Nav tools required?

[Gnarly Gnu]

Survived solo and starting to look ahead towards navs, been reading through the manuals and such. Might seem a dumb question but I'm wondering what items I will need (flight comp, protractor, scale rule etc) and specifically what brands / sizes & construction (eg jeppesen aluminium 6" computer or whatever). I see a variety of these items are for sale on this website and others but it would help to know which types are popular or what to avoid etc. Thanks in advance for any tips!

 

< Still a green reputation.... what's going on? :)

 

 

[J170 Owner]

Your instructor should be able to give you that information. However, a flight computer (wizz wheel), scale rules for WAC and VNC and protractor are the basics. Don't waste money on a aviation gps - they are over priced and not essential. I use a garmin nuvi gps in off-road mode for my flying (as a backup), overlaying the track on google earth when I get home, looks great.

 

 

[Razza]

As J170 has said, you'll need a wizz wheel (E6B is good to start with), relevant charts (VNC,VTC,WAC, ERC-Low) scale rule, protractor (or a combined version), eraser, sharpener and several pencils because your guaranteed to lose 1 or 2 in flight...better yet, attach one to your flight plan folder on a string. Personally I dont bother with a kneeboard or anything like that, a simple A4 clipboard does the trick but its up to you. Oh, and you'll definitely want to invest in your own ERSA at some stage :)

 

 

[DarkSarcasm]

I agree with the post above, don't waste your money on a gps, simply because I doubt your instructor will let you use it at the moment anyway.

 

Equipment I have:

 

• Maps - VTC, VNC, WAC, PCA. I did have an ERC-L but didn't use it so haven't bothered updating it (but am carrying around the expired one 'just in case')
   
   
  
• Protractor - I have the square ATC one
   
   
  
• Nav ruler - I have the ATC one - I have a 120nm one for in-cockpit stuff, and a 180nm one for planning (you only really need one though, I just decided to treat myself with the 180nm one)
   
   
  
• Pencils and lots of em! - I recommend 2B, they're darker so easier to see the lines on the maps - you can buy a box of 20 or so at officeworks. I've carved lines into mine for scale marks for rough inflight measuring. Plus keep a couple of spares in the pocket next to you for quick access, you will drop pencils midflight
   
   
  
• Whizz wheel (aka flight computer) - I have the '6 Jepp one, not an E6B, just a wheel
   
   
  
• Whiteboard marker for making marks on whizz wheel - very easy to get off after and doesn't leave permanent marks on your wheel
   
   
  
• ERSA - you can check with your FI, but I wouldn't be surprised if they make you buy one, you need to carry one in the aircraft so either you or the FI is gonna have to supply it. One suggestion though is to print out the individual pages for the fields you're going to land at from the Airservices website, so you can put it on your clipboard rather than messing around with your ERSA in flight, and the airfield diagrams are bigger so it's easier to see runway/taxiway names etc. Plus you can scrawl ATIS info and ATC info etc all over it and not need to worry about erasing it all for next time.
   
   
  
• A4 clipboard or kneeboard - unless you're flying an aircraft with the stick between your legs where a clipboard is fairly impractical, I'd recommend a normal clipboard, I got a cheap one from officeworks - if you fold it over so the back clip part is on top, then you can store maps you're not using at the moment in flight in the middle of the fold and easily open it up to change maps
   
   
  

 

 

One main tip is to not buy your maps until just before you start navs. Buy them too early and they'll expire before you start and it'll be a waste of money. That being said, I have no idea how far off you are, so it may be worthless advice.

 

Hope all this helps :) If you have any questions about anything, just PM me, I've just been through my navs (GA, but the basic principle is the same), so it's all pretty fresh in my mind

 

 

[Acky]

Yep, pretty much what everyone else has said is what i got as well. But speak to your instructor, they should be able to point you in the right direction as well.

 

I got the ammendment service on my copy of ERSA, and the VNC for my area. Don't really need it on the other charts at the moment. Just got the new ERSA in the mail the other day :)

 

oh, don't forget to pack your sense of humour, and get a shocked look ready in case you make it to your first destination!

 

 

[rdarby]

You get big wheels and smaller ones that fit into top pockets, see which one works for you best. I find the big one easy to use but no good in the cockpit.

 

 

[flying dog]

Would you (and your instructor) mind trying this: http://www.recreationalflying.com/downloads/showentry.php?e=7&catid=4 You will need EXCEL.

 

 

[Gnarly Gnu]

Thanks folks, obviously I will ask the CFI about it but just wanted to get a wider perspective so all these tips help! I'll check the Excel program too FD...

 

 

[P4D]

A long sleeve shirt for sun protection with a pocket on the front for your pencil. A cap also for sun protection. Softer soled shoes for rudder feel. Decent sunglasses for eye protection. A tube of sun screen.

 

 

[DarkSarcasm]

Wear clothes that are comfortable and cool - the aircraft tend to heat up after a while. And sunglasses (as P4D said). And a water bottle.

 

 

[Thirsty]

Bit of a worry that you guys are all dropping pencils inside the cockpit! I haven't started navs yet but I'll definately be tying my pencil to the clipboard. You don't want a loose pencil lodging in your elevator/rudder/aileron linkage!

 

 

[Gnarly Gnu]

Not to worry, I'll kick out all the empty tinnys and dropped pencils before the nav.

 

 

[Thirsty]

Who are you flying with Gnu? If it's RPA you don't have to worry - I've already cleaned out all the tinny's :)

 

 

[Gnarly Gnu]

Nah, not RPA - the other side of the Berlin wall comrade!

 

 

[dazza 38]

A little bit off thread , I have noticed alot of RV 4's that dont have a boot at the bottom of the stick, to cover the hole in the fuselage where the stick comes .They have a large hole at the bottom.Pens etc could easily fall down there around the linkages.

 

 

[Dieselten]

In no particular order:-

 

pencils for chart-work...2B or 4B (preferred) because HB are too hard,

 

Some good pencil erasers,

 

a Douglas protractor (the square one),

 

a ruler (you can get them calibrated for VNC and VTC so you can read distances directly off the chart,

 

a small electronic calculator and some spare batteries,

 

a small whiz-wheel...you'll only use it for wind vector-triangle work,

 

a kneeboard or clipboard to taste,

 

some of those little wire springy things with a pocket-clip for holding pens and pencils. Used to buy them for $1 at barber-shops (in the previous century). Now they are about $14 at pilot-shops. Attach them some convenient areas in the cockpit. Alternatively, use self-adhesive Velcro, like NASA used to do,

 

A pair of single-handed dividers (the marine style, from a yacht-shop or ship's chandler) if you want an instrument for rapidly stepping off distances on your chart(s),

 

small, flattish Cordura bag for keeping all this stuff in (notebook computer bag) provided it is long enough to take a folded chart,

 

a pencil-charpener that actually works,

 

a couple of rubber-bands or spring-clips for securing folded chart to clipboard if you use one.

 

after these...anything you feel is appropriate (ERSA, charts, flight plan, flight note form etc) and don't forget your 406Mhz beacon if you are travelling more than 50nm from your home airfield!

 

 

[Joe bagnara]

Try this for simplicity on a VFR navigation exercise.

 

1. Watch

 

2. Compass

 

3. Pencil

 

4. Map - WAC and or VNC

 

5. Nav-Aid Rule (or Plus) for track corrections.

 

Anything else on a preplanned route is probably surplus.

 

Joe

 

 

[Gnarly Gnu]

Thanks Joe,

 

keeping it simple sounds like great advice....

 

Chris

 

 

[flying dog]

Ok, I'm going to bite again.

 

As much as KISS is a good idea, it is not always a good thing.

 

When you are LEARNING, it is better to have ALL the information you need.

 

It is not a good place to be: Flying a plane and trying to re-calculate your flight.

 

You need to sit down and PLAN THE FLIGHT before you go. Although weather is not fixed, it gives you a starting point and you can work from that. Nowhere in that list is the weather report and flight plan listed. Though maybe implicit, they ARE needed.

 

I think people are forgetting that we aren't just suddenly able to do this sort of thing.

 

There are things which have to happen to us for us to learn.

 

Taking a short cut will not be a good thing.

 

 

[turboplanner]

Yes FD, the Training Course would be the first item, then you really know what you need

 

 

[Joe bagnara]

Note my last sentance. 'preplanned'.

 

Any navigation exercise need a standard VFR flightplan that lists Track, Heading , Groundspeed,Weather and Alternates if required. Fiddling in flight with whiz-wheel's, protractors etc is a no go. Your heading will go to pot and compound any errors.

 

Make a simple flight plan, accurately fly your planned heading ,check on a prominent fix en route and then make any alterations to current heading to proceed to destination if off track. When your estimated elapsed time for that leg comes up on the clock you will be within sighting distance, more likely over the destination.

 

Until you gain confidence the 10 minute markers can be helpful. Mark your track using calculated ground speed at 10 minute intervals . In flight note time en route divide by 10 and pick appropriate marker, interpolating if necessary . That's where you will be !!

 

Joe

 

 

[Mazda]

Order a free flight planning kit from CASA. It has a kneeboard with ruler, notepad, maps and some very useful information.

 

 

[djpacro]

Been a very long while since I've used the prayer-wheel.