Tips

[shafs64]

Hay

 

I am in the middel of doing my change over to RAA cert. and i am finding the nav part of to be a very high work load.

 

I was hopeing that some one could help me out with a few tips. i am flying by compass alone and time no DG.

 

Paul

 

 

[Guest Mad Dave]

Make sure you do you planning spot on, and have ALL relevant information written on your sheet, so if you need anything at all it is at your finger tips (nothing worse than trying to find something like CTAF frequency in the ERSA, after you fish it out of your bag, while bumping around on a rough arvo!!).

 

Then CLEAROFF, CLEAROFF, CLEAROFF.

 

Also make sure you are looking for big features well ahead of you on the map, a lot easier than constantly looking for small stuff to keep you oriented.

 

Compass or DG shouldn't matter, you are using it to get headed in the right direction, but then confirming with map reading anyway.

 

Dave

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

Plan the fly, fly the plan !..pencil line on the map for the route, orientate map the same as you are flying it, to avoid confusion in the cockpit. You must note your actual departure time for accurate fuel calcs.................................................................................................

 

 

[Guest pelorus32]

G'day Paul,

 

For my money this starts with the planning. You'll find one approach to planning here:

 

Planning a Nav / Articles / Resources / Home - Pacific Light Aircraft

 

Once you have planned it then you should "fly" it a few times before you get into an a/c. Run through the route in your mind, work out what you should see and what you should be looking for at each stage. Work out what key landmarks will show up if you are off course. Think about any key dangers or critical points in the plan and how you intend to manage them. Fly each of the approaches at the enroute airfields, work through what the airfield layout is and what runway you expect to be operating. How will you manoeuvre if that is the active runway - where will you approach from, where will you turn, which is the dead side? Mark on your chart the point at which you will change frequencies/call on CTAFs etc. Have the frequencies written on your flight plan.

 

Once you have flown the route a few times you are ready for the aircraft. Climb in and sit quietly after you have done your preflight etc. Set up your work area. My daughter insists that the chart is folded a particular way and that it is NOT on the clipboard. I prefer it on the clipboard with the flightplan directly underneath. Where is your timepiece? Where is your pen? Where is your spare pen?

 

Then just do it. Two things will happen. Having flown it already a few times in your mind you will find it easier. Secondly as you get more of them under your belt they get easier - it's just like learning to fly circuits - initally it's simply impossible and eventually you wonder what all the fuss was.

 

Regards

 

Mike

 

 

[shafs64]

Thanks heaps guys my last nav was a bit of a mess. i forgot to note the the t/o time and should of departed over the field instead of strait out.

 

Paul