Altair Glide Computer and Navigation System Bedienungsanleitung

How a glide computer can help solve many of your problems when flying cross-countryMichael Brandon, Southern Cross Gliding Club12 September 2014

 XCSoar can’t teach you to use XCSoar◦ Like it or not, you need to read the manual if you want to use XCSoar successfully◦ And yes, you need to read

 In the rest of the presentation, I assume you have already loaded maps into XCSoar for the region where you are flying Rather than describe points

 XCSoar displays a moving map (see section 4.1 of the manual dated June 2014) You can zoom the map in and out (4.3)◦ Swipe up or down on the screen

 XCSoar can automatically calculate the wind speed and direction from your drift whilst thermalling (7.5)◦ Config/Config/System/Glide Computer/Wind/A

 The wind varies with altitude in both speed and direction; XCSoar collects this information during flight and can display it graphically (7.11)◦ Inf

 XCSoar can zoom in when circling, making it easier to see the “snail trail” and its indications of lift strength (4.3)◦ Config/Config/System/Map Dis

 XCSoar has a number of InfoBoxes which indicate how good the flying conditions are “Last thermal average” and “Thermal average” show the average cl

 XCSoar can display a bar chart showing the average climb rate for the last 20 thermals, in knots (5.15)◦ Info/Analysis/Climb The current MacCready

 XCSoar can calculate the optimal speed to fly based on the aircraft’s performance characteristics and the expected lift strength, using MacCready Th

 A canny pilot once advised me to “Get high, stay high”, and whilst that provides a good chance of making it home, it can result in a long, slow flig

 A quick overview of glide computers A quick overview of XCSoar Problems you might encounter and how XCSoar can help you solve them Questions and

 XCSoar can display airspace boundaries on the map (8.1)◦ Config/Config/System/Map Display/Airspace/Airspace display=Auto (13.9) If airspace informa

 XCSoar can display a diagram showing the airspace from ground level upwards (8.4)◦ Info/Analysis/Airspace The diagram displays the airspace from wh

 XCSoar displays a dark blue arrow on the map indicating the direction to fly to the next turnpoint (6.12) If there is no wind, the optimal directio

 XCSoar has separate map orientations for “cruise” and “circling” modes (4.2) When thermalling, I orient the map “target up” so I can easily see whi

 XCSoar has a number of InfoBoxes which indicate how well you are flying “Speed ground” shows your ground speed, in km/h (12.2) “Percentage climb”

 XCSoar has a number of InfoBoxeswhich indicate the distance and time to the next turnpoint “Next distance” shows the distance to the next turnpoint

 XCSoar can zoom in on the map when approaching a turnpoint so you don’t miss it (4.3)◦ Display/Zoom Auto You don’t want to have your badge claim re

 XCSoar can display a diagram showing your progress on task (5.15)◦ Info/Analysis/Task

 XSCoar can display a summary of time, distance and speed information for the task (4.12)◦ Info/Info/Status/Task

 XCSoar has a number of InfoBoxes which display distance from home information “Final distance” shows the distance around the remaining turnpoints,

 As the name implies, it’s a computer… …with some specialised gliding software …and a GPS receiver so it knows where you are …and (usually) maps a

 XCSoar has a number of InfoBoxes which display time information “Time local” shows the current time of day (12.9) “Flight duration” shows the elap

 XCSoar can display a summary of time information on the one screen (undocumented)◦ Info/Info/Status/Times XCSoar understands how the date and locat

 XCSoar displays markers for the last 20 thermals you circled in (4.10, 7.8)◦ Note: section 4.10 of the manual says markers for all thermals are disp

 XCSoar can display a “snail trail” which is colour-coded to indicate rising air (4.8)◦ Config/Config/System/Map Display/Elements/Trail length=Short

 XCSoar can display a colour-coded above/below final glide indicator on the left of the screen, with the height margin or the amount of height still

 So that XCSoar knows the performance of your aircraft, you need to configure the type of aircraft you are flying before each flight (6.3)◦ Config/Co

 XCSoar can display landable waypoints on the map, colour-coded to indicate whether they are within glide range (4.5)◦ Config/Config/System/Map Displ

 XCSoar can display a list of six landable waypoints using colour-coding to indicate whether they are within glide range above your safety height (5.

 Just because XCSoar thinks an airfield is landable doesn't mean it is (perhaps the airfield is closed) Just because XCSoar thinks an airfield

 XCSoar can display the current GPS coordinates, and the direction and distance to the nearest waypoint (4.12)◦ Info/Info/Status/Flight

Clockwise from left: Oudie running SeeYou Mobile, Cambridge 303, Altair running XCSoar, LX 8080 (shown to scale)

I’ve lots of answers, some of them right...

You’ve been a wonderful audience

 It’s the software component of the glide computer You supply the computer and GPS receiver You can download the software from the XCSoar web site

 The simplest option is a modern Android smartphone (eg HTC, LG, Samsung, Sony)◦ XCSoar isn't available for the iPhone or iPad, or Windows Phone

 Some way to mount the device securely in the cockpit◦ Most smartphones have suction mounts available from the manufacturer◦ All car GPSs come with s

 The standard XCSoar screen shows a moving map and some “InfoBoxes”◦ You need to install a map for your region The InfoBoxes display useful informat

 Where am I? Which way is the wind blowing? How do I centre this thermal? How good are the flying conditions? How fast should I fly? How high sh