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* "Left Turning Syndrome" for the previously mentioned reasons. | * "Left Turning Syndrome" for the previously mentioned reasons. | ||
* Compass Turning Error: A compass when subjected to the forces of flight tends to turn in the opposite direction for a brief period before settling on the correct heading. This is not a malfunction. | * Compass Turning Error: A compass, when subjected to the forces of flight, tends to turn in the opposite direction for a brief period before settling on the correct heading. This is not a malfunction. | ||
* The Vertical Speed Indicator is also subject to error. | * The Vertical Speed Indicator is also subject to error. | ||
* The Horizontal Situation Indicator is driven by a gyroscope (why it | * The Horizontal Situation Indicator is driven by a gyroscope (that is why it's sometimes called a Directional Gyroscope), which is subject to a phenomenon called gyro drift. For a number of reasons, the gyro will drift from its current heading and must be periodically (about every 15 minutes) calibrated to agree with the magnetic compass heading. | ||
Many forces act on an aircraft in flight as well as on the instruments and systems used for control and navigation, | Many forces act on an aircraft in flight as well as on the instruments and systems used for control and navigation, and may be counter-intuitive. Pilots must learn to recognize these phenomena and compensate for their effects. FlightGear models instrument errors that exist in the real world. | ||
=== Flying Using Navigational Aids and the Autopilot === | === Flying Using Navigational Aids and the Autopilot === | ||
To make this very clear for new users: Some aircraft require you to use the autopilot available from the Autopilot menu, which is the original FlightGear autopilot. This is a '''generic''' autopilot and as such, many aircraft come with their own '''specific''' autopilot, frequently a model of the real life one. '''For aircraft that provide their own autopilot in the cockpit, you must use the autopilot controls available in the virtual cockpit'''. This means clicking on the instrument panel in the virtual cockpit. The Autopilot menu will be grayed out and unavailable when the aircraft supplies | To make this very clear for new users: Some aircraft require you to use the autopilot available from the Autopilot menu, which is the original FlightGear autopilot. This is a '''generic''' autopilot and as such, many aircraft come with their own '''specific''' autopilot, frequently a model of the real life one. '''For aircraft that provide their own autopilot in the cockpit, you must use the autopilot controls available in the virtual cockpit'''. This means clicking on the instrument panel in the virtual cockpit. The Autopilot menu will be grayed out and unavailable when the aircraft supplies its own autopilot (generally). | ||
FlightGear, as of version 0.9.9, comes with a "built-in" autopilot. The Autopilot dialog accessible from the FlightGear toolbar in the main FlightGear window _does not work with all aircraft_. It only works with aircraft that a) do not specify an autopilot, or b) aircraft that use the default autopilot. When an aircraft does not specify an autopilot, the default is used. | FlightGear, as of version 0.9.9, comes with a "built-in" autopilot. The Autopilot dialog accessible from the FlightGear toolbar in the main FlightGear window _does not work with all aircraft_. It only works with aircraft that a) do not specify an autopilot, or b) aircraft that use the default autopilot. When an aircraft does not specify an autopilot, the default is used. | ||
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=== Airports and Navigation Aids === | === Airports and Navigation Aids === | ||
When you first start FlightGear, whether from the command line or the graphical interface, you may wonder how | When you first start FlightGear, whether from the command line or the graphical interface, you may wonder how to determine what airports are available. Fgrun displays a list of airports, but you will not see details such as Tower or ILS frequencies. You will not find a map showing VORs and their frequencies. Short of finding an actual sectional map for the area you wish to fly, what can you do? | ||
[http://maps.google.com Google Maps] and The FlightGear Online Map for multiplayers are both good resources as well as the FlightGear Community Flight Planner. | [http://maps.google.com Google Maps] and The FlightGear Online Map for multiplayers are both good resources as well as the FlightGear Community Flight Planner. | ||