General Category > Unofficial F/A-18 Acceleration Pack board

Determining Carrier Heading

(1/3) > >>

svicar:
I was wondering if anyone knows and can explain how to determin the proper heading to set the carrier so that the head wind component on the landing zone is zero degrees.
Thanks in advance. :)

neutrino:
The angled deck is oriented 9 degrees left of the carrier heading. So if your wind is coming at 330 degrees (true north), the ship's true course must be 339 degrees. There is one more variable to consider that complicates the matter and it is the magnetic variation (wind direction is magnetic and your heading is gyro). It can be as big as 15 degrees East or West.

In practical terms you can set some arbitrary wind direction in the menu. Then fly against the wind until the velocity vector is more or less in the vertical centerline of the HUD, which means you are flying exactly against the wind. See what direction this is on the heading tape, let's say 270 degrees. Then fly right at 279 degrees and spawn a carrier with AICarriers2. Now the deck will be oriented in the proper direction. In this case you will have to fly a bit right to keep up with the carrier - see the screenshot (wind direction and runway is the same):



There is one more way to do this - instead of 9 degrees, add 33 degrees. This will ensure that the wind is coming from your left when you are headed directly towards the runway and your velocity vector will drift to the right. However in this approach your nose can be pointed directly towards the runway and you will stay on the centerline without any corrections, because the wind will push you to the right just enough (remember the ship is moving). In this example I assume 10 knots of wind. See the screenshot below - I set the wind to come 33 degrees left of carrier heading at 10 kts and this gives exactly 35 kts wind over deck (carrier is moving at 26 kts with AICarriers2):

Sludge:
svicar...

You asking where to point the carrier (such as AI carrier) to the right heading for landing w/a straight on headwind over the angled deck?

If so, dial in the TACAN (47X/57X) on the UpFrontController TCN button,as required.  Then using JR's HUD Control panel to confirm the ship's course, via NAV1 (carrier's Base Recovery Course, aka ship's heading) readout.   As the angled deck is 10 deg left of the ship's course, make the carrier's heading 10 degrees right of the wind heading.

Also know that Wind-Over-Deck (WoD) is usually 25 kts, but for the sake of FSX playability and the fact that the carrier meatball and ICLS are set for 4.0, a 30-35 knot WoD is the best compromise.

Here's an example:  Carrier BRC is 020 deg, steaming at 20 kts.  FSX Natural wind is 010 deg (meaning wind flows from 010 to 190) at 15 kts.  This setup will give you a final bearing (angled deck) WoD of 35 kts.

Hope this helped.  And not to confuse, but technically JR is right bout the 9 degrees.  I just use 10 degs.  Makes on the fly public math for us knuckleheads easier.

Later
Sludge

svicar:
Thanks for the info and the screenies, guys.

I typical practice my carrier traps mid Pacific Ocean, (my computer is ancient so I have to do what I can to keep the FPS at a tolerable level) and usually I will add about 20 degrees right for the ships course for 10-15 KTS of wind, (I have weather set at static).

Usually but not always it is fairly close. I was wondering though if there was some sort of table or chart that was kicking around that gave more precise values and I will have to dig and see what I can find.

Never considered magnetic variation though. At any rate thanks again for the detailed and timely responses. Much appreciated.

sun444:

--- Quote ---Here's an example:  Carrier BRC is 020 deg, steaming at 20 kts.  FSX Natural wind is 010 deg (meaning wind flows from 010 to 190) at 15 kts.  This setup will give you a final bearing (angled deck) WoD of 35 kts.
--- End quote ---

Sorry Sludge, I think you're wrong. This is a vector addition, not scalar. Wind 15 kts and carrier speed 20 knots leads to resulting vector which is closer to the ships bearing than to the angled deck (somwhere around 4 degrees).

It's easier to picture a 90 degree angled deck, then wind 10 kts in landing strip direction and carrier 20 kts doesn't give you a headwind on the angled deck of 35 kts.

Correct me if I'm wrong.

CU
Hans

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page