Simviation Forums

Hey all...new to forum here, and new (within 6 mos.) to Mic. Flight Sim (haveother sims, but they're combat).  I've got a Private Pilot's license in the game, but I'm having problems with a couple things, primarily VOR navigation and the use of trim.  

As far as VOR goes, I'm having problems grasping even the most basic stuff (TO/FROM?  Names of radials? How to find/intercept a radial? etc.) and I'm not finding the VOR lessons in the game helpful in the least.  Could anyone help, or direct me to a place that describes this?

Also, the use of trim mystifies me.  I a) don't know how to use it, and b) am not quite sure why it's necessary.  I can fly any of the planes in the game well without even touching it, but the game instructor always is pushing "trim the airplane," and "make sure the airplane is trimmed for this new power setting", etc.  I try and please him, but it takes me so long to set up the trim right that it seems like an act of vanity.  Any help here?  Thanks!

Also (sorry, know it's a long post), I'm trying to find a good Airbus 330, a good MD jet, and maybe 777...any suggestions?

Thanks again.

VOR's emit a radio signal which is picked up by the VOR gauge, or an HSI if your plane is equipped with one. You have to have the frequency of the VOR in the NAV 1 radio. You also have to be in range of the VOR, some give off a signal farther than others, also some VOR's have DME's and some dont. If your plane is equipped with a DME, and the VOR gives DME information, it will tell you in nautical miles how far you are from the DME, your speed, and sometimes how many minutes until you reach the DME, and most planes have a gauge where you can hear the morse code for the DME you are tracking...

Now for trim:
Trim is used to reduce the back pressure on the controls when descending and climbing. When you have your power set for a climb or descent, you adjust the trim to maintain the climb or descent, that way you dont have to keep back pressure on the controls, but the plane still climbs, but if you change your power settings you have to adjust the trim for the new power setting...I dont know if I have helped any or not, probably just made things clear as mud.....

As for the planes do a search here on SimV and see if any of them are here  ;D

P.S. Welcome to SimV  8)

Trim is not very important in the sim, because its really not needed  if you want to fly level you have an auto pilot for a lot of the planes.........

but if you fly an actual plane, trim becomes necessary because pressure on the stick/wheel can be quite intense sometimes, and trim can help take away the pressure... you can also use trim to level out the plane if the plane doesnt have a top of the line autopilot, but that was said earlier.
anyway welcome

Welcome to SimV IrishTOD.

A VOR station emits a radio signal from a point on the surface of the ground.

Try this site for learning about VOR: http://www.navfltsm.addr.com/  and do as John suggests, use the C-172 to learn it.

Trim: if you have to hold forward or back pressure on your stick to maintain level flight, a trim adjustment is needed. You do it in small increments, otherwise your altitude will be all over the place. Most likely you will find you can get very close, "but not quite". If you've gotten as close as you can and nose still wants to sneak down, add just a touch of power, and vica-versa. The rule of thumb for this activity: adding power will raise the nose, reducing will lower it. Again, only in tiny increments.

Hope it helps.

Cal (CYXX)

You can "go up and down" by not even moving the stick by using trim. It is very powerful and as an experiment set the trim on full either way and try and fight it with the stick. It is very hard and if you are very skilled you will find out by exoperimenting that you could almost lock the stick and use trim - not quite as it takes time to have effect - but if you have a you will see what I mean.
As a tip you will probably need to adjust the trim before takeoff if you want to get into the air a bit quicker rather than pounding miles along the runway before getting up.
But definately stick with the Cessna before going to the biggies.

I would  check out the website Calb suggested. If you ever use a force feedback joystick you will find out what trim is all about. If you trim down you won't be able to pull the stick back far enough to pull up without trimming up. A force feedback joystick adds new meaning to the joys of flightsimming. If you get the opertunity give one a try and you will find out what i mean.

FS_Pilot,

Yeah... a force feedback stick is a real nice relatively inexpensive "up" in realism.  I just wish someone would make a force feedback YOKE.

I keep telling CH Products there is a market... but so far... no joy.

best,

...............john

Yeah, just mess around in a C172 for a little bit and you will grasp VOR's pretty easy. If you are looking for a good A330 you might want to check out:
http://www.phoenix-simulation.co.uk/

Also you can't go wrong with the MelJet 777 which I am pretty sure you can find right here at SimV.

And what type of MD are you looking for? MD-11 or the MD-80 series. The SGA MD-80 is nice and you can put a search in for it at avsim.com.

Personally, I haven't found an MD-11 worth looking at but maybe someone else can help you out on that.

Tinker with this
http://www.relia.net/~george/aviation/sim/