The Navigation Display

The navigation display is one of the most advanced systems of AirTrack. Based on your current position and regardless of whether this is a GPS position or a simulator flight, it replicates the navigation display of the Boeing 737 NG family of aircraft.

You might be familiar with most of what's on screen but if not, lets go through it.

EFIS Buttons

AirTrack's ND comes with embedded EFIS panel buttons. They allow the control of various ND options such as what to display, the range and mode. Each ND comes in three variants, captain/left side, corresponding to the left side ND of the simulator, first officer/right side corresponding to the right side on the simulator in planes that support it, and standalone which effectively implements an independent set of EFIS controller variables, thus making it possible to have several ND panels open at the same time, each with its own set of settings.

Mode

The 737 NG ND comprises 4 distinct modes, namely APP, VOR, MAP and PLAN. The APP, VOR and MAP modes can be displayed in either CENTER or EXPANDED modes. The CTR buttongs toggles between these wheress the MOD button toggles between modes.

Range

The magnifying glass buttons allow the increase of decrease of ND range, i.e. how far to see and display on the ND in nautical miles. The 737 NG ND comprises the ranges of 5, 10, 20, 40, 80, 160, 320 and 640 nautical miles.

Display Options

Different items can be toggled to be displayed on the ND. In the Boeing 737 version the buttons STA, WPT and ARPT toggle the display of VORs, FIXes and Airports respectively, in MAP mode.

The WXR toggles the weather radar. It is currently not available in AirTrack but it acts on the simulator accordingly.

The DATA button toggles the display of waypoint ETA and altitudes when showing the flight plan in MAP mode.

The POS button toggles the display of VOR and ADF lines.

Traffic

The TFC key toggles the display of traffic on the ND. This is TCAS traffic. AirTrack implements a fully Traffic Collision Avoidance System in its FMS and calculates Traffic Advisory (TA) and Resolution Advisory (RA) when traffic is enabled.

AirTrack's traffic source currently comprise the simulator's AI Traffic itself, VATSIM and IVAO online ATC networks, and real world traffic sourced from ADS-B.

Terrain

When enabled with the TERR button, the current version of AirTrack shows a map of the world's land mass with rivers and lakes in brown color underlying the display.

Radio Guidance

The frequencies dialed in the 1 and 2 radios are displayed in the lower left and right corners. When a VOR or ADF is captured (i.e. is in range) these will translate to their names. You can tune in and capture VORs and NDBs. The VAS button allows you to swap between VOR and ADF mode, thus taking into account NAV or ADF radios.

Speeds and Winds

The top right corner of the ND contains the current Ground and True Air speeds, as well as current wind speed and direction. The arrow corresponds to the direction from which wind is blowing relative to our heading.

Heading / Track

In PLAN mode the ND is shown with True North Up always. Otherwise the ND is displayed with heading up in APP and VOR modes, and with Track or Heading up in MAP mode (this is a configuration option in settings). The number on top represents the current heading or course, in magnetic or tru degrees depending on settings.

Active Waypoint

The top right corner of the ND contains the current active waypoint from the flight plan in MAP and PLAN modes. In APP and VOR modes it contains the active navaid which is either NAV1/ADF1 or NAV2/ADF2 when selected and in range.

Multi Panel

AirTrack can spawn multiple panels on the same device. On Mac it can spaw also on different monitors. On the iPad it can split the screen in two and run a panel on each side, or even more if using Stage Manager. The following image depicts an iPad running a PFD and an ND side by side.

Panels can also be shown in full screen mode without surrounding buttons.

Next topic: The MCP