Diversions

[TraineePilot01]

Hi there,

I have my Skills Test this Friday (AGGHH!) and would like to know a couple of things on diversions if poss...

1) Do you actually fly to the chosen diversion in the skills test or just do a part of it?
2) Should I take my flight computer with me to work out winds/groundspeed for the diversion, or is this not a requirement?

Thanks in advance,

TP01

[monkeyboy]

TP01, here are some answers to your questions:

1) Yes, you probably will have to fly to your diversion as you will no doubt be asked to identify it once you get there. This was the case with me when I did mine this summer.

2) I used to really struggle with the old "what ETA do you have for x?" when doing diversions until a maths graduate taught me this little trick:

a) Work out the distance you have to travel to the diversion.

b) Times this distance by 6

c) Divide the answer in b by your GS


Example:

a) Distance to diversion = 15nm

b) 15x6 = 90

c) GS (you can estimate this by adjusting your TAS in accordance to windspeed. ie TAS = 100, windspeed 10kt headwind, GS = approx 90)
Therefore, 90 (from b) divided by 9 (drop the 0 to make it easier) = 10

Therefore 10 mins.

Try another one:

Diversion 20nm
20 x 6 = 120
120 / 80 (random GS) becomes 120 / 8 = 15 mins

Try it on your flight computer! It works.


You will find that this method is accurate enough to be within the 1 min either side of the ETA rule that the Skill Test requires and you will be able to work them out much quicker. Don't worry about having to write the sums down on your kneeboard, that's what it's there for!

Good luck and mail me if you need any more clarification!

MB :)

[TRANQUILLO]

It 's also true that you are allowed to change your ETA once during you trip to point A to point B so when you get to half way you can actually see how long it took you to get there ....simple double it and you will get your ETA ,don't forget to correct your heading as well if you need to do so....

During my skill test made a mistake(I was a bit early) and I realised it at half way, I corrected it as I said and it worked out really well!!

I was asked to identify the town and that was the last part of my NAV .

What monkeyboy describes is an extremely good method if you follow it you should not have problems remember to consider the windspeed to work out your groundspeed.....

Good luck :) :cool: :)