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A. CONTENT OF PROGRAMS.
The Pilots Companion suite of programs contains the following:-
- Flight Planning
- Weight & Balance
- Density Altitude
- Descent Rate
- Checklist Generator
B. GENERAL
1 Ease of Use
The Pilots Companion is menu driven, all of the above being activated from menus. Uncomplicated input output are design goals. Clarity of output with the elimination of unnecessary information both in the computer display and in the paper printout are further goals. A 'See at a glance' philosophy has been pursued and we hope we have achieved the best possible implementation with the given hardware.
2 Which computers
Primarily Pilots companion has been designed to run on the Cambridge Z88 portable computer.
Pilots Companion will also run on most of todays standard personal computers & printers.
The program is aimed in particular at
- portable
- pocket types
and contains a number of features to exploit the advantages of these.
3 Portability
With Pilots Companion you can now take a FULL FEATURED WAYPOINT PLANNING PROGRAM with you on your flights. This gives you the advantage of changing your flight plan part way through your trip - either in the air or on the ground a change of wind conditions, destinations etc. are quickly incorporated. Additionally an in-flight countdown timer is included at each waypoint. This works in conjunction with the real time clock giving you your estimated arrival time at a glance.
Contains all features necessary to generate a navigation flight plan with complexity reduced to a minimum menu driven at each stage it should be possible to generate a plan without external reference. '
- Create multi-waypoint flight plans
- Save multi-waypoint flight plans for future recall
- Use flight plan in real-time on portable computer display
- Create your own databases of airfields or locations
- Use built in databases of airfields ,VOR's & NDB's
- Paper printout of the plan on portable or other printer
- Define new locations or waypoints by latitude & longitude or by distance & bearing to a known remote reference
- Rapid repeat of the same plan over again changing wind, aircraft speed etc. if necessary
- Return trip flight plan generated on request
- Update feature to incorporate changes in a locations data such as frequency changes or relocations of VOR's etc.
- Add feature to incorporate new locations
- Create separate location or waypoint lists or add them as you write the flight plan
- Show the contents of any database of locations
- Estimated arrival time displayed in flight
B. Some Features of Weight & Balance
This option is general to all light aircraft requiring the usual details. These are requested in a question and answer type format so that you don't forget anything. A specific version for the Robinson R22 helicopter is also available.
C. Some Features of Density Altitude
The usual question and answer type operation, give your indicated altitude, pressure & temperature, and get the density altitude. Also gives true airspeed if required for the density altitude calculated.
D. Some Features of Check list
This feature allows you to create your own personalized lists for each aircraft and save them for recall.
Each item is displayed one at a time, you bring up the next check having carried out the previous one possibly walking round the aircraft with the computer. No more losing your place in the list!
E. Some Features of Descent Rate
Here you can obtain either your required descent rate from a given distance to run or give your required descent rate. The program will tell you when to begin the descent.
F. Starting the program on the Z88 Computer.
Pre-Flight Requirements
The requirements to run this program on the Z88 is at least 128K RAM in slot 1 and the Pilots Companion EPROM to be in slot 3. The EPROM may be moved after running the program.
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If required all files from EPROM could be copied-manually then 2 above actioned.
G. A Brief description of the General function of the Flight plan
A plan is developed beginning with the new plan option (opening menu option 2).
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| Note |
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When running through a completed current plan the display he stopped by pressing the |
H. More Detail on NEW PLANS
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9) Returns automatically to the opening menu.
2 New Plan - Example
Select 2.
Point of departure OXFORD is found. NORTHLEACH ROUNDABOUT is not.
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To select a function on the menu, select the number that is required.
1 CURRENT PLAN
Selection calls the following menu :
Selecting current plan gives four further choices. This means that a New Plan needs to be made before using this function.
5 REPEAT CURRENT PLAN
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Need to draw diagram on map
6 PRINT CURRENT PLAN
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| Note | ||
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| Diamond |
7 SAVE CURRENT PLAN
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| Note |
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that the airspeed, wind etc. used in your original plan will also be saved and associated with the plan. These values will be used on Initial recall of the old plan. |
7 Save Current Plan - Example
OX-WELLSB.SET and OX-WELLSB are generated.
8 RETURN TRIP PLAN
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1 - Display Return Trip - Example
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Select 1 Display Return Trip.
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Enter the current wind
Return route.
2 PRINT RETURN TRIP
Initiates the paper printout of the return trip plan. If the printer is not connected the display will halt after a few characters. Pressing will return to the main menu.
2 NEW PLAN
Selection of this option initiates the formation of a new flight plan the operation is described above in this document.
3 OLD PLANS
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Load previously saved plans here.
4 OTHER FUNCTIONS
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This is the option used when the location already exists in the data base but some of its information has changed e.g. location or frequency etc. The subsequent menu selected is the same as for the ADD option If two entries with the same location name are made under UPDATE option the last one entered is used by the program i.e the most current entry is utilised. If two entries with the same location name are inadvertently made under the ADD option the later entry will not be accessed.
3 Advanced user options
| Warning |
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WITH THE POSSIBLE EXCEPTION OF THE SHOW OPTION THESE SHOULD NOT BE USED UNLESS YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING.THEY ARE NOT NECESSARY TO GENERAL OPERATION. |
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Example - Use the suggested file name.
Add a Record, or new entry - Example
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See Plan a Flight on using some of these functions.
6 Aircraft Functions
This option produces the following menu
1 CHECK LIST
There are no check lists stored initially.
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The program returns to the Main Menu.
2 WEIGHT & BALANCE
The manual states "Simply follow the menus for this option."
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The program returns to the Main Menu.
3 DENSITY ALTITUDE
Enter some valid entries
Calculate Density Altitude
Calculate True Airspeed
4 DESCENT RATE
GIVE DISTANCE TO RUN 1
GIVE RATE OF DESCENT 2
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The program returns to the Main Menu.
Example
Plan a Flight
Let's go to AV8 restaurant at Kemble via Northleach Roundabout for lunch from Oxford.
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