Flying Distance Question

[MattF]

When I started flying I only flew by direct GPS and found that it did not work for me very well. Since then I fly only by IFR and use only the ATC for heading directions. The problem is that when I used the direct route GPS, I could see how many nm's I had left but now flying this new way I have no clue. Is there a way to find this out either by exporting my flight plan or by some other software. I tried a flight calculation program that was supposed to work with FSX but it only works with earlier versions. Any advice would be great.

PS: I mainly fly the 747 World Traveler and I find the default GPS too confusing.

[wlix261]

FSC (flightsim commander) works fine for me

[Grant06]

I don't fly big jets. Just GA aircraft usualy below class A (FL160). I don't use the GPS anymore as it's too easy, takes the real pilotage out of it.  While IFR, center will vector you to your waypoints as filed.
I will usually fly IFR/Vor. The DME will give you distance. When you get close to your destination you should be able to pick up your ILS frequency on the DME for distance to the airport. Before flying I will always create my flight plan from a real chart. I use SkyVector. Example.( online and free- http://skyvector.com/?ll=33.02970082459 ... O:V.K2.DMN )
Before takeoff, I always have frequencies and radials written down. I enter them in manualy, before I click on "tune to ect. ect."  Also like to fly VFR because center WON'T tell you where to go.
What's fun too is turning off the DME so you only have Vor nav. That way, every so often, you have to dial up an adjasent Vor to get a fix on your position.
Don't worry about your GPS, It's cheating

[beaky]

At the very least, you can use very simple dead reckoning  (the art of determining position using time, pre-verified distances, speed and heading). If you can see the ground, you can also apply pilotage (the art of determining position based on what you can see).

When you make your flight plan, try to insert as many waypoints as you can, close to or on your intended course. Note the distances involved, and based on your airspeed as you go, try to calculate at any given time how far you've come and how soon you'll expect to arrive at the next waypoint.

If that leaves you with a squiggly course line, re-do the plan for a straight shot, but keep that list of waypoint distances handy. It won't be 100% accurate on your straight-line course, but it will help.

Of course, there will probably be wind aloft, so your airspeed won't count for much. But if it takes you xx minutes to get from point A to B, and you know the distance between A and B- voila! You can figure out your average ground speed with very simple math. You can then apply that ground speed at any time to get a reasonably accurate estimate of how far out you are (distance remaining based on time remaining at that ground speed).

If you're in clouds or above clouds, use the times that you pass certain VORs as your waypoints. Even if a VOR station is a long way off from your course, if you know that you'll be passing, say, west of it , if you set the OBS for 270, when the receiver flips from TO to FROM (or vice versa) you will know when you've passed it, more or less.

None of this works as well as using a chart and actually navigating, but it's better than nothing, assuming you are not using GPS.

[Mr._Ryan]

[quote]At the very least, you can use very simple dead reckoning

[DenisH]

Too easy. But hasn't GPS systems (Garmin for e.g.) almost entirely replaced traditional navigation in both GA and commercial flying? Or maybe it hasn't?

[Mr._Ryan]

Too easy. But hasn't GPS systems (Garmin for e.g.) almost entirely replaced traditional navigation in both GA and commercial flying? Or maybe it hasn't?

In GA not even close.