PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Can't believe I'm asking this
View Single Post
Old 28th Jul 2017, 11:41
  #15 (permalink)  
Piper.Classique
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: France
Posts: 1,029
Received 2 Likes on 1 Post
Ok, for the OP. If you can't work out what the map is showing you and can't get anyone to help you fathom it, this is what you can do.

First draw a line on the map direct from A to B
Now decide your minimum and maximum altitude for the flight (break it up into shorter sections if the flight has a lot of hills, towns, or other obstructions). Choose your preferred altitude.

Now, for each section, draw a profile showing what the airspace is at your preferred altitude, and up to max and down to min altitude.

Here is a hint. Paper maps have a legend (says what the makings mean) in one corner.
Use this.

Anything that is Class E, F, or G is no problem. Anything else you either will have to get a clearance, should get flight information, or will need to treat as a brick wall.

Clearance needed? Plan to go through, after radio contact and clearance, with a backup that takes you round, over, or under in case you can't get clearance. Hint. The better prepared you are (clear radio calls, knowing where you are, where the VRPs are) the more likely you are to get a clearance.


Flight information helpful? Plan on going through with radio contact. Examples of this are MATZ, AIAA. Wouldn't hurt to have another option.

Brick wall? For example Class A airspace, PZ, or whatever your local authority considers sensitive. Over, round, or under.

This is why you do the plan view. So you can choose your altitude to avoid the bits you can't use, or put in turning points as required.

It this all sounds a bit daunting, start with a short route, write down your plog, without bothering to work out wind corrections, then either ask a friend to check or get a trial subscription to sky demon and use that to check your route. Revise what you missed.

Um. Please don't just put the route in SD without doing it first yourself. It's supposed to be a learning exercise.

Some airspace is modified at different times, or by notam. Another good reason for checking notams before flight. BTW, I've tried to make this non country specific. As the licence is often worldwide.
Piper.Classique is offline