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Pilotage on PilotEdge Youtube Stream

Posted: Fri Sep 06, 2019 9:15 am
by CaptainMD
Hi Keith,

The youtube “Pilotage on Pilotedge” stream you produced was a real treat and a great way to use those skills to stay sharp.
I have a question about the flight. When planning a pilotage / dead reckoning flight by hand and using your flight as an example, how should the magnetic variation be applied in X Plane? Does one make that variation adjustment through the HSI or the compass that sit on top of the Baron’s dashboard?

Then there is magnetic correction which I think is only for the dashboard compass but the correction card is barely readable.

I guess I’m trying to understand other than the winds aloft correction angle, should the other corrections I mentioned above also be applied in X Plane? I don’t know if X Plane has that variation capability versus a flight in real life.

Thanks for your time and fantastic stream!

https://youtu.be/qjV6ge6W9EY

Massimo

Re: Pilotage on PilotEdge Youtube Stream

Posted: Fri Sep 06, 2019 11:57 am
by Keith Smith
Hi Massimo,

I'm glad you enjoyed the flight, I did too! It was nice to get back in the sim since it'd been nearly a month since my last r/w flight.

X-Plane does model magnetic variation in general, as well as magnetic variation for each VOR (since each VOR is calibrated at a point in time and becomes less accurate over time as a result). See the DBRRY3 arrival into COS for example of what happens when two VORs are calibrated 30+ years apart.

The only thing that isn't modeled is any errors in the magnetic compass itself. In the real world, each aircraft has a compass error correction card to allow for error the instrument itself, or errors caused by magnetic fields from other equipment/metal in the aircraft. So, other than that, if you have a true course that you want to fly, you should be able to apply wind correction to get a true heading, then apply magnetic variation to get a magnetic heading. Alternatively, in the world of RNAV, fly the desired TRK with the GPS that you need :)

Re: Pilotage on PilotEdge Youtube Stream

Posted: Fri Sep 06, 2019 12:32 pm
by CaptainMD
Thanks Keith!

I understand and I appreciate the time.