Peter Tucker's Trans Atlantic Charter, Courtesy of EK Gann.

1)  If you have FS NAVIGATOR, copy and paste all files in the 'FSNav flightplans' folder to C:\....\FS200X\FSNavigator\plan.

2) FS2002. If you do not yet own FS NAVIGATOR, copy and paste all files in the 'FS2002 Myflts' folder into C:\....\FS2002\flights\Myflts.

3) FS2000. If you do not yet own FS NAVIGATOR, copy and paste all files in 'FS2000 Pilots' folder into C:\....\FS2000\Pilots.

4) Printing out the MS Word versions of the flight descriptions and notes is highly recommended. The PDF versions have not been included due to the restrictions imposed by the inclusion of the PDF version of the ADF Tutorial.

5) The tutorial included was specifically written for this charter by Peter and is called 'Long Range Navigation With Limited Facilities'. Unless you are very proficient at working out Great Circle Routes and Rhumb Lines the time taken to read and absorb it's contents will be time very well spent.
What isn't mentioned in the tutorial is the problem encountered with FSNavigator when creating flights over a long distance near to the poles. It is a tutorial on its own to explain this problem so to make things easier, although Peter has tried to lead you into planning your own course and headings etc. I felt it necessary to add the actual headings required, which of course you don't have to use if you don't want. 

6) I would also encourage, nay, beg you to take the time to set up each flight as Peter intended. They may be long flights but if flown using the intended criteria they will be greatly enhanced!

7)A quick mention of an item I saw mentioned in the Forum regarding course 'Drift' when flying over a long distance. I may well be corrected here but I recall reading somewhere that the DC-3 suffers from 'Gyro Drift'. As does any other aircraft that uses a Gyro.Real life Gyro's suffer from this effect and over an extended period will drift away from the intended specification at a predictable rate.
You probably performed this trick as a youngster using a bicycle wheel. You hold the wheel by the axle and someone spins the wheel very fast. The affect is to make it a little bit difficult to turn the wheel while it was spinning (Gyro effect) but it finally twisted of it's own accord one way or the other (Gyro drift). 
Errors in the Gyro will be induced into the Autopilot which ultimately will affect the accuracy of the desired course. While this will not cause problems on short flights, over long distances and when using the Autopilot this drift could, and will cause you to digress from your desired course by a considerable amount. 
The answer is to press key 'D' frequently which has the effect of correcting the 'Gyro Drift' and hence the course drift (if you have Autopilot selected). This action will not compensate for the effect of the wind and other external influences. I 'try' to remember to do this about every ten minutes. Once you are aware this phenomena you will be caught out less and less as you become experienced. 
This action only corrects for Gyro drift of course and will not compensate for a poor navigation technique.

Yet another 'true to life' experience to enjoy when flying the DC-3. 

Now enjoy flying this charter as much as I did.

Norman Hancock
VP Charters.


