when flying an airplane you can either fly under VFR or IFR flight rules... VFR is visual flight rules, where you fly the plane by looking out the window and use the instrumentation as a reference. IFR, instrument flight rules, it is 100% instrumentation. in theory you could pull the shutters closed on the windows and still fly the plane from A to B. there isn't one set in stone set of rules for navigation. you can do anything from taking off and flying a predetermined heading, to using GPS, or VOR with an ILS approach. one of the good things about flying is the amount of freedom you have in determining how you get your plane where you are trying to go... unless you are a commercial airline pilot, then it is completely different. the easiest way IMO for new pilots to navigate is GPS. learning the garmin GPS unit in FSX can be overwhelming at first, there are countless youtube videos explaining the basic functions. in theory all you do is select an airport code and then activate autopilot. try taking off from KPDK (for dekalb peachtree airport in atlanta), and select GPS to take you to KATL, for hartsfield international. if you do this correctly the plane will fly directly to the airport and then circle it unless you deactivate the GPS autopilot. all of hartsfields runways run east to west which makes for an easy approach. normally if I am flying VFR i will GPS short of about 10 miles outside the airport to prepare for an approach . try taking some of the lessons in FSX. they will explain it a lot better than I can. if you would like we can do a shared flight online, and talk over teamspeak while i guide you through the basics.
