Simviation Forums

      Hi, maybe I'm missing something, but how can you figure out the heading to get from point A to point B? I set up the flight planner, but in flight, I struggle to follow the path, as I'm too far right or left, and keep going back and forth.  ;D

      Hi, maybe I'm missing something, but how can you figure out the heading to get from point A to point B? I set up the flight planner, but in flight, I struggle to follow the path, as I'm too far right or left, and keep going back and forth.  ;D

if you are using the autopilot you won't go back and forth ... obviously you are not or you wouldn't ask the question.

The way you do it is, you have to be aware of the wind. The wind is what is throwing you off. Make sure that you know what direction the wind is coming from.

Fly the heading you think you are supposed to fly (say 270).

Wind is coming from the North, so it will push you South of your course.

Turn 30 degrees to the north (300) until you re-intercept your course.

Then as you intercept your course, turn back towards your direction of flight but leave 10 degrees to the north in your heading (in other words don't fly 270, you already know that won't work, since you got pushed away from your course, fly 280).

If your airplane starts drifting to the south again (it should be less), 10 degrees is not enough. Reintercept your course and add another 5 or 10 degrees to 285 or 290 (depends on how big your plane is, how bad the wind is, what direction it's coming from, etc).

What is really messing you up is the wind's perpendicular component to your course. That's what you are compensating for with those additional 10-15 degrees.

Obiviously if you start drifting to the North it means you added too much ... so reintercept and take some degrees off.

After a bit of practice you'll be able to nail it at the second try. Sometimes at the first try. If you know the winds aloft, you are using realistic weather in FS ... you can get winds aloft from an aviation site and base your FS heading on that.

if you fly in the US a site like that would be

http://www.aviationweather.gov

hope this helps!

What worked for me in RL VFR flying with a crosswind is to pick something on the ground that is fixed and directly on the heading you want to travel then fly the airplane toward that. Don't worry about which way the nose is pointed just make sure your track is taking you directly toward the point on the ground that you have choosen.

Tchkinjiu, firtsly are you flying VFR (light aircraft, small props etc) or IFR  (commercial flights, jets etc).

Not wishing to be personal here but I note you have been a member here since 2003 and have made over 800 posts.

I thought you might have figured out how to fly a heading by now LOL  ;)

What worked for me in RL VFR flying with a crosswind is to pick something on the ground that is fixed and directly on the heading you want to travel then fly the airplane toward that. Don't worry about which way the nose is pointed just make sure your track is taking you directly toward the point on the ground that you have choosen.

That's exactly how I do it aswell.
I have a habit of finding churches as particular good references, don't know why  ;D
Now in IFR training, I just use the flight computer  :P

[quote]

That's exactly how I do it aswell.
I have a habit of finding churches as particular good references, don't know why