1:60 rule confusion of methods

[High Wing Drifter]

Sul,

Check with your FTO, I was taught that the Standard Closing Angle is fine for PPL but not for CPL. CPL requires the quickest, shortest route from where you currently are. The SCA method, as good as it is, produces and indirect heading adjustment designed to get you back on track. Saying that, the SCA is an excellent way to establish the correct position from which to assume your heading after departure. Bascially, I have been taught that The preferred method for the CPL is to correct your heading to arrive at your destination (unless you need to avoid enroute obstacles).

The 1 in 60 closing angle method is fine enough, but these are just as good in my experience:

Simplicity personified is simply drawing 10 deg drift lines outbound and inbound either side of your track. To avoid cluttering the chart, just draw stubs and extend with your pencil in flight to determine angles. You just add the outbound and inbound drift to get your closing angle.

To be frank, for CPL nav distances, simply quantifying your off trackness in simple terms such as small, medium and large is sufficient if you assign heading corrections of 5deg, 10deg and 15deg for each. I don't think flying should be an exercise in calculus, near enough is surely good enough.

With regard to diverts, BEagle's method can't be argued with. To get really quick at doing this stuff in your head, prepare your training PLOGs mentally using those techniques without using the whizz wheel. You will be at most 1 maybe 2 deg/kts out which is of no real consequence in the flight.

Furthermore, when you get your diversion just hand draw the line, I don't think there is any need to mess about with straight edges - it doesn't matter if it is a bit wobbly. Then align your pencil along the line and transpose the pencil to the nearest VOR rose to get your track. Do the above mental sums using your predetermined max drift and wind to calculate your heading and ETA. Then as you progress along the diversion and make your fixes mark the chart with a cross and the time of the fix. Then you can easily update your ETA or heading enroute if needed.