LOU wrote on Jul 27^th, 2011 at 8:43pm:


Actually, it was the FSX planner that came up with that beauty, lol.   And yes, it was using high alt airways.


Any idea what a real world route from KCMI to KIAD might be?  I was on such a flight around 1974 I think, flying as an unaccompanied minor on my way to Glasgow.  I don't remember what airline/aircraft it was.  Ozark was our main carrier here in Champaign back then, but I'm not sure if they flew that route.  

That's what I really like doing in FSX---recreating actual flights I've been on, trying to find out what real-world routing they used.

David,

Your routing could be:

Depart KCMI - Direct VHP - J24 - HVQ - ROYIL2 KIAD






You would depart CMI, radar vectors or direct VHP then fly J24 to HVQ and the STAR into IAD.

Depending on the plane you are flying you would select a proper cruise altitude and also depending on the weather you might need an alternate.

The Jepp charts we carried had standard routes, but from time to time you could modify the route depending on traffic or weather.

If CMI has a control tower and radar, you would get your clearance from the tower and after takeoff you would be switched to departure control for vectors, or told to contact the center to get an IFR clearance after takeoff, or get a clearance over the phone with a window of time to takeoff.

Lou

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Never mind on the speed--I just noticed it says 250k on the STAR chart.

Wow, I just flew the flight from KCMI to KIAD, including the STAR (until ATC started vectoring me in once I got to KERRE.)   I had the GPS window open just to see how I was doing, and I was following the magenta line like I was a train on a track!   Awesome.  The only thing that was a pain was the AML VOR didn't come in at all until I was only about 55-60 miles from it, so I had to use the BKW for longer than I would have.  I wonder if there is file I can edit to fix that and give it real world range. 

Navigation like this is so much fun.  It also keeps you busy, as opposed to just sitting there while the GPS does all the work. 

Thanks again Lou, CoolP, and the rest.  My only complaint at this point is that my jaw is aching from the perma-grin I have been wearing all morning.

I do wonder about the range of the VOR's. It appears they are not able to receive past 60 miles even at 10,000'.
I can receive the signal from many VORs (DME type) from up to 200 miles. I can't be sure of the VORs that are not DME, because I have no idea how far away they are.

Mark

Mark, I receive many VORs at up to 200 miles as well.  But some of the ones that I really need for navigation don't come into range until it is too late to use them as intended.   

As a licensed Amateur Radio Operator (Ham), I know that VHF transmissions between the ground and aircraft at altitude can be heard for hundreds of miles, even with just a few watts of power.  So this 50 mile limit on some VORs makes no sense to me.

I agree the AML VOR should be received well before PUTTZ. I have observed the same problem with some VOR's. The ADF's are also very short range - too!

Now there are high altitude VOR's and terminal VOR's, but anything on a STAR should be usable. The VOR is VFH and thus line of sight, so the higher you fly the longer the range.

Lou

Boy, you can't sneak anything around here!
Yes, it was Lou trying to come on the forum as lou since for some reason the Yabba Dabba Do would not accept my login.

Gee CoolP I did not think you were that mad at me!  

Lou