Am I on my own here...?

[Conure]

So I got TrackIR today and am currently practising for a new squadrons initial tests....I just stopped myself and looked at what I've created..I've got my HOTAS, headset, trackIR all setup with a 24inch screen, and folders with paper clipped up against them with ILS frequencies , a note pad to take approach vectors etc and that kinda stuff...I know a few have home cockpits but, how many of you guys take it to this extent? I hope (and believe!) I am not alone :D

 

Also, Thought I'd get a question in here..(despite saying I wouldnt ask anymore :D)

 

I visualise an airport as a central point with degrees coming out of it. When an airport tells me to approach at say, 240, should I just turn straight to 240, or use the CDI to set a course, navigate onto the correct course and approach from that direction? Hope this makes sense :s

 

Cheers :D

[S77th-konkussion]

You're not doing anything out of the ordinary in my eyes...

 

From what I've seen- the ATC guy seems to be directing inbound planes to an approach point- not directly to the airport..

[Conure]

All alright, that's cool as I like the course approach thing...

 

Thank you:)

[ilikepie]

i'm with you Con..... the Mrs wants her lounge back......not a flight ops centre with maps and freqs on the wall. i get some funny looks with all the gear on and she has friends over.....its worse with TS as the all want to know why i keep telling the time, @ 11o'clock @ 6 o'clock etc.

 

one of her friends asked "why do you fly a desk?" replied ..."its better than the broom you use....

 

that got me the "i'm sooooo gunna slapp you sideways" look:badmood:

[Zenra]

No, you are not alone. I bought the beta some months ago and played a bit but then got too busy with work to pay it much attention, but since A-10C was released I've purchased a new 24inch screen, TM Warthog HOTAS (ouch!) and TIR5. I should probably also count my iPad in the, mix, too, since about all I do with it is read every RL and sim manual I can find on the A-10 on it.

 

Concerning the ATC calls, my understanding is they are providing a vector to an approach fix, which I believe is in the form of a bearing and distance from the field. For example, approaching Tskhakaya I radio "Inbound" and they instruct I fly "283 for 5" which I interpret as a point 5 NM from the airfield on the 283 radial from it. This puts me in a good position to intercept the glide path for RW 09. I am not sure if this is correct, but it's what I have been doing and seems to work!

 

Happy flying...

[Kaiza]

ATC is a bit non standard but the vector they give you is the heading you should fly. So 240 means turn onto 240.

 

The second number, I believe, is altitude in meters. 5 being 5 hundred. As I say- very non standard...

 

And no, you aren't alone, as soon as I buy something I am thinking about what I am getting next....

[Snoopy]

And don't sweat the LIFTs, if I can do them anyone can :D

 

And on the subject of buying items for the game...I would guess I'm someplace around 5000 us dollars so far just for DCS A-10

[rockyalexander]

Concerning the ATC calls, my understanding is they are providing a vector to an approach fix, which I believe is in the form of a bearing and distance from the field. For example, approaching Tskhakaya I radio "Inbound" and they instruct I fly "283 for 5" which I interpret as a point 5 NM from the airfield on the 283 radial from it. This puts me in a good position to intercept the glide path for RW 09. I am not sure if this is correct, but it's what I have been doing and seems to work!

 

ATC is a bit non standard but the vector they give you is the heading you should fly. So 240 means turn onto 240.

 

The second number, I believe, is altitude in meters. 5 being 5 hundred. As I say- very non standard...

 

I thought that "fly 283 for 5" is an instruction to turn to heading 283 and fly that course for 5 nautical miles.

 

Which one is correct???

[S77th-konkussion]

It's [heading] for [##] of naut miles. They basically clear you to descend to "pattern altitude" in the call. No point to tell you that, then give you a number referring to a specific altitude..

 

But I bet what we hear is dramatically simplified from real just the same..

[Sinky]

one of her friends asked "why do you fly a desk?" replied ..."its better than the broom you use...."

 

:rotflmao::megalol:

[Scarecrow]

HOTAS Warthog

Ch Pro Pedals

Trackir 3

Dual moniter setup

TM MFD's

G940 stick for IL2

Modded x45 "pot box" for IL2

 

Serious flight sims demand geekdom if you want to really enjoy immersion. I personally feel that spending 100-150 quid every weekend on booze is a far sadder existence but the guys at my work disagree. Everybody has a thing; be it motors, bikes, music, designer clothes or drugs and we all think the other lot are wasting their money. Live and let live.

Edited March 10, 2011 by Scarecrow

[Conure]

Thanks for the info guys - So, when I set a course and have a TACAN destination tuned, will the CDI move me onto the heading as though there was a line drawn out from the destination, as a specific part of a radial? I hope I'm making sense...

 

If this is true, why would you ever intercept a radial heading (i.e turn right 90 degrees, intercept radial, then left onto radial heading) rather than just head directly at the location?

 

Hope I am making some sense....

 

Con

[NoJoe]

Thanks for the info guys - So, when I set a course and have a TACAN destination tuned, will the CDI move me onto the heading as though there was a line drawn out from the destination, as a specific part of a radial? I hope I'm making sense...

 

If this is true, why would you ever intercept a radial heading (i.e turn right 90 degrees, intercept radial, then left onto radial heading) rather than just head directly at the location?

 

Hope I am making some sense....

 

Con

 

Flying on a radial to a destination allows you to approach the destination from a specific direction. That's the key part.

 

For example, let's say you're south of the airport, and there is a noise-sensitive neighborhood just south of the airport (or a big hill, or radio towers, or something else you don't want to fly through/over). And you're south of the airport too, so you would have to fly over the sensitive area if you fly directly to the airport.

 

Instead, the airport might want you to approach on the 090 radial (that is, approach from the east, so you're flying a heading of 270 to the airport). This would keep you away from the sensitive area south of the airport.

 

Again, flying a radial to a destination allows you to approach the destination from a specific direction (and over a specific line over the ground), so you can avoid things you don't want to fly into. :)

 

--NoJoe

 

[EDIT] Oh, to answer your first question, Conure, when you have a TACAN destination tuned and set a course, the CDI will give you guidance (left or right of the course) onto the radial you have selected. Example, if you turn the course knob on the HSI to a course of 360 degrees, the CDI will tell you if you are left/right of the line extending from the destination out to 360 degrees, and the reciprocal, 180 degrees.

 

And to be clear, when ATC tells you to fly heading "240 for 5", that's something else. That means simply "From where you are right now, turn to a heading of 240 degrees and fly that heading for 5 nm." The ATC headings don't have anything to do with TACAN courses. :thumbup:

Edited March 10, 2011 by NoJoe

[Conure]

Flying on a radial to a destination allows you to approach the destination from a specific direction. That's the key part.

 

For example, let's say you're south of the airport, and there is a noise-sensitive neighborhood just south of the airport (or a big hill, or radio towers, or something else you don't want to fly through/over). And you're south of the airport too, so you would have to fly over the sensitive area if you fly directly to the airport.

 

Instead, the airport might want you to approach on the 090 radial (that is, approach from the east, so you're flying a heading of 270 to the airport). This would keep you away from the sensitive area south of the airport.

 

Again, flying a radial to a destination allows you to approach the destination from a specific direction (and over a specific line over the ground), so you can avoid things you don't want to fly into. :)

 

--NoJoe

 

 

Ahh that makes sense, that is why it seems more common in civilian aviation then!

 

Thanks :-)

 

(thank for for the updated answer, too!)

Edited March 10, 2011 by Conure

[NoJoe]

You're welcome! :thumbup:

 

--NoJoe

[Sandman]

When I respond to these instructions I end up doing both - i.e. fly @240 for 5nm AND set the TACAN to airfield freq and HSI course set to the run-way heading. Then as you approach the point given by ATC you'll get CDI guidance on the run-way approach path as well.

 

You can get airfield TACAN and Runway info from the CDU DIVERT Page.

[MadTommy]

We used to have a spare room.. not any more. :music_whistling:

 

(the wife loves it...not)