Nightflite

Take the controls of a light aircraft flying at night. Take off, climb, bank left, bank right, descend, land.

Navigate from beacon to beacon using instruments.

Adjust the flaps, rudder, wheels, nose and rpm.

Runway lights on approach. Five modes plus Autopilot.

Scenario

You are the pilot of a light aircraft on a flight from an airfield at night, on an East-West runway (heading 270 degrees). Type a 6 to select Mode 6: a map is displayed in two parts. The top half shows a plan view of the runway along with two beacons, the VOR and the NDB, and a range of hills running East-West at an altitude of 1650 feet. A small valley passes between the hills to the North-West of the runway. The airspace aove this area is very congested - if you climb above 2200 feet there is a high risk of collision. The lower half of the screen shows a profile view of the area. When you complete a flight, your route will be displayed on this map and in plan and in profile. Press any key to return to the menu.

There are eight options open to you:

0 - Demonstration
1 - Final approach
2 - Fly to non-directional beacon (East)
3 - Fly towards VHF omni-directional ranger
4 - Take off
5 - Autopilot
6 - Display previous flightplan
7 - Exit

You may select a mode by hitting the *appropriate number key* - if no key is pressed within 20 seconds, the computer will automatically run Mode 0.

In Modes 0-5, the display is that seen by the pilot of a light aircraft in his cockpit. The instruments displayed in the bottom half of the screen are:

A/Horizon:
The Artificial Horizon shows the up/down pitch of the nose and the angle of bank. The horizon is represented by the green line behind the aircraft shape. Thus, if the horizon is below the aircraft the nose it pitched up; if the horizon slopes from high on the left to low on the right, the aircraft is in a left turn (and vice versa).

ILS:
The Instrument Landing System interprets two radio beams sent out from near the runway, one in line with the centraline of the runway (heading 270) and the other indicating a safe glide slope. The cars on the instrument represent the psitions of the radio beams relative to the aircraft. For example, if the vertical bar is to the right of centre you must fly 'right' to get to it, and if the horizontal bar is above centre you are below the idea glide slope and you must climb. Important: if you are heading away from the airfield the indications appear reversed.

ASI:
Air Speed Indicator displaying in nautical miles per hour (knots).

Alt:
Altitude in feet above the runway.

Hdg:
Heading in compass degrees - 360 = North, 090 = East, 245 = South West, etc.

VSI:
Vertical Speed Indicator, showing the rate of climb or descent in feet per minute (negative figures mean descent).

W:
Wind direction (degrees)/speed (knots).

TI:
Elapsed time in minutes and seconds.

RPM:
Engine power - maximum revs = 2500, minimum = 800. A graphical representation of your engine speed is shown to the left of the RPM value.

Fuel:
The amount of fuel remaining (measured in pounds) is shown digitally as well as graphically. When you have less than 100lbs a warning bleeper will be activated; at around 50lbs, the RPM and fuel displays will start to flash to remind you that you must save fuel by cutting your engine revs. If you run out of fuel the engine speed automatically drops to 800rpm and the aircraft will stall. The initial amount varies with the Mode and the wind speed.

Gear:
Indicates whether the undercarriage is Up or down (DN). Maximum safe speed with the gear down ('gear limit') is 90kts. Air speed reduces by 5kts when 'DN' due to drag.

Flap:
Either UP or DN. Maximum safe speed with the flaps down ('flap limit') is 90kts. Air speed reduces by 5kts when DN due to drag.

Note: If you exceed either of the maximum safe speeds above or the maximum safe speed for the aircraft, the 'Velocity Never Exceeded' (VNE) of 125kts, you will crash.

DME (Distance Measuring Equipment):
Measures distance from the beginning of the runway in miles. As you pass the beginning of the runway the figures increase again.

To land successfully, you must stall the aircraft onto the first 0.2 miles of the runway with an air speed of less than 60kts and a rate of descent not exceeding 300 ft/min with your wings level and your flaps down.

When an aircraft 'stalls' it can no longer fly. At any altitude above 10 feet thiswill damage or crash the aircraft: a stall will occur when the air speed is less than the stall speed of 65 kts. When you lower the flaps, the stall speed reduces to 50kts, thus allowing you to fly slower.

Note: In a banked turn, the stall speed increases by 10kts depending on the angle of bank.

ADF/East (Automatic Direction Finder):
The needle on this instrument points to the non-directional beacon (East in this case), which is situated four miles from touchdown in line with the ILS centreline. The needle points relative to the aircraft direction such that if the aircraft is heading straight for the NDB the pointer points straight up: if the needle is left of centre, then turn left to home in on the NDB, etc. When you pass over the NDB the needle will swing round (run Mode 5 to see the effect when the DME gets to four miles).

Note: Your navigational accuracy will be assessed and you will be given a percentage mark during the flight debrief. The method of calculating varies between modes and is given in the instructions for each mode.

VOR (Very High Frequency Radio Omni-Directional Ranger):
This is a radio beacon which produces beams radially (like the spokes of a wheel). You have pre-selected the 360 radial. The Instrument shows the relative position of the beam in the same way as the ILS centreline. When the VOR is selected, DME shows distance to the VOR.

ADF/West:
There is a second NDB standing at the same place as the VOR. When you pass this combined beacon make a right turn, select the ILS (by pressing f0) which gives you ADF/East and the ILS, and commence your approach.

Mode 0: Demonstration

The final 2.5 miles of a landing approach flown by George (the autopilot) is shown. At a distance of 1.9 miles from the airfield the runway lights come into view. If you can see all of the lights on both sides of the runway and the lines are symmetrical then the aircraft is correctly aligned. After landing, the map will be displayed for a few seconds, showing the path you have flown, and then the menu will return.

Mode 1: Final Approach

You are about nine miles from touchdown at 2000 ft somewhere near the centraline, heading due West (270). You must use the instruments and controls available to you to find the runway and land successfully.

In Modes 2 and 3 your task is to try to fly to one of the beacons using your instruments.

Mode 2

Heading South East roughly towards the NDB(E) and level at 2000ft.

Mode 3

Heading North towards the VOR.

Mode 4: Take-off

You are on the runway with take-off power selected (2100 RPM). Instruments are as for Mode 3.

You must take off and climb to an altitude high enough to cross the hills. You may either climb straight past the hills or you may intercept the radial 360 from the VOR (already selected, as above) which will take you through the narrow valley West of the airfield. If you climb straight ahead, you may use the ADF/West to home in on the VOR/NDB. When you pass the combined beacon press f0 to select the ILS and ADF/East and continue as in Mode 3.

Mode 5: Autopilot

In this Mode, the computer selects a position as in Mode 1 and 'George' will fly down the ILS to achieve a landing. Each time George makes a control change, the computer will beep. If you wish to take control on the approach then hold RETURN down until the word 'AUTO' disappears from the top right of the screen.

In all player-controlled modes, the keyboard is scanned just after the soft bleep (about once every second) - this is your cue when taking over from the autopilot.

Assessment

In Mode 2, navigational accuracy to the NDB is measured only on the first pass (not as you pass it inbound on the NLS) - maximum is 50%. You must judge your own moment to commence descent (bearing in mind the glide slope and the mountains).

In Mode 3, navigational accuracy is assessed on VOR and NDB/East (maximum is 100%).

Game Controls

Glossary Of Aviation Terms

Loading

Tape: CHAIN"" (RETURN)
Disc: SHIFT-BREAK