Ho Ho,
Didn't take long to turn a question about recognising visual features into a "GPS is the only way" thread.
How about a navigation thread which doesn't mention GPS? mad_bear wants to know how to fly visually, looking out of the window. How about we stick to the original question? I know there are people on here who love a rant and will turn any subject their way, but lets knock it on the head for this thread, eh?
So to feature hopping.
I've said it before and I'll say it again, the PPL syllabus does a poor job of equipping people to fly outside of the local area. In fact a freshly qualified PPL is barely competent to take passengers more than 10 miles from the airport. IMO. So mad_bear, don't get all worried that you cannot easily do things when you get your PPL, that's not your problem. The problem is that it's important to get people through the PPL quickly, so the system concentrates on the real basics i.e. you are safe.
So, as gcolyer says, it comes down to experience. What I want to see from a new PPL is a desire to head off to another airport 100 miles away to buy a burger. I don't want him to worry and make a mistake, and i don't want him to get lost. If he is just starting off and wants to fly a dog leg route using easily recognisable features then I say go for it. His achievement is getting to the burger, not the way he flies there. When he realises it is easy to reach another airfield and not get lost, then I'll tell him to not fly in a dog leg to the hill, fly abeam it. As he gets better at that, he can make his route even more straight.
If that means he has used
The WORST type of navigation, the refuge of people who have a talent for nothing more sophisticated then so be it. I see a guy with a smile on his face as he managed to take a plane to go and buy a burger and get home in one piece.
I would encourage him to take a GPS as they are brilliant, but remind him that relying on gadgets to navigate falls into the WORST type of navigation, the refuge of people who have a talent for nothing more sophisticated
