SVGA Tile Set Description

Tile Set Name:  GENAV.TL
Subject:  General Aviation
Created by:  Nels Anderson

Description:

Even the most avid programmer can't spend all day, every day in front of a
monitor and when I'm away from my computer one of the things you'll find me
doing is flying.  Like many people I've been interested in airplanes for
years but in 1991 I took the plunge and got a private pilots certificate.
It's been a great hobby for me and this tile set is an effort to share some
of the things I see as a pilot.  The tiles are as follows:

LOGOS
-----
1) Piper (aircraft manufacturer)
2) Cessna (aircraft manufacturer)
3) Mooney (aircraft manufacturer)
4) AOPA--Airline Owners and Pilots Association, an organization for private
   pilots that provides a great monthly magazine ("AOPA Pilot") and many
   other services.

NAVAIDS (Navigational Aids)
---------------------------
5) NDB symbol.  An NDB (non-directional beacon) is a radio transmitter that
   can be used with an ADF (automatic direction finder) radio in a plane to
   help maintain a course.  This tile is the symbol for an NDB as shown on
   the maps, known as sectional charts, that pilots use.  STOGE is the name
   of a specific NDB near my local airport.
6) VOR symbol.  A VOR (VHF omnidirectional range) is a more complex type of
   radio transmitter that's used for similar purposes as an NDB.  A VOR can
   tell you what angle you are in relation to it, in 1 degree increments and
   since many are linked with DME (distance measuring equipment) also how far
   away.  This tile is the VOR symbol shown on sectional charts.
7) VOR station.  This is what a VOR transmitter station looks like.  It's a
   low, round building with a tower sticking up from the center.
8) Radio shack.  Buildings like this are often seen around airports and
   contain equipment, perhaps used for ILS (instrument landing system) radios
   or field lighting equipment.

INSTRUMENTS
-----------
9) Turn and slip indicator.  Used by pilots to make turns at specific rates
   and to make sure that use of ailerons and rudder is coordinated.
10) VSI (vertical speed indicator).  Used to indicate how fast the plane is
   climbing or descending.
11) Airspeed indicator.  Indicates airspeed, usually in knots (1 knot equals
   1.15 mph).  Not completely accurate and does not take into accounts winds
   so it cannot indicate actual ground speed.
12) Gyro compass.  Most planes have both gyro and magnetic compasses.  The
   gyro compass has to be reset before each flight, and often in flight while
   the magnetic compass does not.  However, when making turns the gyro compass
   will provide accurate readings whereas the magnetic compass either leads or
   lags the actual heading.
13) Artificial horizon (attitude).  Shows the plane's relationship to the
   horizon even when you can't see the real one.  Indicates angle of bank
   and climb/descent.

THINGS FOUND AT AIRPORTS
------------------------
14) Wind sock.  Indicates wind direction, and to a certain extent, speed.
15) Control tower.  Many airports used in general aviation do not have towers
   but those that do generally look something like this.  At least the one at
   Norwood, MA airport, which this tile is modeled after, does.
16) Hanger.  It's hard to find an airport without hangers of some kind.  This
   one is Wiggins Aviation hanger #1, where repairs and maintenance are done
   at my home airport.  If you'll look inside you'll see a deHavilland Twin
   Otter, a plane often seen near this hanger, being worked on.
17) Fuel truck.  You can't fly without fuel.  This is the Exxon truck usually
   parked near the entrance to the ramp at Norwood airport.
18) Airport sign.  To fly you have to get to the airport first, and you'll
   often see signs similar to this along the road pointing the way.
19) Runway sign.  Airports can get quite confusing when you have several
   runways and multiple taxiways so the runways and taxiways are often marked
   with signs similar to this one.  This sign marks runway 35, the main one
   at Norwood.  Most people don't know this, but the runway number is simply
   an indication of its heading--runway 35 has a magnetic heading of about
   350 degrees or almost directly north.
20) Airport beacon.  Civilian airports that are open at night usually have a
   beacon that alternately flashes white and green.

BOOKS AND CHARTS
----------------
21) Airport/Facility Directory.  This little green paperback is required on
   any flight.  It provides all information on airports within a certain
   region (Northeast U.S. in this case, since that's where I fly).  It's
   updated every 54 days and pilots are expected to have a current copy and
   refer to it for information on any airports they plan on using.
22) FAR-AIM.  Actually, two books in one, this is the Federal Aviation
   Regulations and Airmans Information Manual.  The first section is the
   actual rules put out by the FAA that pilots must follow.  The second part
   is additional information that isn't actual rules, but helps pilots 
   understand the national air system and how to use it properly.
23) Sectional chart.  This is a tiny section of a sectional chart, the type
   of map used for visual flying.  It shows an area near my home centered on
   Hanscom Field in Bedford, MA.
24) Sectional chart.  A closer look at part of a sectional chart.  This shows
   one of the symbols used for airports, in this case my local airport in
   Norwood, MA.
25) Airport layout.  Instrument pilots carry a book called U.S. Terminal
   Procedures which include detailed charts on how to make instrument
   approaches to airports and also in many cases ground layouts of airports.
   There are also non-government publications that have this information.
   This tile shows a typical airport layout, in this case OWD, the FAA
   designation for Norwood, MA.

THINGS FOUND IN AIRPLANES
-------------------------
26) Radio stack.  Even small planes often have extensive radio equipment and
   this is a typical stack of radios.  On top is a switching panel for
   connecting the microphone to the proper transmitter and to select which
   radio(s) to listen to.  Below are two Bendix/King navcom (navigation and
   communication) radios--these have a dual function in providing 
   communications between the pilot and controllers and also are used to
   receive VOR navaids.  On the bottom is a Northstar M1 loran, a more modern
   method of navigation but one that the FAA doesn't approve for use in
   actual instrument weather conditions.
27) Throttle.  This is a typical Piper throttle control.  The throttle is on
   the left (black knob) and the mixture on the right (red knob).  In the
   positions shown, the plane is probably parked since the mixture is fully
   leaned out (minimum fuel flow).  On the front a hand microphone can be
   held.
28) Headset.  Inside a small plane is noisier than a typical pressurized
   jetliner, but it's important that the pilot be able to hear the tower and
   other ground controllers clearly and for this a noise reducing headset is
   a great help.  The example shown is a typical David Clark model like the
   one I and many other pilots use.

VIEWS WHILE FLYING
------------------
29) Final approach.  This would be a typical view just short of a runway on
   final approach, in this case runway 35 at Norwood.  Note the runway
   lighting, green on the near end and red at the far end.  On the left side
   is the VASI (visual approach slope indicator) lights, a simple but very
   nice aid to ensure that you're approaching the runway at the proper rate
   of descent.
30) Radio towers.  These are a great aid to visual navigation since they can
   often be seen from far away and are included on sectional charts for this
   reason (and to warn not to fly too low and hit them too!).  This tile shows
   some of the monster towers along Route 128 in Needham, MA just north of my
   local airport.  Since these are over 1000 feet high they make great
   landmarks!
31) Downwind.  This is the view you should see on the downwind portion of a
   landing approach in a low wing aircraft.  The runway can be seen just at
   the tip of the wing.
32) Panel and runway.  This view is from the pilot's (left) seat, showing the
   instrument panel and a runway outside.  You might see a view like this just
   at liftoff.
33) Taxiway.  At night taxiways are marked with blue lights (runways generally
   with white lights).  A big airport at night can be quite colorful!

AIRCRAFT
--------
34) A typical high wing aircraft, like most models made by Cessna.
35) A typical low wing aircraft, like recent Piper models and those of
   other companies.
39) My favorite airplane.  This is a 1982 Piper model PA28-181 (Archer II)
   with tail number N8439T (all U.S. registered aircraft civilian have a
   tail number beginning with "N" on them somewhere).

                                  - - - - -

GENAV.TL, GENAV.TXT copyright 1995 by Nels Anderson. All rights reserved.
Tile set (*.TL) format copyright 1994 by Nels Anderson. All rights reserved.
