A programmable track offset would allow pilots to fly a set flight plan to the right or left of their course. One would simply slide up or down on the screen—similar to setting a trim level—to make their aircraft fly off-course.
Why?
This feature would help in two huge ways:
» Navigating around weather
» Formation flying
» High traffic separation
Pilots would have the ability to program their autopilot to fly a bit to the left or right of weather or another aircraft. Right now, to fly in formation, you either have to hand fly or set your heading while to one side of another aircraft.
It would also help Infinite Flight move toward a higher level of realism since real-world pilots are able to program track offsets.
How would it work?
Just like the trim, heading, speed, altitude, and vertical speed buttons! Slide up on the “X-TRK” button to move your offset to the right, down to move to the left.
Flying in formation you should be flying by hand or mostly manual anyways as this is the best way to fly in formation. this would actually make formation flying more difficult and also doesnt teach people how to fly formation well if they arent that experienced at it.
Agreed, probably not the best example of why this would be useful. I’ve been doing a considerable amount of formation flying recently and always hand fly.
Would be great to use when crossing the Atlantic for the SLOP (lateral offset procedure) on the NATs.
Edit: oh this is 2 years old, well guess I bumped it then.
