Main Instrument Panel
The Commander offers two different main 2D panel views: | |
Standard Panel | RMI/RALT Panel |
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You can select which panel you prefer on the Load Manager.
The main panel can be defined as containing four distinct elements:
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Also known as the "T Scan", or "T Stack" instruments, these are the most important indicators on the panel. Left clicking on the center of any of these instruments will also provide you with a T Stack Popup View that will give you a close up view of these critical instruments:
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Turn the Altitude Selector Knob until the current altitude from barometric pressure, in feet, is displayed in the Altitude Selection Indicator window. The corresponding True Airspeed (TAS), in knots, will show in the True Airspeed Calculator window.
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Displays current pitch and roll
(bank) orientation with the ground.
The attitude indicator also displays the Flight Director Command bars. More information on Flight Director functionality can be obtained here . |
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Indication needles for hundreds, thousands and ten thousand feet. Encoder gives a digital output to the Transponder for automatic transmission of the aircraft's pressure altitude to ATC. Kohlsman setting for barometric pressure reading in millibars, or (in USA) inches of mercury (Hg) used to set a pressure altimeter's sub-scale to QFE or QNH. |
The Horizontal Situation Indicator (HSI)
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The HSI is a cockpit
navigation display, which is actually part of the flight-director system.
It combines navigation and heading information in one easy to read
display. All important information concerning the aircraft's position
relative to ground-based navigation aids is presented in one convenient
display.
The HSI provides a basic horizontal view of the aircraft's navigation picture. It can provide navigation data to the selected VOR on your NAV 1 radio.
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When you fly back
course approaches, set in the ILS front course heading and then fly
"the picture" using normal response to needle movements (i.e.,
needle left, correct left; needle right, correct right). Don't confuse a
radial (which radiates outward from a VOR) with an inbound course (i.e.,
the reciprocal) when setting the course pointer.
All HSIs are equipped with "TO-FROM" NAV function, heading and glide slope warning flags. If the NAV flag appears, this means you are not currently receiving a VOR signal, so don't fly that portion of the instrument! |
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To function properly, you must properly set the selected course and heading information. Because the HSI is a gyroscopic device, you must set it to the magnetic heading and check it periodically. |
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The autopilot heading may also be selected using the right-hand knob. The autopilot heading bug shows you the autopilot heading in relation to the other navigation information. |
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The turn coordinator is really two instruments. The gyro portion shows the aircraft's rate of turn—how fast it's changing direction. A ball in a tube called the "inclinometer" or "slip/skid indicator" shows the quality of the turn—whether the turn is "coordinated." When the wings of the miniature airplane align with the small lines next to the "L" and "R," the aircraft is making a standard rate turn. This means the aircraft completes a 360-degree turn in two minutes. |
Indication in hundreds of feet per
minute.
The setting knob adjusts the bug position, which communicates with the Autopilot and sets it's vertical speed parameter. |
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The navigation instruments consist of a VOR 2 instrument, and an ADF indicator on the standard panel, and in case of the RMI panel, a Radio Magnetic Indicator (RMI) is substituted. This is in addition to the HSI instrument on the T-Stack. Distance Measuring Equipment (DME) is also included. An excellent tutorial on navigation can be found here. |
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A Rotating Course Card, calibrated from 0 to 360°, which indicates the VOR bearing chosen as the reference to fly TO or FROM. The OBS Selector, or OBS knob, is used to manually rotate the course card. The VOR 2 needle displays the VOR bearing, which simplifies setting the desired navigation track. This needle moves left or right indicating the direction to turn to return to course. To track a radial, when the needle is to the left, turn left and when the needle is to the right, turn right, When centered, the aircraft is on course. Each dot in the arc under the needle represents a 2° deviation from the desired course.
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The TO-FROM Flag will point up, or towards the nose of the aircraft, when flying TO the VOR station. The arrow reverses direction, points downward, when flying away FROM the VOR station. This flag is not visible when the VOR is beyond reception range, has not been properly tuned in, or the VOR receiver is turned off. |
The Rotating Course Card is adjusted with the OBS Selector to display the aircraft’s magnetic heading "straight up." Then the ADF needle will directly indicate the magnetic bearing to the NDB. |
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Radio Magnetic Indicator (RMI)
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The dual-needle RMI presents the same information as the VOR 2 and ADF indicators. The magnetic Compass Rose is a directional gyro that rotates automatically as the aircraft turns, accurately indicating the magnetic heading of the aircraft, as well as the magnetic bearing to the beacon. Although it's a "hands-off" instrument, the Compass Rose should be checked against the magnetic compass every fifteen minutes or so and adjusted by pressing "D" to correct for any precession errors common to directional gyros. *
*If the simulator realism settings specifies Gyro Drift |
Distance Measuring Equipment (DME)
Gives a continuous slant range distance-from-station readout by measuring time-lapse of a signal transmitted by the aircraft to the station and responded back. | ![]() |
Engine Instruments | ![]() |
Auxiliary Instruments
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HSI Annunciator | ![]() |
Annunciator Display | ![]() |
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The autopilot's mode of operation is displayed here. |
Outside Air Temperature (OAT) Indicator
Reads Fahrenheit when the simulator International settings are set to US. Otherwise, Celsius is displayed. | ![]() |
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