I thought this thread was the informational one which has to be locked and the other was for the AARs. Now I am also confused 
Not closed this thread yet!? 
OK. So just finished McRobertson Air Race. I will be at the bar for some time now for sure. But what then?
This Race was exhibition of ‘low and slow’. What is not complaint. But wondering if I am up to another low 'n slow run to Aleutes.
I guess I will not start at home airport. If I take off then from Melbourne. Considering that helo won’t be the best candidate for a ride ( but ‘ground speed acceleration’ is also possible option )
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This year I’ll be doing (trying) this event in XP11. I find myself running into a couple of speedbumps when it comes to scenery…and some other stuff.
I haver decided on FJS’s 727. I’ll turn on the maintenance functions (wear-and-tear / broken stuff) and take a down day for to fix any damage more than a blown tire. I’m also going no GPS (VORs and ADF). So far so good.
I am planning on a route in about 1-2 hour legs, staying out of huge airports. Ive found some interesting challenges. For example, the XP sceneries for LCRW (Charleston WV; 2 in X-Plane.org downloads - I’ve tried both) is hillier than…um…something very hilly. [Insert WV hillbilly comment here] In one version I start rolling off the apron as soon as I take off the parking brake…so much for a push back. Louisville KY (KSDF; also from Xplane.org) is missing its runways (it gives me an error message but no hint on why). Springfield MO (KSGF) is all there (I’ll use it) and reasonably level but it needs a Russian scenery library (RuScenery) - found an XP9 version but no joy.
I haven’t even started with the Ortho stuff since I recall it takes a long time to download those files.
Any ideas? 
Finally, for the RW pilots: How did you all find Fixes/Intersections before GPS? I’m thinking range/bearing from a VOR but can’t seem to find that on the charts I’m using. I guess let the flight planner figure it out for me…that seems like “cheating”? 
Usually by using cross radials from an NDB or VOR. Fly along the desired radial of one VOR or NDB and wait until pass a specific radial from/to another beacon off to the side of your course. Easy enough if you have two OBI’s or ADF’s. A bit more complicated if you only have one instrument to work with.
There’s probably plenty of us that can send you a copy of ruscenery if it’s no longer available
OK…the 727 has 2 of each. I seem to remember something like that fro a while back…actually, now that you mention it, I used something similar in my simNovel.
I ask because many of the STARs/SIDs/Approach plates I’ve beed studying always seem to have a couple of Fixes that don’t seem “attached” to a particular NAVAID. I guess that’s what makes flying these old beasts more fun. Thanks! 
That would be great. 
I downloaded the only version I could find and it seems to be for XP9. XP11 gives me a “Can’t Find or Out of Date” error message. I’m thinking out of date. This is the from the install text file that came with it.
RuScenery
Library of USSR and CIS airfields objects.
http://ruscenery.x-air.ru/Installation
Uncompress ruscenery folder to “/X-Plane 9/Custom Scenery/” directory.
Please do not rename folder!
Otherwise sceneries made with ruscenery library will not work properly.
I’ll take a look later today if I get a chance. @BeachAV8R should definitely have it I would think, too.
Do those SID’s, STAR’s and Approaches have RNAV or GPS Required written anywhere on the plates?
Not that I recall although some airfields only had RNAV with the GPS fixes (four pointed star around a circle?). Ii was looking at ILS and or LOC approaches.
Actually I was looking at the FINGER FIVE into KDFW…and now that I look at it after your advice I see that every Fix has bearing range to at least one VOR. How did I ever miss that? 
There are a couple of other libraries with missing files from updated sets- had to use one to fix KPIT. I can look later too.
On mobile at the moment, so will reply more later, but there is also a way to add a line to the airport config to flatten the runways if they are showing wacky contours.
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Much learning has happened. Thanks to all.
KSDF is still Alpha Foxtrot Uniform…actually worse now as it kills XP11 but not before giving me am “Oh Dear Is this really messed up” error message. But elsewhere, tanks to the help above, KRCW is flat, and KSGF is error free. I guess what was happening with the later was that as I fixed one error, it would take another step in loading and find another. There were like three of them after RuScenery. All fixed now. So now I have the first three airfields in my Christmas Journey…KPHF, KCHA and KSGF. Only about 12 more to go.
I have no idea for how long this sale has been up, or how long it will last, but there is a significant discount on the two Arctic scenery packs (airfields + mesh) for X-Plane 11.
I don’t often buy scenery, preferring freeware, donationware or orthos, but there is no other way besides learning meshtool to get scenery above 72 degrees for most of these areas: (I found freeware mesh for the Greenland coast up to Thule, but that’s it)
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I think I have decided on a flight plan that helps me avoid the areas north of 75°
It will take me through Germany, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia, and will hopefully be a bit of fun to fly. It is 600 miles longer than the direct route though. I already checked that all the airports are present and long enough in XP11. Not sure if all the NDBs will be there. We will see I guess. 
This should be copy-and-pasteable into Skyvector.com (just put it into the flight plan text field and hit enter)
Any input would be appreciated, I admit I don’t plan flights that often, I usually just follow the GPS on a direct route.
EDSB OSB TB1 NDO SKR TR10 AAL P615 TOR ENVA SLU KEM NRM USDD BI UOHH ZA UHMM UK W219 NK PAAT
I will most likely buy the Challenger 300 for X-Plane 11 in the next few days and fly that route (or a very similar one). I hope the plane has all the stuff on board to use the nav aids I planned there…
And yes I am aware that the plane has the fuel to make this in two hops or so, but where’s the fun in that?
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If you use PlanG, it will build a database of maps and airports based on your actual installed XPlane copy. If you use it to plan your route, it will definitely show the available NDB’s
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PlanG…
I used it back in the FSX days but haven’t used it for years now. Maybe it is time for a re install.
I think I have it narrowed down to a couple of possible turboprop twins (don’t want to ruin all the fun by being able to fly it in just one or two hops). Now it’s a matter of seeing what I can find for the perfect combo of speed and cargo capacity.
Anybody have thoughts on the EMB-110 versus the Saab 340?
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I am fairly sure that FSWidgets QuickPlan uses the XP NAVAID database.
Full disclosure: I am the FSWidgets senior Beta Tester (it is just a title; I don’t get paid)…long story but about the time I was retiring, in 2013, I did some beta testing on their new QuickPlan and found some serious bugs. They thanked me by giving me more work on their new products. I’ve worked with them ever since. A huge company (two guys, not including myself) who put out some great FS support apps. Just about every app has a free demo - full function over a smaller geographic area; limited time.
That said, for QuickPlan you need to purchase the aeronautical chart overlays…but I mostly use the base maps that come with the (every) app.
Almost forgot. It sends finished flight plans in FS2004, FSX and XP formats.
