Simviation Forums

Does anyone know if FS responds to mag compass variations such as real-world aircraft have?

I believe it doesn't as in FS the world is mapped as a cylinder and as such you'd need a serious algorithm to sort it!

Travis, in the default settings, it responds more or less accurately to 'deviations' - that is, variations in the Earth's magnetic field. The solution to that is occasionally to press 'D' (for 'Deviation'), which resets the correct bearings.

You can ALSO set it to incorporate 'gyro drift' if you want to. But, IMO, you'd have to be half-mad to do that. Gyro compasses 'precess' all the time in real life, the last thing you want is the same problem on FS, life's too short...... So I'd stick to 'D' now and again, if I was you.

There's also the problem of air pressure. As the barometric pressure varies, so will your altimeter reading. Solution to that is periodically to press 'B' ( for 'Barometric Pressure') which resets your altimeter to the proper reading.

I regularly press my "D" (Direction) Bearing button for "Compass" correction, and "B" buttons for "Altitude" correction before, and during my flight.

Some of my selected Aircraft require this to obtain correct readings!

Paul...making sure I am going in the right direction, at the correct altitude... ...!

The sim does have magnetic declination mapped (magdev.bgl) so in theory the magnetic compass  always points to magnetic north. But due to the sims 'cylinder' map of the world, all bets are off as you approach the poles.  

The 'D' key mentioned does not reset the magnetic compass, it resets your heading indicator, so it agrees with the compass.

Dave

I regularly press my "D" (Direction) Bearing button for "Compass" correction, and "B" buttons for "Altitude" correction before, and during my flight.

Some of my selected Aircraft require this to obtain correct readings!

Paul...making sure I am going in the right direction, at the correct altitude... ...!

And with the correct attitude...