Realworld vs. FSX Foreflight

[Kyle.Sanders]

I know this is getting off topic. I'm sorry.

[zerofay32]

Another way to navigate around Class B airspace without flight following is to use the FLY Chart. These charts are designed to allow a VFR pilot to find the preferred VFR routes around, under, and sometimes through the Bravo without ATC's help. Also, Bravo boundaries are laid out on VOR radials, DME distances, and rivers. These are marked on TAC and FLY charts. While still not visually finding the boundary, this provides a more accurate means of finding and avoiding the Bravo shelves. Admittedly, the LAX Bravo is very complex in structure and will take a lot of radio tuning to traverse.

I have two bravo airports I fly near in RW flying. (Cleveland and Cincinnati) For these airports, it's never a problem just to get flight following, follow a few vectors, and fly straight through the Bravo. The only thing you have to worry about is to make sure ATC says the magic words "Cleared into the Bravo" Now for busier Bravos it's harder. I've flown in/near Charlotte NC, and unless you're landing at CLT they don't let you near the airspace with a 10 NM pole without a lot of negotiation. I'd imagine that RW LAX would be similar. But that never precludes you from using the VFR corridors or navigating yourself under the shelves.

[ceranes]

Elaborate. What is easier about IFR vs VFR? I hear this more often than not (especially on other sim networks) and it is always a misunderstanding of what you can/cannot do.

Well Kyle...you are probably right. I may not understand VFR entirely.

My entire sim-flying career has centered around IFR flying. I immediately jumped on board when the payware jets became available, especially PMDG. I loved reading the manuals, learning everything I could about the aircraft, laying out the charts, doing the flight-planning the way airline captains do, programming the FMC, etc. It was much easier to do that, and honestly much more interesting, then flying VFR in a Cessna. I think most of that comes from only using the stock scenery, which doesn't compare to some of the add-ons you can purchase. My logic is, at least for the foreseeable future, I would much rather spend money on a really good airplane, than on scenery. When IFR, you have a strict flight plan to follow, no questions asked. I can walk away from the flight, once at cruise, and then come back when it's time to descend. Not on Pilot Edge obviously!! FSEconomy has forced me to fly the smaller aircraft, and has become addicting to say the least. I still find myself flying the 737-800 on there though...I just can't give up the big jets!

With that said though, something like Foreflight would make it easier to navigate the complex airspace in SOCAL. I could quickly look at my iPad to see where I was at in relation to the airspace boundaries, call in enough time to get a clearance into the Bravo or Charlie, and go from there. If I didn't want to talk to anyone, I could just navigate through the uncontrolled space, and find a nice non-towered airfield to set down at. I've never been one to disregard new tools when they become available.

[BonanzaDude]

Don't overlook the following FREE app. It's good for those none real world flyers that want to enjoy the benefit of a moving map on their iPad while flying the sim. A couple friends of mine that only fly flight sim love the app as they don't feel it's necessary to pay for ForeFlight or WingX Pro.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/fltplan ... 32363?mt=8

Did I mention it's FREE?

John

[cruster]

Don't overlook the following FREE app. It's good for those none real world flyers that want to enjoy the benefit of a moving map on their iPad while flying the sim. A couple friends of mine that only fly flight sim love the app as they don't feel it's necessary to pay for ForeFlight or WingX Pro.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/fltplan ... 32363?mt=8

Did I mention it's FREE?

John

Does this connect to X-Plane? Off the subject a bit, I find it amusing that the iTunes description mention Android.

[n65z]

I also use the free fltplan go. It is awesome and will connect to your iPad using Fsx/p3d or xplane. Settings are under Map-> Map Options

[Nelson L.]

Kyle, what I usually end up doing is just tuning to a VOR and flying direct, using DME on VOR2 (or 1 depending on circumstances) to stay clear of the airspace. Or I just get FF.... Part of the fun of VFR for me is trying to navigate visually.

John, that looks like a neat little app, I'll probably give it a go. Out of curiosity - is the "weather" tab functional?

Not a SOCAL pilot, but navigating complex airspace visually is entirely practical. Let me take it one step further -- I'd suggest eliminating the proposition of any turboprop flying until you can master visual navigation in a piston.

So... who's up for some shared copilot

Apologies for going off-topic, seems to be a trend with me...

[NameCoin]

Just because you are VFR, does not mean you MUST navigate visually, it just means you need to stay in VMC...

[...]

VFR is very much misunderstood.

There's kind of an irony about your last statement because saying that VFR (Visual Flight Rules) is somehow related to VMC (Visual Meteorological Conditions) is yet another misunderstanding. It's possible to be in VMC but not VFR, and it's possible to be VFR but not in VMC. The key point is that VFR is a set of criteria that "guarantee" that you can see and avoid other aircraft. It does not guarantee you a visible horizon or any form of navigation. An important example is flying over a large body of water on a clear moonless night. You can fly under VFR because there is nothing preventing you from staying clear of other aircraft. On the other hand, you are in IMC because there's no real way to stay aloft without reference to your instruments.

[stealthbob]

To sum it up as I see it and understand it:

VFR = Rules you fly with
VMC = Conditions you fly in

Yes I think they get interchanged alot but when simplified they are simple yet very distinct terms.