OnCourse Software

Hi,
I use PF3 a lot and really like it. But I do have a serious recurring problem that is a major roadblock to me. On my approaches, ATC does not (frequently and maybe most all times now) recognize when I make a turn to an assigned course. It just keeps repeating the same course over and over, and sticking with the assignment leads me off to nowhere or the nearest mountainside. Another problem, but less critical at the moment, is that it will assign me to descend too low and I have to disregard the instructions. I end up having to use pilot discretion a lot and it just keeps repeating the errant course even after I land.

I have tried so many combinations of trying to understand how the software is working but I am definitely at an impasse and cannot seem to use the program at its time of most critical need.

I am attaching the debug file after the most recent flight and attempt, and I hope it contains the information needed. Please let me know if you have any problems receiving the file or if there is anything that I can do to help matters.

If any difficulty in contacting, you may also reach me at [cec102@gmx.com].

Thanks very much,
from Clifford

What problem did you have in this flight as it would help when checking the log?

Hi,
Do you see my description of the problem in the original post? What happens is that I am in approach range, and have been turned over to the approach frequency. Approach will then vector me to a course change. I make the course change, spot on to the degree. Approach then says, continue to course [same number as already accomplished] over and over. Approach does not recognize that I have made the required course change and so I don't make it to a proper approach or glideslope. Actually it did the same thing for descent as well, asked me to descend and I did, but it did not recognize it. Just keeps repeating what you would call a broken record. I have to depart from ATC and make a landing via my own discretion. I have tried rocking the course a bit also but it does not seem to make any difference.

This problem has actually occurred with most any recent flight that I can recall, I never seem to get vectored to a proper approach as I can recall. I have also had many vectors given to me which literally are 180 deg. off my flight plan. So far I cannot make any sense of what is happening here.

Does this help? Thank you, Clifford E Carnicom

Quote:

Do you see my description of the problem in the original post?

Yes I did and you described a few problems but never mentioned which one (or more) I should be looking for in the log file... now I know I'll take a look

I think you may have some instrumentation issues.

This is what the log is showing

Your first 'turn' instruction from ATC

Quote:

2/12/2021 13:06:17 00:00:00: 860 - Ulat: 45.5588441422076 ULon: -122.972475738874 UHdg: 131
2/12/2021 13:07:18 00:00:00: 970 - Transcript: 'Tempe 3 Turn left heading 035 '

1 minute 40 seconds later you get a reminder

Quote:

2/12/2021 13:08:56 00:00:00: 470 - Ulat: 45.5500208673691 ULon: -122.909615887776 UHdg: 45
2/12/2021 13:08:57 00:00:00: 500 - Transcript: 'Tempe 3 continue your Turn to Heading 035 '

1 minute 37 seconds later you get another reminder and you are still heading 46 degrees

Quote:

2/12/2021 13:10:32 00:00:00: 970 - Ulat: 45.5754859852354 ULon: -122.864713995603 UHdg: 46
2/12/2021 13:10:34 00:00:00: 300 - Transcript: 'Tempe 3 continue your Turn to Heading 035 '

1 minute 18 seconds later and another reminder as your heading still shows 47 degrees

Quote:

2/12/2021 13:11:51 00:00:00: 500 - Ulat: 45.5925977056024 ULon: -122.834163996079 UHdg: 47
2/12/2021 13:11:52 00:00:00: 470 - Transcript: 'Tempe 3 continue your Turn to Heading 035 '

1 minute 44 seconds later and yet another reminder as you continue to fly heading 46 degrees

Quote:

2/12/2021 13:13:36 00:00:00: 360 - Ulat: 45.6175661858707 ULon: -122.793920293346 UHdg: 46
2/12/2021 13:13:42 00:00:00: 370 - Transcript: 'Tempe 3 continue your Turn to Heading 035 '

And now it looks like you decided to do your own thing and turn to 110 degrees

Quote:

2/12/2021 13:16:18 00:00:00: 390 - Ulat: 45.6311184758107 ULon: -122.720250858142 UHdg: 110
2/12/2021 13:16:19 00:00:00: 860 - Transcript: 'Tempe 3 continue your Turn to Heading 035 '

A further turn to 131 degrees and still ATC try to get you to comply

Quote:

2/12/2021 13:06:17 00:00:00: 860 - Ulat: 45.5588441422076 ULon: -122.972475738874 UHdg: 131
2/12/2021 13:07:18 00:00:00: 970 - Transcript: 'Tempe 3 Turn left heading 035 '

Thanks for this information. I have an idea to test out over the next few days involving the wind correction angle when I set up a flight again. I will report on how that goes. Best regards, CEC

Well, that was certainly a great flight. PF3 has now come to life for me in a very enjoyable way. Sure enough, the wind correction angle was the issue involved. My flights lately are under high wind conditions as I want to learn more about how to manage that. The nature of the problem is that I was correcting for the wind in real time via use of GPS, but the ATC vectors are not involved with wind corrections as I see it. That makes sense to me now as that cannot be their business.

The ILS approach was much more interesting to me and worked wonderfully. I am very much looking forward to this entire dimension of PF3/ATC use.

Thanks for showing what data was being logged, it led to a logical supposition as I knew what kind of winds I am now involved with (up 20 deg. corrections common), and indeed it was the cause of what seemed, in the past, to be unusual behavior.

A great lesson, and a great flight with more to come.

Best regards, thanks again, CEC

Thank you for the informative update