[go3d]

Hello all,

as far as I can tell, the magnetic variation model of X-Plane is a static one (date independent) and probably from a year close to 2000 (I rectified this with the mag-var data of Europe only though).

Does anybody know how to override the internal value? It would like calculate the correct value on my own (date dependent) an send it to back X-Plane.

What also comes to my mind: what happens with the vor's, ils's and runway numbers? They are also dependent on magnetic variation aren't they? Maybe this is more complex than I thought. I saw that there are some topics about this already, but no recent ones.

This leads to the question: when is x-plane planning to update its magvar and nav databases?

Cheers
go3d

[SeaRider]

The airport and navaid databases are regularly updated. I'm not sure about the magnetic variation though.

There is a dataref for magnetic variation, but unfortunately it's marked in the listing as read-only.

[Indi-]

markings shmarkings, the only way to know is to try, and its a good candidate to hassle for an override because it shouldnt be buried too deep in the core of it all. (you'd hope)

[Sandy Barbour]

go3d, on 26 July 2010 - 10:54 AM, said:

Hello all,
as far as I can tell, the magnetic variation model of X-Plane is a static one (date independent) and probably from a year close to 2000 (I rectified this with the mag-var data of Europe only though).

Does anybody know how to override the internal value? It would like calculate the correct value on my own (date dependent) an send it to back X-Plane.

What also comes to my mind: what happens with the vor's, ils's and runway numbers? They are also dependent on magnetic variation aren't they? Maybe this is more complex than I thought. I saw that there are some topics about this already, but no recent ones.

This leads to the question: when is x-plane planning to update its magvar and nav databases?

Cheers
go3d

This data is held within Xplane itself.
So my suggestion would be to talk to Laminar about it as it could be quite a big change.
At the moment, we, the plugin guys can't do much about it.

SeaRider, on 26 July 2010 - 11:50 AM, said:

The airport and navaid databases are regularly updated. I'm not sure about the magnetic variation though.

There is a dataref for magnetic variation, but unfortunately it's marked in the listing as read-only.

Yes, and it is a genuine read only as making it writable would achieve nothing without considerable Xplane code changes.
See post above.

Indi-, on 26 July 2010 - 11:54 AM, said:

markings shmarkings, the only way to know is to try, and its a good candidate to hassle for an override because it shouldnt be buried too deep in the core of it all. (you'd hope)

Hassle gets you nowhere, you should know that by now Indi.

This post has been edited by Sandy Barbour: 26 July 2010 - 05:38 AM

[bogey]

Custom compass instrument coupled to a custom dataref with the correct, independently calculated magnetic variation?

[Indi-]

hassle: verb: to log in the programmers bug tracker so they can no longer pretend an issue, want, or feature request doesn't actually exist.

[Sandy Barbour]

Indi-, on 26 July 2010 - 01:38 PM, said:

hassle: verb: to log in the programmers bug tracker so they can no longer pretend an issue, want, or feature request doesn't actually exist.

What bug tracker.

[go3d]

Thanks to all.

bogey, on 26 July 2010 - 02:19 PM, said:

Custom compass instrument coupled to a custom dataref with the correct, independently calculated magnetic variation?

Good idea. It would solve the effects of mag-var for the compass. But what about a VOR-station? If you want to fly, say 090 deg (magnetic) from a given VOR, the VOR-needle would guide you along a different line today than it did in the year 2000. In some places on Earth the difference can be huge. For a serious training system, this is not a minor issue.

What can be done? Am I the only one having this problem?

[dr.coolgood]

Hello go3d,

obviously most users are happy flying a simulator with a consistent magnetic model.
Opposed to other sims, X-Plane at least offers updates to it's navigation database, which is important for online flying.

You could check if the pro versions support updated magnetic models or if LR is willing to do so for you.

Best of luck,
Joe T. Hermann

[Greg Long]

Indi-, on 26 July 2010 - 05:38 AM, said:

hassle: verb: to log in the programmers bug tracker so they can no longer pretend an issue, want, or feature request doesn't actually exist.

iRobots are more fun apparently.

I too have been wondering about magnetic variation (not to be confused with magnetic deviation for casual readers stumbling across the thread). For about nine months I've tolerated it on Mars, even flying with a magnetic compass until recently for good and proper VFR practice given I'll never fly on Mars in reality, of course. I mean who knows, of course, maybe 2-5 generations from now we'll have short range manned aircraft to assist early explorers, but even bright young talent like Indi and others will be quite dead of old age by then.

It could be Laminar just honestly doesn't know Mars HAS no magnetic field like the Earth's -- magnetic compasses would be useless.

So it's a similar issue. I started flying with the panel-mount DG with the sync knob that otherwise looks identical to the wet panel-mount compass. It's a little more realistic, but the whole system still uses Earth's magnetic variation.

So I'm all ears for any solution. Making the variable read/write ought to be a no-brainer, someone on the inside please put this on the list for the next 9.6x release and PLEASE, please please, for the love of humanity on BOTH planets, update the CHANGELOG???? http://x-plane.com/changelog.html

Greg