Simviation Forums

Hye guys,

When I don't have a gps or a map that tells me where I am, can I now when I'm approaching the next waypoint ?

Thanks !

This is where the fundementals of navigation come handy...

You can use pilotage, dead reckoning, your nav radios, a clock, and a compass to navigate. But also, planning your checkpoints carefully using landmarks and VOR/NDB stations will help you. Otherwise, a waypoint such as an airway intersection is more difficult to navigate to without a GPS. It can be done, but you have to be a competent navigator.

At the top of the flightschool board, is a sticky named Sim Flight Training series. I would highly suggest reading through the series, especially part 5 and part 5.1 which discuss VOR and NDB navigation.

I would also suggest heading to your local General Aviation airfield and getting some old aeronautical charts. These will help

For now, I'm only using sim because I still need to wait for the real thing because I'm 14.5 but what is the best/easiest one to do ?
Because it all sounds difficult but I really want to know it :p
I'll read the topic tommorow, I'm now gonna get some sleep to have another fun FS day tomorrow and hopefully one day I'm going to know when I'm in the Piper Cub when to turn for the next waypoint  ;D

E-

I think learming how to use the nav radio feature was one of the great things about fsx. Flying to ndb's or vor's makes it a lot more interesting.  Give it a try.

being that you are only 14.5, my suggestion would follow BFMF.... go to a local GA airport and just have a sit-down with an instructor.  Let him know what you want, "to take lessons, but you are underage", and let him know that you do have FS9 or X, and what do you really need to concentrate on so that you can know it BEFORE you pay out the big dollars.

I did just that about 2 years ago; granted I am 29, but I told the instructor that I was very interested in trying to get a personal pilots license for a Cessna 150, 172, or 182... something like that.  But that I did not have much in the way of funding.  I do have Flight Sim 2004, as well as X, and wanted to know if that would help me in the basics of ground school and fundementals of flight.  He said it would give me a working knowledge, but as for the actuall feel.... NO.  but it would help some.

get some charts anyway you can. Local GA or major airport. Talk to the pilots, they usually just throw away old Jeppesen charts, maybe you can give em $5 or something for their old ones.





as for VOR/NDB  /(DME) flights... start out in the day to get the feel, then move to night, then DAY stormy weather, then NIGHT STORMY.  by the time you get to NIGHT STORMY, you'll pretty much know what to do and when to do it, and you will be ready.

The simplest way, assuming you are flying in visual conditions (I hope so, in a Cub) is to select visual waypoints. You can see them coming.