Learning to fly the Connie

[trisho0]

I want to add this topic to the discussion to help not just trisho0, but to those of you spectating this thread.

Months ago he could not even use the DRMI to find various VOR and NDB stations (in fact, didn't know what those were), but has now progressed to being able find these stations via homing. I know a lot of other users are reliant on homing in aircraft such as the Constellation after watching various youtube videos of aircraft such as this. It's usually pretty hard to put into words just what homing looks like, and why it's a problem.

But a few seconds at the end of Pat's latest, and hour long, video show via Plan-G the outcome of such a practice, and how it leads to a lack of control of the flight path of the aircraft. It's not good enough in a Constellation to just point the nose at the thing you want to reach. In fact, it's not good enough in a Cessna 172 either. This was the lesson that Rod Machado was trying to show you in the FSX VOR Lesson.

Here it is in graphical form, taken directly from your latest flight.


Pat (and others), until you can progress on this skill, you will have a great deal of problems with Constellation flying. Many of the real life procedures mandate the location of the aircraft, not simply the direction of it's nose relative to magnetic north. Learning the difference is important.

You can only home towards a station, you cannot home away from a station that is behind you. Many procedures mandate controlling the aircraft position with a navaid behind the aircraft. Until you can track specific courses, you cannot use these procedures. This is why you had so many problems with the later landings. You only pointed the directions that the procedures mandated. But those are often mandated courses, not mandated headings.

The red parallel lines indicate the section where the wind is pushing Connie and the green ones indicating the homing area right?
So, I should change the Heading/Course by following the LOC needle and then to go back to DRMI needle?. According to the Homing to a Beacon lesson how to determine if the intended track is 090 degrees I must fly a heading of 020 degrees instead?
Once I understand this I will fly again that SAWE-SAWH flight plan. This is a very good source to learn, thanks FlapMan.
Pat

[flapman]

I don't understand "two direction barrels"

Called "Autopilot Heading Controls," they are to the right of the 3 autopilot servo speed valves.

The red parallel lines indicate the section where the wind is pushing Connie and the green ones indicating the homing area right?

No. The red section is called "Homing," it is where the large course deviation is. In the green section you were a little late to make the turn, but you mistook the VOR radial for a Localizer and tracked it properly. This is called "tracking."

So, I should change the Heading/Course by following the LOC needle and then to go back to DRMI needle?

"LOC needle" is a bad name for it. In this flight it indicates for VOR, not LOC. Yes, after takeoff from SAWE you turn to heading 164 (manually flying), engage the autopilot, and follow the needle. If you go back to DRMI you will drift off course just like you did here. But DRMI is helpful to show instantly where VOR station is in relation to aircraft nose.

According to the Homing to a Beacon lesson how to determine if the intended track is 090 degrees I must fly a heading of 020 degrees instead?

I don't understand.

[trisho0]

According to the Homing to a Beacon lesson how to determine if the intended track is 090 degrees I must fly a heading of 020 degrees instead?

I don't understand.

That is from the last image you posted. It said heading to 020 degrees instead of 090 degrees to fly no homing but I don't know why 020 degrees.
Pat

[flapman]

It said heading to 020 degrees instead of 090 degrees to fly no homing but I don't know why 020 degrees.
Pat

Because that is the only heading which results in the ADF needle pointing straight up. Practice flying with the "VOR needle" on the instrument labelled "ILS."

[trisho0]

It said heading to 020 degrees instead of 090 degrees to fly no homing but I don't know why 020 degrees.
Pat

Because that is the only heading which results in the ADF needle pointing straight up. Practice flying with the "VOR needle" on the instrument labelled "ILS."

I use both NDB and VOR. Since NDB doesn't give me DME but allow me to land ILS if I am not wrong. I use VOR which gives me DME.
So, on my flight plan I look at VOR first then I set the NDB if available and at the end of my plan I add another VOR.
Next flight I will follow VOR needle ...

[trisho0]

You reduce MAP while staying in level flight. Propeller thrust is less than total drag, and the speed reduces.

You are not flying a simple Cessna, Idle power is not acceptable. Your flight engineer will warn you of this mistake.
If you fly according to "American Urban Mythology" like I do, then your limit is commonly called "running square." You divide the current RPM by 100, and this is your minimum allowed manifold pressure (flight only). So if the propellers are at 1,800 I can reduce MAP no less than 1,800/100=18" MAP to slow. The relevant power settings determine the maximum MAP or BMEP for a given RPM, so there is a narrow band of intake manifold pressure that you are allowed to operate it.

You will plan descents and slowing down to take a long time. It is not a jet, you cannot shove the nose at the ground in an idle thrust dive.

I flew LLBG-OJAQ and I was on cruise at 9,000 ft altitude. It was the time to prepare the descending. I reduced RPM to 1860 and I reduced the MP to 20". When the Airspeed needle was at the first white dot from the gauge I was waiting a minute before flaps down. Applied flaps down and Connie started pitching up too high.
Should I "always" disengage the Sperry Levers no matters where is the Airspeed needle pointing in order to prevent pitch up/down after flaps down?
Pat

[flapman]

Applied flaps down and Connie started pitching up too high.

I can't duplicate this. I followed your procedure exactly. I made no correction with the autopilot pitch knob, and the Connie only climbed 150ft before descending again. Pitch up was only a couple degrees before the autopilot was able to correct. It was a gentle event.

[TreeTops]

Since the Sperry Autopilot is very basic, anytime the plane reacts in ways it shouldnt, you should be disconnecting it. Changes in aircraft configuration like flap settings or turns are better handled manually and after the aircraft is re-trimmed the Sperry can be re-engaged.

[trisho0]

Applied flaps down and Connie started pitching up too high.

I can't duplicate this. I followed your procedure exactly. I made no correction with the autopilot pitch knob, and the Connie only climbed 150ft before descending again. Pitch up was only a couple degrees before the autopilot was able to correct. It was a gentle event.

Try to duplicate again after watched the video.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1b6A0yU ... sp=sharing

[trisho0]

Since the Sperry Autopilot is very basic, anytime the plane reacts in ways it shouldnt, you should be disconnecting it. Changes in aircraft configuration like flap settings or turns are better handled manually and after the aircraft is re-trimmed the Sperry can be re-engaged.

Trev, how you been and so long without touch. I don't want to think you were sick, take care. About Sperry I learned more so, disconnect before flaps. I think Gear down is OK I have to find out.
Pat

[trisho0]

Trev, remember the modification of the aircraft.cfg file?

[flight_tuning]
cruise_lift_scalar=1.000
pitch_stability=5.000 //1.000
roll_stability=2.000 //1.000
yaw_stability=3.000 //1.000

Should we revert to the original configuration prior to go ahead with the recent new Connie update?
It appears an update dated Nov 1-2020 for Connie living in P3Dv4. The FSX version Connie stays without update......very sad!
Pat

[TreeTops]

I cannot answer your question as I am not an A2A employee.
I would assume the file would either be overwritten or not changed at all.
Run the update and see what the file shows afterwards.

[trisho0]

I cannot answer your question as I am not an A2A employee.
I would assume the file would either be overwritten or not changed at all.
Run the update and see what the file shows afterwards.

No changes from the configuration file regarding on the modified. So, the update may changed something else.
I wonder what can be so I can update the FSX version manually.
Pat

[trisho0]

Trev, I was reading my lesson notes and found: "Always always always centre the Sperry indicators before engaging the clutches."
Example: The Omnibearing Course at 098 then to bring the Autopilot Heading Rudder Control to 098 as well prior to engage AP Sperry clutches, correct?
If so, where/what are Sperry Indicators?
Pat

[TreeTops]

Pat, you have been told all this before.
First step is to syncronise the gyro compass with the magnetic compass.
Next, align the autopilot heading with the gyro compass.
Then align the pitch with the indicator on the right hand side of the Sperry pitch and bank gauge.
There is also the bank indicator, but you almost never engage the Sperry will the plane is turning and therefore has some bank angle so you can just make sure this is centered.
When these 4 steps are done, you can engage the clutches and the plane will continue without deviation on the desired heading and pitch.