Whats the best way to find the runways?

[PotNoodles]

Originally Posted by JTDawg

No you cant see your planes location on full real map. If you don't have roads turned on you won't see grass or dirt runways. scroll in on map to see runways an which way they go Salute

I have roads on and everything high but how do I find the runways when I have no idea where on the map I am?

[peckens]

look for large reference points and match them to your map

research dead reckoning navigation for pilots

[Blackdog_kt]

If you are flying offline you can choose your own difficulty/realism settings and enable icons on the map that show your position.


Otherwise, you need to get familiar with how compasses work in the sim (actually only the RAF ones are a bit funky to get used to initially) and plotting a course.

You can right click on the map and get plotting tools. Choosing the protractor you can measure angles. So, if you draw a line from your initial point to your desired next waypoint and then draw the second line to be vertical, you will get the true bearing to reach that waypoint.

Next, you need to adjust for magnetic deviation, which at that part of the globe in 1940 was a 10 degree offset.
Effectively, what this means is that if you want to fly a heading of 120 you should turn until your compass reads 130 (you just add 10 to the heading you want to fly).

Have a look at this excellent tutorial video by ATAG_Dutch:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?gl=US&f...&v=oyr9Ge8qN6Y

[ATAG_Snapper]

Originally Posted by PotNoodles

I have roads on and everything high but how do I find the runways when I have no idea where on the map I am?

Unfortunately, AFAIK we don't have the ground controller giving us a bearing to return to home base or nearest friendly airfield. I have sometimes gotten myself turned around, especially flying inland and out of sight of the coast. Here are some additional tips to add to the excellent ones above:

1) make special note which airfield you've spawned in, where it is on the map, and keep track of what direction you're heading out. It's so easy to quickly click on an airfield in order to select an aircraft and "create" a flight that you can't really remember where you started off! I've done it, but fortunately with the limited number of coastal RAF fields on the ATAG server I've gotten to recognize each one and the surrounding terrain/coastline/towns. But occasionally someone will report enemy aircraft strafing the field but can't name the field itself!!!!

2) as the real RAF/LW pilots did, make a point of flying some initial familiarization flights, making note of distinguishing landmarks (towns, rivers with funny bends, other airfields, shape of large/small forests, relationship to coastline, etc)

3) as you head towards the combat zone, make note of where the sun is and where it should be on your return. ie, if the sun is over your right wing as you head out, try to keep the sun over your left wing as you're being chased by three enemy fighters and you're wildly ducking and weaving. This can be a real life-saver since you won't have time to check your compass bearing and set a careful course for home while tracers are whizzing past your cockpit!!!! And every 10 seconds you can get closer to home is another mile further from home for your opponents!

4) sometimes over land you're just gobsmacked as to where you are. Trim your aircraft for hands off flight, open up your map, and try to find a landmark on the ground that matches one on the map -- then set a course for home accordingly.

5) over open water the best you can do is set a course that will get you to friendly shores. Hopefully you'll then be able to get your bearings using (4) above.

Good luck, mate!

[PotNoodles]

Thanks for the advice all.