Astral Navigation in FSX

[Bruce66]

I am just re-reading parts of 'Fate is the Hunter' and it occurs to me; I wonder if it is possible to use this navigation method in FSX?

I have the upgraded night sky by Flight Sim Jewels and the stars look accurate - not that I have seriously checked to see they are in the right places at the right time. But presumably the sun is correctly placed at least.

Has anyone tried this?

I wouldn't have the maths to do the calculations even if it was theoretically possible so this is merely an intellectual query.

[BendyFlyer]

Yes you can but you will need a sextant gauge and access to an almanac to work out the position. Search for (BB_sextant6.zip) which is the gauge modified for FSX. I would also recommend a program called Autostar which has the capacity to go to the almanacs from the star or celestial body sighting. (autostrx.zip) is the file for that one. There are a number of tutorials around about doing this in FSX and a member here called Stearman Driver has done a number of good presentations on doing this and I think even a video. He also had a post on A2A Simulations about in the Connie Section of the forum.

It is tricky to do and unfortunately it depends where you are on the globe and your ability to recognise relevant stars and constellations.

Hope this helps.

I know how to do it for real but honestly find it difficult in FSX or the sim because of the cluttered night sky you can do it more easily with the sun during the day.

[stearmandriver]

Hey there! I'm always glad to hear I'm not the only goofball interested in this stuff .

Bendy has covered it, mostly. The only thing I'd add is that using the sextant gauge doesn't have to be real hard; it doesn't actually require you to visually identify stars in the sky (lining up the star in the sextant viewfinder is simulated as part of taking a shot, but you don't actually have to find the correct star in the sky); and also, you don't have to use an almanac if you don't want to. Both of those things can be incorporated for more realism (+1 on Autostar X), but don't let them scare ya off.

Video tutorials:
https://youtu.be/1Es9Qi8z4is Part One


https://youtu.be/3M-IJ7h0vQM Part Two

[BendyFlyer]

Good to hear from your Stearman Driver. I have well and truly retired from aviating now, went back to do some ground instructing (Aerodynamics and meteorology), finished today now I can get back to the Sim world and flying boats. I did a scenery for Kingman Reef by the way should release a few of them as a package in a month or two (check out the screenshot forum at Cal Classic if interested), limited interest in this era of aviation so no rush on my part.

Astral Navigation should be part of every pilots tool kit alas these days it is not. A lot of folk sailed around the globe guided by the stars. And it is fun to as well.

Have a good Xmas holiday!

[Bruce66]

Thanks for the responses guys!

Yes I am a goofball and interested in these things. And I agree astral navigation is a basic that people really should understand. I have nearly as much interest in navigating the seas by the stars and the related histories as I have in aviation.

As I grew up in the prairies I learnt the stars before I learnt to read. I impressed friends back in the day by navigating in the desert by the stars. But these were short distances and on land which is a world of difference from in the air over the sea.

I will take a look at these add-ons and tutorials (I very much doubt I will have the time due to RL to give this justice but - who knows - I may become obsessed and proficient!).

Thanks again!

[stearmandriver]

Hey Bendy! Retirement... ah, that sounds nice. Someday.
Congrats and enjoy!

Kingman reef is a place I've not even gotten around to checking the existence of in FSX yet. I assume ORBX vector put something there.. but a properly built scenery would be great. I'll definitely check that out. I've been waiting for that Pilot's! B314 to start some of the South Pacific flying, here's hoping they're getting close (or at least, haven't abandoned it entirely).

I found an old copy of Jack London's "South Sea Stories" and have been working my way through it. They're fictional, but inspired by a recreational sailing journey he took to the area in a small ketch in 1908. Celestial nav was definitely vital then. It's funny... in the great scheme, that's not all THAT long ago, but what a different world.

[BendyFlyer]

...............

Kingman reef is a place I've not even gotten around to checking the existence of in FSX yet. I assume ORBX vector put something there.. but a properly built scenery would be great. I'll definitely check that out. I've been waiting for that Pilot's! B314 to start some of the South Pacific flying, here's hoping they're getting close (or at least, haven't abandoned it entirely).

I found an old copy of Jack London's "South Sea Stories" and have been working my way through it. They're fictional, but inspired by a recreational sailing journey he took to the area in a small ketch in 1908. Celestial nav was definitely vital then. It's funny... in the great scheme, that's not all THAT long ago, but what a different world.

Yeah off topic I know but yes Kingman reef was where it was supposed to be in terms of lat and long in FSX but no visible ground, but the water polygons changed to reef or coral at that point, which I found pretty impressive as far as FSX is concerned, FSX is spot on geographically in some areas. I merely add some coral sand in a line and the refuelling ship which I found a photograph of from the era which was a surprise to find as well. Logistically you have to say I can see why they shifted to Canton Island in Kiribati to have a base at least there would be a smooth lagoon to land on and take shelter but out in open ocean trying to refuel from drums off a pitching ship would have been a challenge. Pan Am actually built a hotel of sorts there where they used to go to before the airport was built later on in WW2.

I am still waiting for the B314 as well seems little progress has been made, which is disappointing as I thought it was imminent. Maybe next year. Have a good one.

[tgycgijoes]

In the past I downloaded the sextant gauge but haven't used it when flying WWII aircraft. I also downloaded the E6B Calculator gauge which came with the C-47 V2 before the new C-47 came out. You can download the real manual for free. I actually learned how to use this when I was taking private pilot lessons back in the 60's. Its fun to do things by the ol' book sometimes. I even have a pdfs of the USN Navigation manuals too.

[Bruce66]

Well I got the Sextant up and working, watched the tutorials and had a go and it all works just fine!

Shame the Almanac is not available in the UK. The US site is blocked by our servers and the UK Almanac no longer lists star positions - only Sun and Moon information (which is useful as far as it goes).

I am going to use my star atlas and make some educated guesses on a Goose Bay to Greenland flight in a few days if the weather is at all co-operative. From what the tutorials say the guess work should return a useful result.

I will be flying the Manfred Jahn Skytrain which I see has an AstroDome. I can not seem to change my viewpoint to the Dome though. Anyone know how to view the stars from the Dome in that plane?

[Ganter]

Well I got the Sextant up and working, watched the tutorials and had a go and it all works just fine!

Shame the Almanac is not available in the UK. The US site is blocked by our servers and the UK Almanac no longer lists star positions - only Sun and Moon information (which is useful as far as it goes).

I am going to use my star atlas and make some educated guesses on a Goose Bay to Greenland flight in a few days if the weather is at all co-operative. From what the tutorials say the guess work should return a useful result.

I will be flying the Manfred Jahn Skytrain which I see has an AstroDome. I can not seem to change my viewpoint to the Dome though. Anyone know how to view the stars from the Dome in that plane?

God speed.
Watch out for Ross lighting matches in front of your face on final! Fantastic book.

[tgycgijoes]

Give this a shot to see if you can program a camera view for the astradome.

http://www.fstipsandaddons.com/under...g-cameras-fsx/

[Bruce66]

Give this a shot to see if you can program a camera view for the astradome.

http://www.fstipsandaddons.com/under...g-cameras-fsx/

Thanks for the link.

I will have to spend some time digesting those instructions but it looks like it will be worth it and useful knowledge for the future.

[Bruce66]

God speed.
Watch out for Ross lighting matches in front of your face on final! Fantastic book.

Cheers!

I flew the Presque Isle to Goose Bay last night using just a map, my eyes and a bottle of bubbly (it was New Years Eve!).

There were plenty of lights flashing before my eyes I can tell you! Mind you it may have been the fireworks.

(video coming soon)

[stearmandriver]

Just to make sure everyone understands: the appearance of the night sky, and/or the way the 2d sextant gauge is superimposed on it, is purely cosmetic. I enjoy seeing if I can locate the celestial body I'm trying to shoot too (and creating a camera view for the dome is an idea I hadn't had, and I use EZDOK so I have no excuse lol), but DO NOT WORRY if you can't point the gauge at the star in your flight sim sky.

The sextant gauge does its calculations independent of where it is displayed; you just have to line up the simulated star with the bubble within the gauge itself. That part is not cosmetic; your adjustment of the bubble using the fine elevation adjustment directly affects the distance offset value the sextant returns. So you do have to be as accurate as possible at that... but it does not matter if you're looking down while you do it, and the sextant gauge is superimposed over the seat bottom. It still works the same.