For Virtual TB Lead; altimeter question

"How To" by our Pilot Staff
Post Reply
dhenriques
Posts: 7
Joined: Tue Apr 12, 2005 12:27 pm

For Virtual TB Lead; altimeter question

Post by dhenriques » Wed Jan 16, 2008 6:07 pm

I've been meaning to ask you this for many moons but have been too busy to get it done.

When flying your virtual show in the simulator, what altimeter settings are you using for the show pre-brief? Are you using local altimeter settings in the sim and doing the AGL math for the hard deck or are you setting up with a 0 altimeter? Is your procedure the same for an on site show as for a remote show over a non takeoff show site? Have you correlated the way you set up altimeter wise with the TB Regulations ?

Many thanks.

Dudley Henriques
President Emeritus
International Fighter Pilots Fellowship
MVP2007 Microsoft Flight Simulator
Dudley Henriques
International Fighter Pilots Fellowship
User avatar
Lawndart
Virtual Thunderbird
Posts: 9290
Joined: Tue Mar 29, 2005 8:36 am
Location: Mooresville, NC

Post by Lawndart » Wed Jan 16, 2008 7:15 pm

LockOn does not allow changing the altimeter setting (to the best of my memory / knowledge), which means it is always "standard"; however, otherwise we'd use local altimeter setting (or QNH) as the Thunderbirds call out their MSL altitudes "On Top" following the 2003 accident involving the Solo Max Climb / Split S. #7 would give Boss the local setting from the comm cart during remote shows as (same for normal shows - since he's the ground observer at the show site itself).
dhenriques
Posts: 7
Joined: Tue Apr 12, 2005 12:27 pm

Post by dhenriques » Wed Jan 16, 2008 7:57 pm

Lawndart wrote:LockOn does not allow changing the altimeter setting (to the best of my memory / knowledge), which means it is always "standard"; however, otherwise we'd use local altimeter setting (or QNH) as the Thunderbirds call out their MSL altitudes "On Top" following the 2003 accident involving the Solo Max Climb / Split S. #7 would give Boss the local setting from the comm cart during remote shows as (same for normal shows - since he's the ground observer at the show site itself).
We never did remotes when I was demonstrating the Mustang so I always staged from an airfield which meant I could zero the altimeter which was effectively a QFE setting. This way I didn't have to do any math. :-))

Top gate calls should have been SOP a long time ago and I believe have been used before in the teams. My impression from talking to some of the TB alum this summer was that Stricklin called the top gate at MH but brain farted it for the reversal at Nellis (Indian Springs) and 7 didn't have time to react. Naturally not much has been said.
We're having a large symposium at the end of February in London where many of the top air show pilots in the world will be in attendance. We're hoping that more open avenues of communication between professionals in the industry will make the air show venue safer than it has been this last year. It's been a VERY costly year!
Anyway, I see you guys are doing quite well . Congratulations. Personally, I think doing a good show in the sim might be harder than doing it in real life considering all the things involved. :-)
DH
Dudley Henriques
International Fighter Pilots Fellowship
Post Reply