Navigation - Plotting Your Own Position

[TWC_Iron_Horse]

Is there any way that you can view your actual position to know where exactly you are when flying on the ATAG Server? I found that even when flying over Dover and trying to locate the airfield I took off from was problematic, that is the ground features are nearly all the same and could not locate Canterbury. I know this sounds a bit daft but just wonder whether there may be a way to pin point your actual position, I set course on a northerly heading from Dover but still was not able to locate the airfield.

It is 40 years ago since I last flew with the MK1 eyeball in gliding and powered flight and at least there were the turning points that I could see from the map but this problem of fixing my position is driving me nuts, but then again, I might well be!!

Any help or advice very much appreciated.

Regards

Nigel.

[1lokos]

Easy, just ask controller - TAB 7-2 - for "vector for home base" and follow in that direction.

No way to know your position, GPS was not invented in 1940's... unless in some "flight games".
To known where you are you need know do "IFRR" navigation. What is relatively simple in Channel Map, plenty of know land marks - imagine over N.Africa desert or Pacific.

IFRR = I follow road, rivers.

I suggest read this: http://www.aircombatgroup.co.uk/flig.../basic_nav.php
and after this: http://www.aircombatgroup.co.uk/flig...vanced_nav.php

[TWC_Iron_Horse]

Hi 1lokos very many thanks for your quick reply, brilliant, will be reading through those later on tomorrow.. Think I will skip flying over the desert, heard too many horror stories of lost pilots!!

Many thanks again.

Regards
Nigel

[ATAG_Lolsav]

Highly advisable thread about landmarks, by DUI, find it here: http://theairtacticalassaultgroup.co...ead.php?t=6722

The russian flight planner is something else: http://kg40.ru/Maps/html/map/Clod_channel.html

[TWC_Iron_Horse]

Hi Lolsav and very many thanks also for your help, will be rather busy reading all this tomorrow but hope to get on the server sometime during the evening and put all of this to good practice.....I hope!

With regards to the Russian map I am getting an Error 404 not sure why this is.

Regards
Nigel.

[BOO]

Hello Nigel

The graphics currently nerf the ability to navigate by rivers (or small inland seas as they often seem) etc somewhat - so don't for one minute think its you!!

Compared with something like BOS its harder BUT not impossible - eventually you will develop the eyeball equivalent of picking out the words on Radio 5 AM in Horncastle (a lot of visual static interspersed by things you can recognise and use experience to make sense out of).

I some servers the Blue 110 and bombers can, theoretically, tune into two different airfields beacons and triangulate but the scope of this is a limited by range.

2200 hours and, like you, I usually "happen" upon Canterbury but can still never find it.

[BOO]

......and you know about the magnetic declination of 10 degrees modelled in the sim?

[1lokos]

The russian flight planner is something else: http://kg40.ru/Maps/html/map/Clod_channel.HTML

This was removed from that page, remain only BoS/RoF maps.

http://kg40.ru/Maps/

[Baffin]

This link works...

http://kg40.ru/Maps/html/map/Clod_channel.html

[TWC_Iron_Horse]

Hello Boosterdog and many thanks for your reply, in another sim FSX I have ORBX England Scotland and Wales installed and can fly IMC in that and also navigate and time my turning points as nearly all roads are as they are in the real world and when flying light aircraft I don't used any navigational aids but really finding the COD map challenging!! I will not be beaten and hope to improve over the next few days.

2200 hours and, like you, I usually "happen" upon Canterbury but can still never find it.

At least I'm not on my own!!

and you know about the magnetic declination of 10 degrees modelled in the sim?

Fortunately I do and add an extra ten degrees to the Directional Gyro from the Course Setter, oh, hang on a minute....is it minus 10 degrees?

Once again, very many thanks for all of your advices, now I have to put it into practice.

Regards
Nigel.

[69th_Zeb]

Something that really helps me as well is keeping track of time. As long as you carry plenty of fuel, you can set your watch, cruise speed, fly a course roughly the way you want to go, and look for noticeable landmarks. If you still don't know where you are at least you sort of know where you've been.

I printed out the same 1942 war map (that's used at the .ru website above) and used their app to map out all of my most common segments for both course (magnetic) and time. That way I simply pull out my map after debrief, and input directly into my compass without any math. During warmup, I pull out my game map and look for weird inlets, forrests and other stuff I'll see along the way. A Blenny flight cross-channel to Dieppe is easy peasy, as I can set my stopwatch, autopilot, and come back to my desk 12 minutes later fairly confident (if not shot down yet, hehe) that I'll see the target with three minutes to spare.

As it has gotten easier, I've challenged myself to lower and lower altitudes. I also like to make waypoints in the middle of the ocean (Operation Mae West comes to mind) to challenge myself some more and also miss those darned Minensuchboots. South-eastern France still gets me, and Canterbury still nails me if I don't fly a 336ish course from Dover/Hell's corner. The winter maps can get gnarly too.

[HenryLuebberstedt]

Hi Nigel,

navigation in CloD is a bit pain in the ass. There a two things you could do:

1. Practice, practice, practice and learn the important landmarks

2. Take a look at my CloD-Page. You will find there my navigation tool. Its based on that russian tool but I replaced that vintage map with the ingame map of CloD.

cheers
henry

[Hurricane]

Many thanks Henry, i have the original map version.

But yours seems a much better idea and update.

Best regards,
Mike.

[Pans]

Hi Nigel,

navigation in CloD is a bit pain in the ass. There a two things you could do:

1. Practice, practice, practice and learn the important landmarks

2. Take a look at my CloD-Page. You will find there my navigation tool. Its based on that russian tool but I replaced that vintage map with the ingame map of CloD.

cheers
henry

Henry,

Your version of that map is a HUGE improvement in terms of usability. Thank you!

Pans

[ATAG_Vampire]

I have been using this tool for CloD for some time and can highly recommend it for those interested in using bearings/distance/time for navigation in the sim.

So thank very much Henry, good stuff.

Also, as an aside, Henry wrote an article for 'Stern' magazine a little while ago which newer pilots may not have seen. It is the best write up of CloD I have read and sums up the sim and community beautifully. Link below.

http://theairtacticalassaultgroup.co...gazine+article

o7

[Hurricane]

Direct link to english version Vampire, hope you don't mind buddy

http://www.stern.de/digital/games/fl...n-7204358.html

Best regards,
Mike.

[ATAG_Vampire]

Thanks Mike. Well done.

o7

[Hurricane]

Thank you Vampire, i read it after posting.

Excellent article and a very good read.

Best regards,
Mike.