desired course

[DayGlow]

Getting back into DCS and re-familiarizing myself with the systems. When flying a route there is obviously a desired course between steer-points, and this is shown by the line connecting them on the TAD. I'd like to use the HSI to make sure I'm on the desired course line and understand how to change the course dial, but where is the info on the steer-points on what course is desired to fly them? I look up the steer-point in the CDU, but I can't find any info on what course it should be flown.

 

TIA

[aaron886]

Reading the manual would help a lot... but the course pointer on the HSI should help. (Big arrow.) It points not only to your magnetic course on the card, but if you were to line it up with the reference line (lubber line, I believe it's correctly called) at the top of the HSI, you will be on heading. Magic! :D

 

t7e0777z7AY

[Zenra]

The STEERPOINT page on the CDU shows DMH, or Desired Magnetic Heading, which is the magnetic heading you need to hold to fly direct to the current STEERPOINT.

 

The SYSTEM / INS / POSITION page displays your cross track error, or perpendicular distance off the course line.

 

Also, read about the TO-TO and TO-FROM waypoint attributes. How you have these set affects how the CDI needle responds to your position relative to your flight plan course lines and the CRS setting you dial into the HSI.

[DayGlow]

The STEERPOINT page on the CDU shows DMH, or Desired Magnetic Heading, which is the magnetic heading you need to hold to fly direct to the current STEERPOINT.

 

The SYSTEM / INS / POSITION page displays your cross track error, or perpendicular distance off the course line.

 

Also, read about the TO-TO and TO-FROM waypoint attributes. How you have these set affects how the CDI needle responds to your position relative to your flight plan course lines and the CRS setting you dial into the HSI.

 

The DMH is the line directly from me to the steerpoint. Reading up on the cross track error from what I understand it's a readout of how far off I am from the course dialed into the HSI.

 

What I want to understand is where I find the desired course to fly to the steerpoint in relation to my preplanned flight plan. Is that course bearing listed anywhere or does it automatically load into the HSI when you select the steerpoint? From what I can tell the bearing doesn't update when you cycle through steerpoints for your flightplan.

Edited January 7, 2012 by DayGlow

[Caspet]

HI DayGlow, been a while :)

[DayGlow]

Reading the manual would help a lot... but the course pointer on the HSI should help. (Big arrow.) It points not only to your magnetic course on the card, but if you were to line it up with the reference line (lubber line, I believe it's correctly called) at the top of the HSI, you will be on heading. Magic! :D

 

t7e0777z7AY

 

I'm not talking about the direct course to the selected steerpoint, but flying down the proper bearing to the steerpoint so I can arrive at the steerpoint from the proper direction.

[Eddie]

I'm not talking about the direct course to the selected steerpoint, but flying down the proper bearing to the steerpoint so I can arrive at the steerpoint from the proper direction.

 

The desired magnetic heading (DMH) displayed on the CDU steer point page tells you exactly that. It's the bearing (BRG) field that tells you the direct route from your current position, it seems you are confusing the two.

[DayGlow]

ah, so if you turn the course knob to the DMH on the HSI then I'll get course marker to work properly, I see.

[DayGlow]

No, when I went back into the sim and flew between 2 steerpoints even if I was well off of the course between the 2 steerpoints the DMH only shows the bearing to the steerpoint from my position even if I'm well off of the desired flight path to the steerpoint as shown by the flightpath settings on the TAD.

 

As you circle a steerpoint the DMH will constantly change showing the direct route to the steerpoint, not the desired approach bearing for that steerpoint (which should be constant no matter you position relative to the steerpoint).

[Eddie]

Track?

 

It works fine here.

[DayGlow]

Didn't make a track, but I took some screenshots which show what I mean.

 

1) My TAD as I fly towards Steerpoint 2 of my flightplan. I'm way off in the wrong direction, not even close to the desired course to Steerpoint 2 from Steerpoint 1

 

 

2) Shot of my HUD showing my heading to the steerpoint

 

 

3) Shot of my CDU repeater, notice DMH is directly to the steerpoint, not the bearing that I would need to fly down the flightpath

 

 

4) My HSI

 

 

From what I can tell is that the difference from Bearing and DMH on the CDU page is from my reading the Bearing is pointing directly at the steerpoint from my position and DMH is the wind corrected heading I would need to fly to hit the steerpoint. Nothing shows what setting I need to dial into the course setting on the HSI to properly intercept and fly down the desired bearing to the steerpoint.

[Zenra]

I really think this video:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrKti769K7o=UL

 

will go a long way to answering your question. As in civil aviation, navigation to a course track requires an indication of the direction and distance away from the course line, which can be obtained through a combination of the CDI and CDU cross track error readout mentioned in my earlier reply. There is a subtle but important difference between setting the waypoint steer attribute to TO-TO versus TO-FROM. This is explained very well in the linked video. It confused me for some time, but once I understood the difference made by the waypoint attribute setting everything else became clear.

[hassata]

Good vid-thanks for posting.

[Zenra]

The video is the fourth in a series by Fish, made IIRC during the beta stages. All are very good indeed- informative and well produced. All are still very relavent.

[DayGlow]

I really think this video:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrKti769K7o=UL

 

will go a long way to answering your question. As in civil aviation, navigation to a course track requires an indication of the direction and distance away from the course line, which can be obtained through a combination of the CDI and CDU cross track error readout mentioned in my earlier reply. There is a subtle but important difference between setting the waypoint steer attribute to TO-TO versus TO-FROM. This is explained very well in the linked video. It confused me for some time, but once I understood the difference made by the waypoint attribute setting everything else became clear.

 

Haven't had a chance to watch the video yet as I need to run off to work soon. As I stated before when I read about the cross-track error in the manual it stated that it gets it's info from the HSI, so unless I dial in the right course before hand I wouldn't be getting the proper info would I?

 

So there is no simple, clear readout on the CDU anywhere that would display the number to dial into the HSI to get the desired course?

Edited January 9, 2012 by DayGlow

[DayGlow]

Ok, so I need to have the waypoint set to TO-TO and under the waypoint attributes page there will be a 'set HSI to' readout.

[Joni]

it's incredible how people reply without even caring about reading the poster's concern. as a side note i assume none of the repliers are real pilots given the content of their replies.

 

DayGlow, dont worry, i've had the same issue and could never find where to find the pre set course between waypoints. i tried doing what you say in your last post but still cant find it.

 

have you accomplished this during all this time?

 

 

thanks.

[Kimi_uy]

In the CDU nav page, go to attributes page, in there, depending on the STEER mode (explained on p.228 of the manual) you'll see "dial HSI course to". If the STEER mode is TO-TO, then that number is the one u need to set on the HSI to have the correct deviation on the instrument.

 

Edit: I just realized how old this thread is LOL

Edited June 9, 2015 by Kimi_uy

[Joni]

Hola uruguayoooo

 

Not.really, it seems that the to from option doesnt work, it doesnt change anything setting it to TO TO OR TO FROM. Besides if you dont click scs and then deactivae it it wont work at all, known bug

[Kimi_uy]

Hola uruguayoooo

 

Not.really, it seems that the to from option doesnt work, it doesnt change anything setting it to TO TO OR TO FROM. Besides if you dont click scs and then deactivae it it wont work at all, known bug

 

Que dice chabon ;)

 

Now that you mention it, i do remember sometimes having to swap back and forth between waypoints for the course indication to kick in.

[Joni]

Que dice chabon ;)

 

Now that you mention it, i do remember sometimes having to swap back and forth between waypoints for the course indication to kick in.

 

Viejaaaaa

 

 

Do you know if the to from option works?