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drifting

PostPosted: Tue Nov 18, 2003 5:49 pm
by jrpilot
Hello,

Is there anyway that I can stop the plane from drifting when I have on true airspeed because it drifts very far away from my flight plane route also what do I judge my speed on what the GPS says or the main panel?


thank you

Re: drifting

PostPosted: Tue Nov 18, 2003 6:11 pm
by PH_AJH
Hi
Not really sure what you are asking here.
What do you mean with "drifting when I have on true airspeed"?
The speed question I understand. It depends on what you want to know.
The speed on the GPS is groundspeed. You could use this to predict if you are going to be late or early. If you are flying into a massive wind your groundspeed will drop (while your airspeed will stay the same). It's a bit like walking on an escalator. If you are walking at 3 miles per hour in the same direction as the escalator's movement you will be travelling pretty fast and you will reach the end of the escalator very quickly. Walk the other way (against the movement) at the same pace and you will hardly move, so it will take you a long time before you're at the end. In the meantime you yourself have been walking at exactly the same speed, 3 miles per hour. You get it?
You're airspeed will always be (just about) the same, depending on what's the best cruising speed for your aircraft.

AJ

Re: drifting

PostPosted: Tue Nov 18, 2003 6:12 pm
by Cherokee_6
Hello,

Is there anyway that I can stop the plane from drifting when I have on true airspeed because it drifts very far away from my flight plane route also what do I judge my speed on what the GPS says or the main panel?


thank you

If you set the autopilot to control the heading then it will make the corrections needed to stay on course.
And as for the speed....the gps will tell you your actual ground speed...your gauge will add in your wind too. So for example....say you are going 100knts, you have a head wind of 20 knts...your gauges will tell you that you are going 120 knts but your gps will tell you that you are going 100 knts...

Hope that makes sense!  ;D