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Post by Allan Lowson on Feb 9, 2019 20:21:59 GMT
The 2019 GAAR is now available for test flight and pilot registration with flights scheduled for March. Piston-engined and turboprop aircraft first flown between 1903 and 1994 are eligible. GAAR 2019Further updates of files will follow. Airfield, routes and flights for FS9, FSX, P3D and XPlane will be available from the end of February. Test flight information is already available. FS9 and FSX files are available to download to simplify setting up the test flights. Putting the FSX test flight in the Prepar3D folder in documents should enable them to be used in P3D.
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Paughco
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Nice day for somethin'.
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Post by Paughco on Feb 12, 2019 3:43:55 GMT
Allan: Sorry to be a pest so early in the game, but I'm having a hard time finding the SDM NDB. Any clue would help.
Thank you ATB
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Post by skmcconnell on Feb 12, 2019 14:01:09 GMT
SDM NDB is just north of Sydney YSSY, Frequency is 266.0
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Paughco
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Nice day for somethin'.
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Post by Paughco on Feb 12, 2019 18:38:30 GMT
SKMcConnell: Thank you for your reply. I looked all over for the SDM NDB. Checked SkyVector, Little Nav Map, and Plan G. Fired up P3Dv4 and checked the built in map. No joy. Figured I'd just create a user waypoint based on your mention of 302 degrees and 27.3 nm to the RIC NDB. OK, looking carefully at your chart, it looks like the SDM NDB corresponds with the middle marker for the ILS approach for Rwy 16R in Little Nav Map. I'll fly that route, both ways, and take the average. Does that 57.78 fudge factor apply for FSX, P3D, and other flight sims?
Thank you ATB
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Post by skmcconnell on Feb 12, 2019 20:12:10 GMT
Paughcho, I will look into this further this evening as I have all of the tools you mentioned above. SDM may not be in P3Dv4 nav data.
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Paughco
Junior Member
Nice day for somethin'.
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Post by Paughco on Feb 12, 2019 22:59:58 GMT
SK: It looks like the SDM NDB is not present in the P3D world. The middle marker of the 16R runway at Sydney might do the trick, however. What about that 57.58 fudge factor?
Thank you ATB
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Post by Rob on Feb 12, 2019 23:34:45 GMT
Guys,
Quite possible the Sydney NDB is not in the P3D data base. For those having difficulty with the NDB climb to your selected cruise altitude then intercept the Sydney VOR / DME as an alternate then proceed to Richmond.
Sydney VOR/ DME 112.10 then track 303 Degrees 29 NM to Richmond.
Regards Rob
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Post by skmcconnell on Feb 13, 2019 0:54:24 GMT
Paughco, yes you can use the middle marker or waypoint MA16L on the GPS, they are the same location as the old SDM NDB. Have you by chance updated you P3D Navdata with a program called FSAerodata? I have and that may be why it is not showing up.
Rob, On My copy of P3Dv4 Sydney VOR/DME 112.1 is DME only, also displayed that way on sky vector. Same in X-Plane 11
The SDM NDB is not in X-Plane 11 either.
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Post by Rob on Feb 13, 2019 3:49:28 GMT
Your correct, Syd is only a DME , my mistake.
There seems to be a few issues with Navaids in P3D, I am currently planning our rally for later in the year and finding some Navaids are not in the P3D data base,and also not appearing with a Navigraph data base.
Do the best you can with the test flight this year and for the GAAR next year I will compile a new test flight with active Navaids .
Cheers Rob
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Paughco
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Post by Paughco on Feb 13, 2019 4:43:57 GMT
I'm too cheap to spend money on Navigraph, but I do periodically update my data with info from Aero.Sors.Fr/Navaids. Looking forward to a fun bunch of flights! Gotta get those seat cushions installed so Ernie will quit complaining, and I hope we'll be going to fun destinations where we'll be able to show Nancy a good time.
Seeya ATB
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Post by Allan Lowson on Feb 13, 2019 19:14:22 GMT
As the test flight is up now for FS9 and FSX, and we have some test flights times already, we will stick with it for this year. For anyone wanting to fly a different flight for P3D or Xplane, there is the original test flight between airport runways as listed on the GAAR17 site. You'll find the link here: GAAR17I just need to know the distance covered in the test flight time, so make sure to let me know which test flight you have used or created. Thanks for persevering guys. Also, the correction to the calcs is only for FS9. It also is used for each of the leg calculations, so in hindsight it probably cancels out as you are only flying against your own time target. A long term solution may be to find two parallel runways to fly between rather than navaids that come and go! Cheers, Allan
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Post by Rob on Feb 13, 2019 23:28:00 GMT
I think with the timing for all future rallies wheels rolling on departure runway to wheels stopped on arrival runway is more accurate for timing
With Allan's permission we will go for this in the future.
Rob
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Paughco
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Post by Paughco on Feb 14, 2019 2:06:57 GMT
I plan to time all my flights with that FTime flight timer. There's a download link on the GAAR 2019 flight test page. It measures the time from 35 KIAS on takeoff to 35 KIAS on landing but if you slow below 35 KIAS but remain above 25 KIAS, a gust will simply extend the time. Only after slowing below 25 KIAS will the timer reset to zero the next time 35 KIAS is exceeded. It is advisable to pause the flight after you slow below 35 KIAS and to write down the time on a note pad before proceeding. I've got mine set up so that when I hit Shift+1 it appears on the screen in the virtual cockpit in my MJ C-47.
Had to use the stopwatch on my iPhone due to the unusual flight profile on the test flight, but no worries.
Seeya ATB
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Post by Rob on Feb 14, 2019 22:06:10 GMT
The Ftime timer is handy and in future test flights please use it if you wish.
As the test flights are not long distance and if Allan approved the idea of wheels rolling to wheels stopped I believe an ordinary watch , digital or chrono, stop watch or even the aircrafts clock would suffice . Do we really need the points of a second on a long distance rally. So if your watch says test flight time was 16 minutes and 20 seconds you record 16 minutes,, or 16 minutes 45 seconds you record 17 minutes.
The idea of wheels rolling to wheels stopped would also take some of the workload off Allan as it includes your climb to cruise and descent to landing.
It is up to Allan to say yes or no but I feel this is simplicity and accurate enough for long distance rallies.
Just my opinion .
Rob
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Post by Allan Lowson on Feb 15, 2019 22:56:54 GMT
I think some of our participants will be reaching for the smelling salts at the idea of rounding out their times! Actually the roster spreadsheet takes care of the calculations - if I set it up correctly so the decimals are not an issue.
Timing that uses anything other than the flight simulator clock may be inconsistent. Way back there were some weird and wonderful discussions on the measurement of time. Tom kindly developed his timer to put an end to the arguments.
The purpose of the test flight is to establish a ground speed for the cruise phase in the chosen aircraft and cruising altitude for each participant. Different pilots frequently choose to fly the same aircraft at different settings and altitudes. The test flight allows you to set an individual target that suits your flying approach.
The roster calculations add a fudge factor to allow for take-off, climb and approach. Others may be more sophisticated in their approach, but it seems near enough for most leg lengths and aircraft types.
Allowing a free for all in aircraft selection, yes I am watching you Don, means that it can sometimes be a less than accurate fit. Whether it takes the strain of covering everything from biplanes to jets when we get to the autumn event, only time will tell.
Unfortunately, as I do appreciate the attempt to make life easier, including a climbing and descending element into the short test flight would actually complicate translating that time into a target time for longer legs.
So for now the test flight is best used just as an indicator of cruising speed for the major part of the legs.
If anyone knows of any two airports, available in all sims, and close enough with fairly parallel runways to provide start and finish lines then we could have a long term standard test flight for the future. I know that may well be quite a tall order!
They would not need to be in the same country as the rallies. Alternatively we could set up flights with defined waypoints to time between, at least in the FS9-P3D series.
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