distrance traveled

[iflyfsx]

I looked just about everywhere for info on this question, and couldn't find anything useful. So I might as well ask it here.

Does anyone know how to record or capture the total distance traveled? I looked for FSX variables, gauges, tutorials, etc. Sure, finding the distance
to the next waypoint is easy. But if you want to know the distance you have covered, and no one can tell you anything.

The FSXP report does include a "Flight Distance," so it must be possible. But how? I'd like to have this info in flight, not just at the end of the
flight, and I'm looking for a relatively easy way to do it, too. I guess you could record the longitude and latitude of the aircraft at regular
intervals, calculate that distance and add those segments, but damn. There must be an easier way.

[Eruthian]

Hm...I don`t know an exact tool atm. But you can calculate it yourself, even if you don`t fly with GPS. The Coolsky DC-9, which is relatively
difficult to navigate, made me do my own calculations on paper, before and while flying (that`s a special reason, why I like this plane). When you
create a flightplan either with FSX or some other tool, you normaly get data of the complete distance to fly and the distance in between the
waypoints. Now, out of that waypoints, if its a normal victor route for example, you have at least some VORs with DMEs. So if you are en Route, switch
to the next DME you go to, or if it`s out of Range to the DME, that`s behind you (ofc do that with NAV 2, if NAV 1 is in use by the FMC or GPS) look
at the range it shows and then, if you like to know, how many miles of your route you already flew, watch your flightplan. take the distance from the
departure airport to the DME you switched on. If the DME is infront of you, that distance minus the the distance, the DME is showing is your flown
distance. Of course not 100% as your flightplan might not include the SID or diversions of the route, ordered by ATC. But it helps to calculate.
Now if you have a GPS, it`s even more easy. The standart FSX GPS always shows you the next waypoint its approaching and the distance to it. Same
calculation, just with the GPS, not the DME. It gets tricky, if you are in a vintage liner without GPS and then flying on a route between two DMEs,
which both are out of range for the plane (f.ex trans oceanic routes). You still can calculate this with the help of the timer. Start the timer, once
you overfly the first DME. If your speed keeps constant, calculate the range to that VOR with your speed data and the time it tooked, since you
overflew it.
Actually that kind of navigation is pretty fun. You don`t have to stare at the autopilote during the whole cruise, but have some challenging buisness
to deal with
When I purchased the Coolsky DC 9, after just two weeks, my desk was filled with papers full of hand drawn skizzes of flightplans, calculations and
timediagramms for flights i made. Must have looked weird :D

[iflyfsx]

Well, flight plans can give you an estimate. I'm looking for something more specific and immediate, like the amount of fuel used, for example. I can
look at that gauge at any moment and know exactly how much fuel I've used.

I'll see if I can figure out how the stopwatch works, and maybe I can use that concept to record distance instead of time.

In any case, flight planning an navigation certainly can be fun.

[Eruthian]

Uhm...do you mean the overall fuel you used, or the amount of gallons per hour in specific phases of flight?
Wouldn`t you be able to do so anyways, by monitoring your ammount of fuel on board ( fuel indicator), your fuelflow indicator and compare that with
your flightplan? I`m sure it`s not that easy to do in a Jet (I`m a Jet noob, just that you know^^), but especially on my Jetstream I do that all the
time, especially on "long" routes, which reach the edge of operational range.
It`s no exact calculation ofc, but it works pretty good so far.

Let`s say I`m on one of my standart routes from PANC (Anchorage) to PADK (Adak, Aleuteans)
The distance of the route is arround 1070 NM my choosen FL is 180, planned flight time is 4h.
I normally load 80-90% fuel depending on payload so let`s say 5400 lbs in this case
After departure it normally takes arround 10 minutes to get to cruise altitude and then another like 5 minutes to reach a cruising speed of arround
290-300 knots ( real airspeed) at 18000 feet At that time, because of the Sid, I normally just passed my 2nd waypoint and have arround1050 miles to
go, means arround 970 miles at cruise altitude. Departure and speeding up at FL takes arround 15 min, the taxi arround 5 min, so I have 3h 40min left
to get to the gate at PADK. For the last 70 miles of descent and approach aswell as taxiing I normally calculate 30 min. So I would have to fly
arround 300 knots to reach the airport right in schedule.
Now comes the fuelplanning. I started with 5400 lbs. To make FSP happy and to keep it real, I want at least have 800 lbs remaining, when I shut down
the engines in PADK. During takeoff and climb, the plane burns alot of fuel. Between 1400 and 1800 lbs/h. So arround 300 lbs are already gone, when
I`m at cruise speed. 5400 - 300 - 800 = 4300lbs left until shutdown.300lbs I spare for descent, approach and taxi(normally it`s less anyways). So 4000
lbs are left for the cruise. The cruise of 900 NM with 300 kn takes 3h. In that conditions I can get the engines to use arround 1200 lbs/h. So I`d
still have 600 lbs to spare for go arrounds or to divert to an alternative airport. Or ofc to throttle it up if winds change, to keep the speed - and
make oil industrie happy about my waste^^
I tend to recalculate that every 10-20 min in flight to adjust if needed.
Might not be the most economic way to fly, I know. But as long I make the passengers happy and can fly right in schedule without fuel penalty, I`m
fine. In the end it`s still just a Sim
A 737 or bigger might be more bitchy to plan with though...^^

[iflyfsx]

Here's what I already have so far:

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8624/1523...f71d_o.png

Oh, and I meant "distance," not "distrance." >:



Post Edited ( 11-23-14 05:34 )

[Eruthian]

Wow, ok... looks like you picked up nearly all datas there. Now I understand what you actually mean with "panel". I thought you were speaking of the
VC panel. Hm, for what you asked at the beginning, I guess, you need to add the flight time data and the GPS coordinate data. And then create some
handy tool to calculate it into the accomplished route and so on... at least I guess...

[iflyfsx]

Here's version 2: https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7494/1587...e0db_o.png