Problems and questions for Grand Caravan FSX

[Bogusheadbox]

This doesn't sound right to me, please advise if this is how it should work.

On the FSX version of Grand Caravan - if i dial in an ILS on either NAV 1 or NAV2, (one only) I will only get one directional needle. To effectively get the 2 needles to show and cross i have to dial in the same ILS frequency in both NAV1 and NAV2.

Surely this can't be right ??? Am i doing something wrong or is this a bug. I thought the NAV1 and NAV 2 was for redundancy and conveneience. Shouldn't i get both needles on my glide slope indicator when only one nav receiver is tuned to ILS freq. Works that way on other planes.


Another gripe i have is the switches between 2d and 3d cockpit. I know i have mentioned this before, but it is really disgusting and I have no idea how it passed any beta testers !!! How for the love of money can swithces saying on in the 2d panel be in a different position on the 3d panel? and don't move in relation between the two views ?

Take for instance the inertial seperator. In the 3d pit it says off and is in one position. 2d pit says its on and is in another position (but actually its off). So i have to use 3d pit view for inertial seperator and 2d pit to activate other switches.

Anyone know of any way to rectify this.

Anyone know why microsft let such a fubar (and this has been on every default plane i have used) go without rectifying? Can it be rectified:blank:

[liquid_rockface]

Hi bogusheadbox. Firstly re the VORs:

There are two VORs and yes you can use them for redundancy, but you can also use them separately for other purposes (and I regularly do, by the way). So NAV1 sets the VOR/ILS in the HSI (which btw I only use for VOR, not for ILS) and NAV2 sets the separate VOR gauge, which I find much easier to follow for ILS for some reason. Why would there be a NAV1 and in addition a NAV2 if NAV1 set the frequency for both instruments?? What plane do you know that does this? I mean, what would NAV2 be used for then?

I can't answer your question about switches in the 2D being in different positions than the 3D panel. Sounds like a bug and there is probably a fix somewhere on the internet. It isn't like this in FS2004...

[Bogusheadbox]

Ahhh thanks liquid. I haven't gotten to navigation in real life for my PPL so unfortunately i was unsure if i was doing it wrong.

But it seems like there is a bug.

ON FSX, the plane is the cessna grand caravan (C208- i think).

I have only just been getting into the caravan but i tested this out on the last run i did which needed an instrument approach.

I set the ILS frequency to the NAV1 / VOR1 receiver and it produced only a single needle. I then tuned out the NAV1 / VOR 1 receiver and tuned in the NAV2 / VOR 2 receiver. This also produced only one needle (directional) and not height for accurate glide slope.

It was only when changing like this between the two that i accidently put both receivers on the ILS frequency which then gave me 2 needles (Directional and height) which gave me a correct approach.

Must be a bug then.

Thanks for the reply

[liquid_rockface]

That's very strange....You might at first not notice the glidescope needle on the NAV1. It is two red flags on the side that move up and down. I don't find them very visible. However the NAV2 is very clear when it is tuned to an ILS, as both needles fling sideways. Now it could just be fluke that when you tuned them both you were in the glidescope range. The glidescope only broadcasts out in a narrow band for about 10NM. If you are two far to the side of that band, or too far away (or on the wrong side of the ILS) it won't show up. I don't see that Microsoft is likely to have overlooked such an obvious thing as navigational instruments (especially considering how perfectly it all worked in FS2004).

Basically there might be something wrong with your copy of FSX or with your computer otherwise I have no clue what the problem could be. I think it's more likely that you're mis-interpreting the information that is being presented before you...

Good luck!

[Bogusheadbox]

Hmmm i don't think it was a fluke to get the two needles. As while i was in ILS range and had the two needles (nav1 receiver and nav 2 receiver both tuned into ILS) i then switched back to NAV1 only and NAV 2 only becuase it seemed very odd. Once i did that. The hieght needle dissapeared. When i went back to both tuned into ILS - i got the second needle. (and yep i was on the correct approach :wink2: )

Though granted i could have missed the flags on first dial you mentioned. I was only watching the lower right dial on the instument panel. And this definitely needed both receivers tuned to frequency.
Ohh well. Bugger. I hope its not an install issue as i have just reinstalled it and the vor receivers work properly on other planes. I will try to recreate the prob.

[Vampire14]

Definitely sounds busted to me, and my Avionics mate. Some A/C only have 1 Nav radio so they would be sh!t outta luck in that situation!
If you are definitely on GS and then it just buggers off then something is amiss.
Might try it out on my version as well - see if I get the same result.

[Cobra]

The glidescope only broadcasts out in a narrow band for about 10NM. If you are two far to the side of that band, or too far away (or on the wrong side of the ILS) it won't show up.

Not sure if you meant you only pick up an ILS within 10nm in FSX but in real life they go a fair way further out than that. I'd find it odd if it was as most ILS's start at 10nm and 3000' so you need to be picking it up before then to make sure everything was alright before starting the approach.

I was cleared to intercept the Localiser from 35nm out the other day in real life. It's not the best thing to do as the needle wobbles around a bit at that range but there is definitely a signal. (we flew it in LNAV till about 15nm and the signal was more reliable.)

:smile:

[Vampire14]

Also, Cobra will be able to elaborate, but you need to ensure you capture the localiser before the glideslope as well if using autopilot - or else things can go really pear shaped!
IIFC from my ATM course I just did where we had to organise some airspace around an airfield, you allowed around 15nm for no stress capturing the localiser, so as Cobra says you had plenty of time to set yourself up before thinking about the GS closer in - to avoid what I mention above.

[liquid_rockface]

Not sure if you meant you only pick up an ILS within 10nm in FSX but in real life they go a fair way further out than that. I'd find it odd if it was as most ILS's start at 10nm and 3000' so you need to be picking it up before then to make sure everything was alright before starting the approach.

I was cleared to intercept the Localiser from 35nm out the other day in real life. It's not the best thing to do as the needle wobbles around a bit at that range but there is definitely a signal. (we flew it in LNAV till about 15nm and the signal was more reliable.)

:smile:

Yes sorry I got confused there...the glidescope only kicks in around 10NM...the localiser is detectable quite far out (but not as far as a VOR of course). Sorry about the confusion there...