C!T ROM 2/ctrom_ii_b.zip/ctrom_ii_b/FLIGHTSI/NAVIGATI/RTNAVWIN/RTNAVWIN.DOC

Text File | 1993-11-21 | 23KB | 551 lines

                       ROUTENAV FOR WINDOWS
                        VFR FLIGHT PLANNER



INTRODUCTION

RTNAVWIN is a very flexible Windows VFR flight planning
program for private pilots and computer pilots.  Listed below are
only a few of the many features:

NOTE:     When this manual refers to a navaid, it is referring to
          an airport, VOR, NDB, or any combination of these.  A
          waypoint is a navaid that has been selected as part of
          your route.

* Flight Plans:

You may create flight plans by select starting and ending
airports (and an optional waypoint to overfly), and the computer
will select the waypoints along the way.  The flight planning
process is very flexible in that the computer displays all of the
navaids along the route and selects the recommended waypoints.

If you want to change the route, a navaid may be selected or
deselected while viewing the route.  Specific information about a
navaid (latitude, longitude, frequencies, runways, and distances
from/to the previous/next waypoint,etc.) can also be displayed by
selecting the navaid.  Once you are satisfied with the route, you
then enter wind and altitude information for the route.  The
program uses that information to calculate magnetic heading,
distance, time, fuel, groundspeed, and descent information for
the route.  You may then save the route to be recalled later,
print it, and/or save it to disk as an ASCII file.

* PREVIOUS ROUTES:

Previously saved routes may be easily recalled, viewed, or
deleted.  When a route is recalled, the actual route is displayed
along with the other navaids along the route.  You may edit the
route by selecting or deselecting navaids as previously described.

* NAVAID SELECTION:

Finding the navaid you want is very easy.  If you know the id of
the navaid, you may enter it directly and the computer
will search the database for it.  Selection may also be made by
entering the two letter postal code for the state.  In this case,
you would select the navaid from a list of all navaids from that
state.  Selecting the navaid from a list of the entire database
is another option for selection.

* NAVAID DATABASE:

RTNAVWIN allows new navaids to be added, and existing navaids to
be edited or deleted.

The navaid to be edited or deleted can be selected by id,
state, or from the entire database.  The size of the database
(number of navaids) is limited only by the amount of disk space
available.

* AIRCRAFT DATABASE:

Aircraft information used during flight planning may be added,
edited, or deleted in the same manner as the navaids.  Again,
with this database, the size (number of aircraft) is limited only
by disk space.

* FLIGHT SIMULATOR (tm) SELECTION

RTNAVWIN can be used just as easily for computer pilots as for
private pilots.

If "Flight Simulator (tm) Only" is selected from the SETUP
screen, when RTNAVWIN searches the navaid database, it will
select only navaids that have a scenery defined.  By doing this,
you do not have to sift through ALL of the navaids to find the
ones available in Flight Simulator.



REQUIREMENTS

CPU:           IBM 286 or better

Monitor:       EGA or VGA Monitor with graphics card.

Hard Drive:    Approximately 1.5 MBs of disk space is required.

Mouse:         Required.

Memory:        The program will make use of extended memory if it
               is available.

               If the program runs out of conventional or
               extended memory, it will use disk space to store
               data.

INSTALLATION

To install RTNAVWIN, unzip the RTNAVWIN.ZIP file to the directory
of your choice.

To run RTNAVWIN, select the windows "FILES:RUN" menu item and enter
RTNAVWIN.EXE.



OPERATION

SETUP:

When the SETUP menu is selected, the SETUP screen is displayed.
Press the TAB key to move among the entry items (fields).  The
fields may also be selected by moving the mouse cursor to the
entry item, and pressing the left mouse button.

Enter your name and the path for the RTNAVWIN files.
If a drive letter is not entered, the current drive is assumed.

Various Distance and Fuel measurements may also be selected from
this screen.

If "FLIGHT SIMULATOR (tm) ONLY" is enabled, then only Flight
Simulator Navaids will be selected for flight planning

AIRCRAFT DATABASE:

The aircraft database menu allows you to add, edit, or delete
aircraft.

ADD: To add an aircraft to the database, select the ADD from the
     AIRCRAFT Menu item.  You will be presented with the Aircraft
     Input screen.

     Pressing the TAB key will scroll you through the various
     entry fields

     To enter the Cruise IAS for the aircraft, select the CRUISE
     IAS button by clicking on it with the mouse HOME.  The
     Cruise IAS input screen will be shown.  Enter the
     IAS at different altitudes for the Aircraft.  For example,
     if the IAS up to 5,000 ft.  is 115 Kts., the IAS at 5,000
     ft.  is 120 Kts., and the IAS at 10,000 ft.  is 135 Kts.,
     then you would enter 1000 for the altitude and 115 for the
     IAS, 5000 and 120, and 10000 and 135.  RTNAVWIN will make
     the cruise ias 115 KTS/MPH from 1000 to 4000 ft., 120
     KTS/MPH from 5,000 to 9,000 ft., and 135 KTS/MPH from 10,000
     ft.  and above.  Select OK when you are finished.

     AIRCRAFT ENTRY FIELDS:

     N Number:      The N Number of the aircraft

     Description:   A description (make and model) of the
                    aircraft (20 characters maximum)

     Climb Rate:    The takeoff climb rate in FPM

     Descent Rate:  The rate of descent in FPM

     KTS/MPH:       The speed measurement you wish to use

     Takeoff IAS:   The takeoff IAS in KTS or MPH (whichever you
                    selected above)

     Descent IAS:   The descent IAS (when landing) for the
                    aircraft

     Cruise IAS:    The IAS at various altitudes

     Fuel Capacity: The amount of useable fuel (using the fuel
                    measure you selected from the SETUP screen)

     Startup Fuel:  The amount of fuel burned during startup of
                    the aircraft

     Takeoff Fuel:  The amount of fuel burned during takeoff

     Cruise Fuel:   The amount of fuel burned (per hour) during
                    normal cruise flight

     Empty Weight:  The empty weight of the aircraft

     Max Weight:    The maximum fully loaded weight for the
                    aircraft

     Aircraft Moment: The moment of the aircraft

     Forward Limit: The forward center of gravity (CG) limit
                    (INCH/MM) for the aircraft

     Aft Limit:     The aft CG limit for the aircraft

     INCH/MM:       Selects whether the Weight and Balance Arms
                    are in inches or millimeters

     Row 1 Arm:     The distance aft of the DATUM (INCH/MM) for
                    the first row of seats

     Row 2 Arm:     The distance aft of the DATUM (INCH/MM) for
                    the second row of seats

     Row 3 Arm:     The distance aft of the DATUM (INCH/MM) for
                    the third row of seats

     Row 4 Arm:     The distance aft of the DATUM (INCH/MM) for
                    the fourth row of seats

     Forward Arm:   The distance aft of the DATUM (INCH/MM) for
                    the forward baggage compartment

     Aft Arm:       The distance aft of the DATUM (INCH/MM) for
                    the aft baggage compartment

     Fuel Arm:      The distance aft of the DATUM (INCH/MM) for
                    the fuel

     Required Aircraft Inputs:

        Flight Planning: N Number and/or Description, all
                         airspeeds, all FPM rates,and Fuel inputs
                         (for fuel calculations)

Edit:     To edit an aircraft record, select EDIT from the
          aircraft menu.  You will be shown a list containing the
          N-Number and description of each aircraft and may then
          select one to edit by clicking on it, or select
          "CANCEL" to exit.

          When in the Aircraft Edit screen, you may change any or
          all information for the aircraft as you would when
          entering a new aircraft.

Delete:   To delete an aircraft, you simply select "DELETE" from
          the Aircraft Database select menu.  Options for
          selecting the aircraft are the same as for editing.
          Once you select an aircraft to delete, you will be
          asked to confirm the deletion.  If you select "YES",
          the aircraft will be deleted (if "NO", then you will
          exit back to the Aircraft Database select menu).

NAVAID DATABASE:

Add:      To add a navaid to the Navaid Database, Select ADD from
      the Navaid Database menu.

     NOTE:     The program does not check to see if a duplicate
               navaid exists, so a suggestion would be to select
               EDIT, then DATABASE to see a list of all navaids
               in the database.  You can then search the list for
               the navaid you want to add.

          Select CANCEL from the selection list to return to the
          NAVAID DATABASE select menu.

          If you DO add a duplicate navaid, then every time you
          search for the navaid for flight planning or editing,
          you will have to select the one you wish to use.

          Once you decide you want to add a navaid to the
          database, select ADD from the Navaid Database menu.
      You can select the various entry fields on the screen
      by pressing the TAB key.

     NAVAID ENTRY FIELDS (* = required entries) :

     * ID:          A three letter/number combination to identify
                    the navaid.

     * Name:        The name of the navaid (30 characters max)

     * State:       The two letter state postal identifier.

     Elevation:     The elevation (in ft.  Mean Sea Level) of the
                    navaid.

     Mag.  Var.:    The magnetic variation of the navaid.  If you
                    do not enter a magnetic variation, 0E is
                    assumed.  If you are using Flight Simulator
                    (tm) 4.0 or earlier, and are not sure of the
                    magnetic variation, then you should use the
                    offset number shown on each chart (the North
                    and East coordinates are canted clockwise or
                    counterclockwise to compensate for orthagonal
                    coordinate grid overlaid on Lambert conformal
                    conic projection).  If the number is
                    positive, then the direction is West.  If it
                    is negative then the direction is East.

                    For example, the offset for the default
                    scenery for NY is +13.  This indicates 13W.

     Type:          The type of navaid.  The program uses the
                    following codes for the navaids:

                    * = VOR and Airport or NDB and Airport
                    V = VOR Only
                    N = NDB Only
                    A = Airport Only

     Description:   The description of the navaid (VOR/Airprt,
                    NDB/Airprt, VOR, NDB, Airport).  You may
                    enter any description you wish (10 characters
                    max).

     Scenery:       If you intend to use this navaid for Flight
                    Simulator (tm), you must enter the scenery
                    description (Disk number, file name, etc.).
                    When the program is configured for Flight
                    Simulator Only, it will look for this field
                    when searching the database to determine
                    whether the navaid is a FS navaid or not.

     * Latitude:    The Latitude in degrees and minutes for the
                    navaid.

     * Longitude:   The Longitude in degrees and minutes for the
                    navaid.

     NOTE:     If you know the North and East coordinates, then
               you should use a program such as COORDS.EXE to
               convert North and East to Latitude and Longitude.

     Comments:      Here you may add any comments you wish about
                    the navaid.

     Frequencies:   Select the FREQUENCIES button to enter the
                    frequencies for the navaid.  A suggested ILS
                    frequency sequence is Runway Number/Runway
                    Direction/Frequency (ex.  24/243/109.2).

     Runways:       Select RUNWAYS to enter the runway numbers
                    for the navaid.  A suggested sequence is
                    Runway Number/Runway Length (Ex. 10L-28R/9500
                    X 150).

     NOTE:     The Navaid Database does not contain frequencies
               (except VOR's) and runway numbers for most NON
               Flight Simulator (tm) airports.

     OK:            Select OK to save the navaid information and
                    exit.

     EXIT:          Selecting EXIT will abort the procedure and
                    exit without saving.

FLIGHT PLANNING

The flight planner is the heart of RTNAVWIN.  As you will see, it
is extremely versatile and informative.

The first step to creating a flight plan is to select the
aircraft you will be flying.  When you select New Route from the
Main Screen, you will be asked to choose the aircraft.  If no
aircraft exist (or the program cannot find any) then either there
are no aircraft entered in the Aircraft Database, or the
directory defined on the SETUP screen is not where the
"AIRCRAFT.DAT" file is located.  You are given a list of the aircraft
from which to choose.

The Flight Planning process allows you to select the starting airport,
ending airport, and an optional waypoint (Airport, VOR, or NDB) to
fly over.

Once you have selected these two (or three), then the computer will find
ALL of the navaids along your route.  It will also select waypoints from
these navaids for you to fly over.

If you select the VOR Only check box, then the program will only select
the VORs along your route.

Once you have selected an aircraft, you will be asked to select the
waypoints for your route.  There are three ways to select the waypoints:

     ID:  If you select ID, you are asked for the 3-characters of
          the ID.  The characters can be letters, numbers, or a
          combination.  When you select OK, the computer will
          search for the ID.  If more than one is found, you will
          be given a list from which to choose.  Selecting CANCEL
          will return you to the Main Menu.

     STATE:    Selecting STATE allows you to search the database
               for all navaids found within a certain state.
               When you select STATE, you are asked to enter the
               2-letter postal code for the state.  If you select
               CANCEL, you will return to the Main Menu.  If you
           enter the 2 letter code, the program will search the
           database for all navaids in the state you selected.
           You will be given a list from which to select the navaid.
           To select the navaid, move the cursor to the navaid on
           the list and press the left mouse button.  Select OK once
           you have selected the navaid.  If you decide not to select
           one of the navaids, selecting CANCEL will cancel the
           operation and return you to the Navaid Selection screen.

     DATABASE: The DATABASE selection will give a list (after the
               program generates the list) of all navaids in the
               database.  The list will not display all of the
               navaids at once, so the first fifteen or so will
               be displayed.  Along the side of the list is a
               scroll bar.  Selecting the UP or DOWN arrow on the
               bar will scroll the list up or down.  You can
               manually (and quickly) move through the list by
               selecting and holding the small box between the
               arrows, and moving it (using the mouse) up or down.
           When you release the box, the list will display the
           navaids for that section of the list.  To select the navaid,
           move the cursor to the navaid on the list and press the left
           mouse button and select OK.  If you decide not to
               select one of the navaids, selecting CANCEL will
               cancel the operation and return you to the Navaid
               Selection Screen.

Once you are finished selecting the navaids, select OK from
the menu to continue with the flight planning.

PREVIOUS: The PREVIOUS option allows you to work with previously
          saved routes.

          A list of previously saved routes will be displayed in a selection
      box.  Selecting one of the routes will show the route in the
      View selection box.  You may then select the route by pressing
      the OK button.  You may also delete the route by pressing the
      Delete button.  Selecting Cancel will cancel the operation and
      return you to the Main Menu.

     Once you have selected the navaids from the New Route menu or have
     selected a previous route, the navaid search screen is displayed.
     Select OK to begin the search or cancel to cancel the operation.

     When all of the navaids have been found, the screen will display
     the Route Selection Screen.  This screen shows all of the navaids that
     were found along your route.  The waypoints for the route will be
     automatically selected.  If you have recalled a previously saved route,
     the selected waypoints will be those that were selected when the route
     was saved.

     The colors of the navaids will tell you what type of navaid
     it is.  Blue is a Navaid (VOR or NDB) with an Airport, Green
     is a VOR only, Red is an Airport only, and Purple is an NDB
     only.

     The three character ID of the navaid is also shown.

SELECTING A NAVAID FOR THE ROUTE:

If a navaid is not selected as part of the route, you may include
it in the route by moving the cursor to it and pressing the left
mouse button.  If you press the left button again, the navaid will be
deselected.

Getting information about any navaid on the screen is quite easy.
You simply move the cursor to the navaid and press the RIGHT
mouse button.

The information you are given depends on the type of navaid it
is.  If the navaid contains an airport, you will be shown
information (ID, Name, State, Elevation, Latitude, Longitude,
etc.) about the airport.  If you select the FREQUENCIES button, you
wil be shown the frequency information about the airport.  Select the
RUNWAYS button to see the runways for the airport.

If the Navaid is a VOR or NDB only, you will be shown only the
navaid information (ID, Name, State, Elevation, Latitude,
Longitude, etc.) and the frequency.

Additionally, if the navaid you have selected is a waypoint (part
of the route), you will be shown the distance and true course
to/from the next/previous waypoint.

To return to the Route Selection Screen, select the OK button.
When you are satisfied with the route, select the CONTINUE menu option
to continue the flight planning process.  If you want to abort
the flight plan and return to the Main Screen, select EXIT.

The next step for flight planning is entering the altitude and
wind information:

VFR Flight:    If you are flying a VFR Flight, the altitude you
               fly is determined by the direction you are flying.
               If your direction is between 000 and 179 degrees,
               you must fly an ODD altitude + 500 ft.  If the
               direction is between 180 and 359 degrees, the
               altitude must be an EVEN altitude + 500 ft.  If
               you select this item, then the computer will
               automatically change the altitude if you change
               directions.  For example: Your true course is 200
               degrees, and you select an altitude of 4,500
               degrees.  Along the route, your true course
               becomes 165 degrees.  The computer will change
               your altitude to 5,500 ft.  If your course then
               changes to 195 degrees, the computer will change
               the altitude back to 4,500 ft.

ALTITUDE:      This is where you enter the altitude you wish to
               fly.

     NOTE:     If you select VFR Flight, the computer will NOT
               check to ensure you enter a proper altitude.

               Select MANUAL to enter the altitude you wish to
               fly for each leg.  If you do not select MANUAL,
               the altitude is selected from the altitude you
               enter in the AUTOMATIC position.

WIND:          Enter the Wind Direction and speed for all
               waypoints along your route.  The computer will
               calculate the wind correction angle for each leg
               of the flight.  The winds aloft information can be
               entered for each leg by selecting the WINDS ALOFT
               button.

DESCENT:       If you wish to descend to a particular altitude,
               enter it here. If you select the Pattern Altitude check box,
           the program calculate the descent to 800 ft AGL of the
           destination airport.

OK:            Select OK to display the Flight Plan Menu.

CANCEL:        Select Cancel to abort the flight plan and return to the
           Route Selection Screen.

The Flight PLan Menu allows you to save the route to be recalled later,
print the route, and/or save the route to your hard drive as an ascii file.

NOTE:     The file name for the saved route will be the ID of the starting
      airport, 2, the ID of the destination airport, and a number 1
      through 9 depending if there are already routes saved with the
      same starting and destination airports.  For example, a flight
      from JFK to ORD would be saved as "JFK2ORD1.RTE".


DISCLAIMER

The author is not liable for any damage or injury resulting from
the use of this product

You, as pilot, should always double check the resultant flight
plan against your charts for accuracy.  RTNAVWIN will not account
for minimum heights along your route.

CREDITS: Flight Simulator (tm) is a product of Microsoft
Corporation.

Help or Information: To get help or information on any question
concerning RTNAVWIN, please call [phone].  If I am not
available to answer the call, leave a message and I will call you
back.