RAF Flying Instructor - Navigation using TACAN and Point to Point (DCS)

In this lesson I teach you about using Nav aids and the Horizontal Situation Indicator (HSI) to navigate accurately. This will enhance your flying whether in a simulator or in a real aircraft.
Here, I use the same tactics that I used for 10 years instructing RAF, RN and foreign military students and instructors on the Hawk T1 and T2 as a Qualified Flying Instructor (QFI) in the Royal Air Force.
For access to Digital Combat Sim FJP Shadowlands Flying Training Server (US Based - Remote), go to join www.patreon.com/timdavies in the Basic or Advanced community - details there will then take you to Discord and the Server.
RAF Flying Instructor - DCS Navigation using TACAN and Point to Point, Tim Davies, Fast Jet Performance (www.fastjetperformance.com)
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[@Ventura60kts]

Great video very informative. I didn't realise you could get so much from just one instrument.

[@HughMcBrideDonegalFlyer]

Brings back some memories... US Aricraft all had a tacan needle, if I remember correctly using the compass as a map , would keep the origin and destination points vertically aligned. A Marine Captain taught me that trick.. and keep eyeballing it all the time. We were taught to use a straightend paperclip stuck into the pencil eraser to do alignment a lot of futzing about

[@AndyWragg]

Need to watch this a few more times to get the info nailed.

[@angelhernandez9550]

Videos like these have helped my msfs2020 game improve significantly.

[@JohnVanderbeck]

This stuff is gold and I love your humor/attitude. Lot to parse here, lots to rewatch but some lightbulbs definitely firing here. I mean, they're dim bulbs for but their lit!

[@njcr4688]

These are my favourite kind of videos. I spend most of flying time with head down in cockpit flying instrument only. Rewarding to get it right. Just got the hawk t1a on xplane and is great to fly and do nav training . Keep em coming Tim

[@tonkerdog1243]

The Royal Navy made a DOS program years ago called RANT. If you’ve got an IR coming up I thoroughly recommend it.

[@brittoncooke1890]

I thought I understood TACAN/VOR navigation pretty well but I never knew about using it for point to point. Thanks for that.

[@Novacngood185]

Thanks for that. Flown lots of VOR approaches. But Never point to point with precision. (I just point left a bit until the needle starts to move.) Now I know how to do it properly. But maths is not my good point. Speed v distance. A lot of mental arithmetic going on at 300~500kts. To be honest my maths wouldn't be much better at 100knt's. BUT nothing better than nailing a landing in Fog. (In a sim only)

[@Lionheart1157]

Thanks Tim, recommend this, well worth the 31 minutes of your life to learn TACAN Nav (civvie VOR nav) - including how to nav when not passing directly overhead the transmitter.

[@davidmuir6849]

Hi Tim Just joined tonight for full membership Cheers Dave from Scotland

[@FastJetPerformance]

Great Dave, I'm on in the morning - let's get you flying 👍

[@davidmuir6849]

@@FastJetPerformance Brilliant thanks

[@xoJOBYox]

Thanks for the video. I'm currently flying in Microsoft flight 2020 and I've just got started with military jets. And getting from A to B in these things is not easy.

[@simonpage3899]

Exactly the same for me. Just started with the Hawk.

[@xoJOBYox]

@@simonpage3899 it's amazing isn't it.

[@simonwiltshire7089]

T.I.T.S! Haha Got my CPL check ride coming up... going to use that!

[@jeeveseventynine9263]

I understood 80 percent of it, I think at least :) I don't have the basics of what all the dots mean and outer ring always = 50 miles and such. Went a little bit fast for me at times but it makes more sense when watching the video a second time. I also did not realize you can calculate ETA by dividing the range by the mach number. I can't really find information about this so would be nice if you can explain that a bit more. Overall, very interesting and i would love to see more of this instrument flying stuff. NAV, TACAN, ILS and such. I do not own an F-5 or F-18 but i guess that knowledge will also be useful in my F-14, F-16 and even the P-51 for basic navigation using a clock. Thank you very much and keep em coming, i love these kind of videos!

[@simonpage3899]

Trust the RAF to have TITS. Thank you for this. I'm using your instruction for the Hawk on MSFS. Need to get back on DCS and use it in the A10. Brilliant.

[@davidmuir6849]

Fantastic Tim another top notch tutorial Cheers Dave from Scotland

[@kaspariito]

thank you for that, very interesting. Loved the post production markers to visualize the thought process!

[@Steve-ou9ed]

Great tutorial, going to watch it a few more times :) , keep them coming and thanks Tim

[@jonschreiber4012]

Excellent point to point exercise, I relived hundreds of training sessions in the 2F-90 simulator and exiting soaked in sweat.

[@FastJetPerformance]

You and me both, lol!

[@jonschreiber4012]

@@FastJetPerformance ...and mostly done partial panel..For those that don't know "partial panel" = without the main gyro operable.

[@trime33]

WOW, Supercool video! very well explained. I'll have to watch it a few more times as some of these workings you mentioned I understood then others I was a little lost. - might look into this shadow lands in the year!

[@FastJetPerformance]

Thank you, it helps to use a pencil and paper when you watch it and draw it out.

[@JBFire97]

Excellent content. Very informative, thank you for sharing on KZbin.

[@garethroberts9223]

Great tutorial - Keep em coming!

[@rmax7823]

Thanks for this. Watching your vids have improved my airmanship no end.

[@FastJetPerformance]

That's the intention, good to hear 👍

[@pabletesoy]

Woooo!!! Many thanks!!! Fantastic, go on!!!

[@chiefbrody3406]

Great stuff😻thanks Tim🙏🏻

[@stuartjames7820]

Very informative video, thank you. Requires some good mental agility.

[@pauljackson8100]

Superb, as always. If you love DCS and want to really up your game then give this a go. It is worth every penny and of course, it helps that Tim is a star.

[@FastJetPerformance]

Man *hugz*

[@pauljackson8100]

@@FastJetPerformance you knows it.

[@jonredcorn862]

incredible video

[@robertraman6307]

Great tutorial, continue to share those lessons on KZbin please!

[@TheRealBancroft]

BZ. I’ve been playing an airline flight sim on my iPad, and whilst it has a HSI, the course and heading were automatically plotted. I learned how to follow it but didn’t go deep into the trigonometry. Now I feel I could use one properly. I’m seriously considering buying a setup that facilitates DCS, and if I do I’ll purchase the F-5 with a longer term view to flying the Shadowlands server 👍🏻

[@cathrynnroberts]

Thanks

[@FastJetPerformance]

Oh, Cathrynn that's very kind - anything I can do for you, let me know *hugs*

[@andygratrix1730]

My brains hurt! Nice video Sensei.

[@mrcrumb4302]

Shout out to Active Paws...meeow!

[@simontaylor8774]

Best tutorial on TACAN I have watched - finally makes sense!!! One question where did you get the map from? Is this something in game or did you have to produce it yourself?

[@FastJetPerformance]

Just produced it myself on Combat Flite and then put it in my kneeboard!

[@blackknight3311]

I love Navigation Lessons, thank you a lot Where can we take kneeboard that you using its very useful

[@liquidusblue]

Active paws lol!

[@timoadler6356]

And next: How to fly a teardrop entry into holding over a TACAN station.

[@FastJetPerformance]

Nooooooo, please make it stop *lol*

[@Streaky100001]

Thanks Tim, really useful, I've never managed to figure out how TACAN/VOR works, it never quite twigged that the jet is not at the center of the instrument until watching this, now I realize that it makes alot more sense!

[@FastJetPerformance]

Yes, in Point to Point, the jet is on the radial at the distance shown in the window on the top left 👍

[@Streaky100001]

@@FastJetPerformance Yeah, thanks for that! I'd always assumed the jet was in the middle and the facility was on the point of the arrow, but could never get it to behave as expected, I mean, it does mean I got lots of practice at navigation via visual landmarks, so I'm cool with it! Haha, thanks Tim!

[@bryanbishop2377]

Very cool! Isn't 30 degree bank angle also considered, Standard Rate Turn? I remember telling aircraft doing PAR's to make Half Standard Rate Turns...

[@bryanbishop2377]

I flew a MiG-15 into an airfield in DCS that was solid IMC using NDB that was aligned with the runway heading. I kept it several degrees off my inbound turn, and I could use the needle rate of change to judge that I'm far enough to get a good run in to the runway. It worked great!

[@FastJetPerformance]

Love this, solid work!

[@paulshrimplin4032]

Hello Tim, like your briefs and videos, just wonder if you are going to download the T-45C Goshawk,l suppose there will be a bit of difference in the hawk I office than the T-45C, heavy undercarriage for those deck landings if you have not seen it there a good review of the company on Grim Reapers, also a free download. A Merry Christmas to you and your good understanding wife. Paul

[@FastJetPerformance]

Thanks, Paul - I'll have a look at it and contact Cap (GR) to see if it's a good Mod.

[@Scotscan]

Very informative and a no nonsense teaching style - straight into the cockpit and easy to understand. Can this approach be used at high speed at low level too?

[@FastJetPerformance]

The thing about low level is that TACANs tend to hide behind rocks so you can't see them but we do use dead-reckoning at low level with maps, yes.

[@richardfenner6096]

@@FastJetPerformance See my comment above...:-)

[@Scotscan]

@@FastJetPerformance thanks for the prompt reply 👍

[@rayfuller7704]

Thanks Tim, great video and great explanation. I love the HSI but the VORs are starting to disappear...it’s all going GPS!! 😤

[@FastJetPerformance]

Nooooo!

[@D0csavage1]

Hello Tim. Is there a forum available on your server or in the future where we can socialise and discuss flying and every topic that goes with it in more detail? As what is on your server from what I see is quite rightly moving way beyond the scope of KZbin and it's basic comment section.

[@FastJetPerformance]

Yes, join the Patreon Basic or Advanced for discussions and it will take you automatically to Discord where the discussions are also are, coupled with the flying.

[@bartacomuskidd775]

Kinda was hoping for Nav tutes, that didnt require my fat finger. Im good at guessing, but i need those ninja pit skills. Know any visual aids to help me get good?

[@fulanitoflyer]

In War time would they still keep VOR/TACAN stations live?

[@HEATER_]

You lost me at 14:35. I guess it's time for the advanced course!

[@John-ic6zo]

When I play your videos at 25% speed Tim, I can nearly think quickly enough to keep up... unfortunately it makes you sound like you have had a stroke! Kind regards John

[@FastJetPerformance]

Yes, a common complaint by many I'm afraid and I could well have had a stroke, I'll check!

[@John-ic6zo]

@@FastJetPerformance ..Not a complaint Tim..just my thought processes have slowed(along with my body) with age.. I am thinking of starting a "Slow Biplane Under performance" channel on KZbin. Regards John

[@FastJetPerformance]

@@John-ic6zo you're not wrong - I've just started flying the Spitfire and I'm thinking 'this is more my speed' lol

[@John-ic6zo]

@@FastJetPerformance Ha.ha..And I am trading in my MX5 for a mobility scooter! (Cue hair dresser jokes and difference between an MX5 and a mobility scooter(Do your worst!))

[@Medge2sc]

Is tacan the military version of a vor?

[@FastJetPerformance]

Yep. It's a more accurate version of VOR/DME.

[@Medge2sc]

Fast Jet Performance thanks for the reply , once I have a good enough pc setup in the new year I’ll join the server. I’m looking forward to it

[@mayo250]

Why did you set the course 180 on the HSI ? The tail of the needle shows the radial FROM on 180. The course should have been on the 360 to have an course TO the TACAN .

[@Wolf_Sim.Actual]

Good question. This is an old school tacan versus a tacan superimposed on a more modern HSI. Things to keep in mind; you can only ever be on a single radial from the tacan station - like the spoke of wheel. In this case, by centering the course bar you can see that you are on the 180 radial (or ‘spoke’ of the wheel). Now, you could stay on the 180 by keeping the CDI (course deviation indicator) centered, but you could be flying towards the station or away from the station and still be on the 180 radial. The TO/FROM indicator gives you the situational awareness of where the station is from you. You can practice by thinking of different scenarios. For example, if I was to intercept the 045 radial from the station, my final heading would be 045. If you were told to intercept the 045 ‘to’ the station, your final heading would be 225. The trick with the TACAN point to point is to treat the display as a map, ID your desired position on the display, and keep your line to that point vertical on the display! It is normal and expected to make a first ‘pluck’, then refine 2 or three times as you get closer. The tolerance in the RAAF was +/- 5 degrees an 1nm to tick the box on course from memory. However TACANs have been getting phased out so they may not even be teaching this anymore. All of this is taught on Military pilot’s courses. Where it gets more interesting is using similar techniques to establish an intercept on a bogey via GCI guidance 😉

[@mayo250]

@@Wolf_Sim.Actual If you do that way, the bar deflection will give you the opposite turn, if you need to centered it.

[@JT-zt7uq]

Is it just me or is the to/from flag backwards? OBS is set 180 with a TO…but you are south of the station flying 360 TO the station. What am I missing??

[@p4yb4ck]

When I used to play Warbirds 2 and 3, a compass and a map was enough! I understand the idea of the TACAN but I dont get why one needs to mess around with it so much. Am I missing something???!

[@FastJetPerformance]

Normally I'd hide the F10 map view and then the only navigation aid you'd have would be the TACAN.

[@p4yb4ck]

Hi again! TACAN or compass... I wish I could get flying again! The only obstacle is a new hardware. Can anyone spare 2 grand???! :D

[@tribolex]

where I get this map fpr my f18?

[@FastJetPerformance]

I made it, it's in the Shadowlands vault - loads of useful stuff in there.

[@Michael-4]

Who else is looking forward to DCS Tornado? !!!

[@rmack9226]

I'm just confused about course 070... Why?

[@rmack9226]

nvm got it.

[@pmadood6970]

It's all Greek to me

[@RKW1138]

This is why you see real life pilots using 3rd party GPS devices😂 Best make sure your F-5E students aren't secretly using the NS 430 GPS addon.

[@FastJetPerformance]

*rushes off to check* lol!

[@incargeek]

When did y’all stop calling the AI the artificial horizon?

[@ewangoodman6860]

first

[@FastJetPerformance]

WINNER!

[@ewangoodman6860]

@@FastJetPerformance what did i win? in all seriousness great video and once again love the bits of humour added makes the video way more entertaining.

[@Scootertin]

Shoot I thought I knew tacan 😂