Navigation assistance for a new flight sim player.

[Simon_Colt]

Hello,

 

I've been trying to learn how to fly in the expert mode, using the LaGG 3 Series 29 as it seemed a fairly simple plane to start off with. Flying the plane is not the issue here, but knowing where to fly, is quite difficult :D I've tried using the compass along with various landmarks(cities, roads, rivers etc) to find my way around the map, I can generally get to the objective but after being in combat for few minutes, and losing track of where I am, its just impossible for me to find my way back to base. 

 

Anyone could provide me some tips on how to find my way around the map when in the Expert mode? 

 

Im pretty sure there is some easy way to figure this out, and Im just being stupid, but I'd really appreciate any helpful responses. 

[=38=Tatarenko]

Sometimes you just have to get an idea where you are in relation to the Volga, Don or Stalingrad city then fly towards them (e.g. East or whatever). Once you're there you can work out where you are on the Volga (for example) and then you know where you are and go from there. Basically, fly towards something you can't miss, establish your position, then head home.

 

Or use the Yak-1 or La-5 with the RPK-10 homing beacon.

 

Also bear in mind that real pilots would have orientation flights in their area where they would have a look around and get an idea how things look from alt. So familiarise yourself with the combat area and odd shaped woods etc that give you an idea where you are.

[Simon_Colt]

Thanks for the reply. Will fly around and see if I can RTB successfully after flying off somewhere :D 

[LuftManu]

Take some important places as landkmark, like Tatarenko said, Stalingrad city is a nice place to navigate, but only in the south-east of the map.

[andyw248]

If you fly around the Don in the vicinity of the town of Kalach you will see the west banks of the river which are fairly prominent. For familiarization in that area I'd recommend doing a few flights out of Kalach and memorizing that landscape.

 

If you fly in the area just southeast of Stalingrad, e.g. around the airfield at Grishin, there are some easy-to long and thin stretches of forest just south of the Volga where it has just turned its direction from south to east. From there, you could also fly northeast over the Volga marshes towards the town of Leninsk which can be recognized easily because of its size and shape.

 

Etc., just familiarize yourself and find landmarks that work for you.

Oh and some dead reckoning will also come in handy. Get the map from http://forum.il2sturmovik.com/topic/7677-hd-printable-map-nav-over-stalingrad/. It has a 10 km grid overlaid. So let's say you take off, and then climb westbound at 300 kph. This means you will cross one 10-km grid every 2 minutes. If you fly 60 kms that will take you 12 minutes to arrive in your destination area. Make you own calculations for other compass courses and other airspeeds. This technique comes in handy when flying above a low overcast.

[=38=Tatarenko]

raaiiid if you're just looking for direction you'll find the compass works too

[Alibaba]

In IL-2 1946 and CloD, I can move map with my mouse, zoom, etc.

Why we can't do that in BoS? That minimap is so...

Edited August 7, 2014 by Alibaba