I love sim-flying in US/Canada because there is
a huge number of airways that run via VOR or NDB beacons even today. While I typically put my route into my trusty GTN650 for situational awareness, I couple my instruments to ground-based aids almost all the time. It is just way more fun, and not difficult at all: sometimes it is fun actually to locate a point-of-interest by estimating some intersecting radials, or NDB bearings, or radial+DME readings. It is very easy to get one very closely to a specific spot over ground with SkyVector accuracy alone, while of course the fact that VOR radials don't exactly match the magnetic headings causes some error.
If a sim pilot does not know how to navigate using VORs, NDBs and so on, I hugely recommend that he takes this opportunity to learn this way of flying! Only because it is
fun! It also gives a better view into flying
with the GPS, as many if not most routes and procedures can be flown using both the conventional aids and "the angels".
speedy70 wrote:I think it is the KLN90.
Cheers Chris
Yep.
It still is fairly common unit in small airplanes and non-FMC turboprops for instance - or at least was when I saw them more a few years back. It also came standard with better-equipped GAs before Garmins took over. I recommend trying it - it is well simulated and free. It brings a nice exercise on navigational SA, as it may be so that not many have sim-flied with any GPS or INS
without the magenta line before.
-Esa