Pilotchick,
I'll see if i can explain this without trying to draw it. hmmmmm
1:60 was beyond me for most of my flying training. I only learned this method when I started working as an instructor for a lovely old guy who I think had entries of W.Wright in his logbook....I digress.
Take each leg of your plan on the chart. Draw 10degree splay lines on either side from start and finnish points of the leg (point A-B). What you'll end up with is a line if diamond shapes along your route. (diamonds are a chicks best friend). Apply common sense here and don't try it on short 10nm legs.
What these diamonds provide you with is a scale to make accurate guesses.
Now, picture yourself inlfight. You fix your position a little off track. With the 10degree lines you can quite accurately estimate your track error (from A) and correction angle (to B). Add the two together and alter your heading by that much.
It takes a little bit of extra time in the pre flight stage but you will be more confident about flying longer, more direct and accurate VFR legs.
The only catch is that you MUST maintain your heading. You can't apply a correction to a heading (with any method) if you've havn't maintained one to begin with.
Hope that helps. Feel free to PM if you need any help deciphering all of this.
Happy flying
Last edited by Dashtrash; 5th Aug 2009 at 15:32.
Reason: typos