10 mile markers - Why teach them ?
As a person that has spent a significant amount of time in GA I must ask why students are coming out of some training environments preaching the benefits of 10 mile markers. This would have to be one of the most questionable navigational techniques I have heard of. It may be good in a 100kt aircraft because it equates to 6 minutes but that is where the buck stops. Pilots are trying to navigate using this system when they get into faster aircraft and get themselves into trouble. WHY? because they were taught that way and I can hazard a guess that their instructor was also taught that way. Why are 6 minute markers not taught as a basic usefull navigational technique that can be used in any aircraft. From a 152 to a Concorde 6 minutes never changes , only the distance on the chart. 150kts will equate to a 15 mile marker 450kts to a 45 mile marker and so on. Just knock the zero off and thats how far you will go in 6 minutes. If your departure airport is DME equiped you can grab a dme groundspeed before it falls over and throw out 6 minute markers on a WAC chart. Normally makes remote navigation a non event in comparison to the work load 10 mile markers create in anything over 100kts.