAV in different mode.

TO-TO and VNAV,FLT PLN mode .trk 267.11 kB · 5 downloads

TO-TO and VNAV,MISSION mode .trk 308.89 kB · 4 downloads

 

I put 2 waypoints using the ME,one was lined up to the runway,the other one was directly at the runway,then using TO-TO and VNAV did a kinda crazy approach in fog.

TO-TO + VNAV landing in fog .trk 295.19 kB · 4 downloads

 

I'll give this a shot when I get home tonight. Perhaps I didn't read closely enough, but I don't recall the manual explaining that the attributes page was only for waypoints made in the future. Good to know. I'm happy to hear that its working for you. That would mean that the bug from 2012 has been fixed.

Edited February 20, 2023 by EagleBeak

[EagleBeak]

On 2/19/2023 at 3:54 PM, Akiazusa said:

Hi

I just tried it, and it works correctly for me.

Most of your steps seems fine,except "Go to the "attributes" page and switch to STEER mode to "TO-TO""

The TOTO/2D/VNAV you select on the attributes page only decides what default attributes will be used for you next new created waypoint,it won't change the attributes of existing waypoints

You may need to click into your flight plan page and click under each waypoint to make sure they are already in there is in TO TO mode if you are in Flight plan mode

or you need to click into NAV-Waypoint page to make sure they are in TO TO mode if you are in MISSION mode

 

And also the attributes for a waypoint and "the same waypoint but in the flight plan" can be different,you need to check them both if you want to switch between FLIGHT PLAN and Missions.

 

I didn't fly the A-10C recently, but I used this function a lot back in the days ,also the VNAV function. I just tested both of them and they both works.

 

Hey man, I watched your tracks and I think I understand now. Thank you for your help. I marked your first post as the solution.

Edited February 23, 2023 by EagleBeak

[Akiazusa]

9 hours ago, EagleBeak said:

Hey man, I watched your tracks and I think I understand now. Thank you for your help. I marked your first post at the solution.

glad it helps you