Navigation Competition

[Right Stuff]

Out of interest, has anyone else entered the royal institute of navigation's competition on the 16th?

[IFollowRoads]

I did it a couple of years ago - hard work, but tremendous fun. WW happens to be my home airfield, so I might see you in the bar when you get down!

IFR

[Right Stuff]

Ahh, sounds good. Mine'll be alcohol free as I have to make my way back to Fairoaks!! Any tips or tricks I need to know about?

[IFollowRoads]

A couple of things for you:

1. RTFM. Sounds obvious, but at least get an idea of what is expected, and don't forget the equipment prep (mainly putting the studs into your chart)

2. Take at least one camera. The results are calculated with the photos you provide - no photo, no result

3. If there are two of you in the a/c, do a CRM exercise *before* you do the flight

The competition could be simplified along the lines of '8 unplanned diversions in an hour where you treat each one as minimum fuel'. A quick aeroplane could be construed as a disadvantage!

Keep it fun - there will only be one winner out of ? 20 odd entries

Are you going to give a hint as to how to recognise you?
(Edited for rubber fingered typos)

[This message has been edited by IFollowRoads (edited 05 June 2001).]

[jayemm]

I posted a query on this a while ago, with no response! I've entered as well, for fun, but then received the NavPack the other day and realised that I'm going to have to prep for it. I went to WW at the weekend in the hope of meeting someone who knew about it, with no luck.

It sounds as if, like you, I've entered 'blind'. My navigator is a friend who flies choppers and is used to goldfish bowl vis. so we're both new to it. When I showed him the paperwork at the weekend he looked decidely less enthusiastic.

Any helpful hints greatly appreciated.

[IFollowRoads]

I only did it the once, and am far from knowing all about flying or the competion, so take what I add here with your own pinch or truckload of salt.

You will launch off into the sky with a bit of paper telling you to go to x - which you will have to i) determine where it is, ii) calculate a heading & ete, iii) fly it, iv) take a photo of it, and then v) open the next envelope with the subsequent point, and then do the process all over again.

The marking scheme is confidential, but involves (from memory) crew experience, nav equipment installed, accuracy of calculations, accuracy of flying.

Bear in mind the markers know your a/c speed, and thus what you *should* have calculated for each leg, its no good adjusting your speed to fit your calculations!

Another tip I would add to the previous, a crib sheet of all the local LARS/Airspace frequencies - you'll have enough to do without having to search for these en-route.

When I did it, we went from WW as far south as Bembridge, as far west as Devizes, with about another half dozen points scattered between. The whole flight in an Arrow lasted us 2 hours

Have fun - maybe see you there

[Right Stuff]

IFR - Thanks for all your help so far. Sounds like a lot of hard work to me - they better be enormous trophies or I'll throw a tantrum! I've opted in my infinite wisdom to fly the route on my own, so I'll no doubt be a busy boy up there.

As far as recognising me goes, I'll be the young'un wearing a red and white Fuji, G-MCOX, trust me when I say you won't miss it.

Hope to see you both there, but may have to withdraw due to unfortunately timed annual on the ol' bird - approx 10% chance of me not making it!

[IFollowRoads]

Right Stuff & jayemm

Bear in mind although this is a competition, it is also a learning experience. I know nothing about what sort of total hours you have, but when I did it,I had around 200, and I learnt *wads* from it. Winning would be nice (I didn't!) but I suggest you keep an open mind, perhaps more so for this than your 'regular' flying.

jayemm - the above applies to your navigator too - although I have to admit I am totally unfamiliar with the differences in nav. for a coffee grinder pilot. Sorry I wasn't around at the weekend - the chap I was helping out in Exeter stitched me up like the proverbial kipper, and I didn't get back 'till Monday.

RS - hope your annual isn't *too* painful, but then one year after your CofA shouldn't be springing (m)any surprises!

Hope to see both of you there, but Le Mans beckons, if I can get a 50 hr check done in time! Best of luck to you both

IFR

[jayemm]

IFR: Thanks for the tips..very helpful. I'm at 120 hours, bin flying for 2 years now. Do they give any clues (in addition to position) on the object you have to photograph? Are you taking part this time round?

RS: I'll look out for you; I hope you make it. I'll be G-CLAC (PA28), and me and my coffee-grinder mate look like a couple of mid-life crisis guys (mid-forties). I'm going to try to get to WW this weekend (weather doesn't look too bright at the moment) since I haven't actually flown-in there before, and they seem to have a number of noise-abatement procedures.

Good luck!

[IFollowRoads]

jayemm - I've not entered this year, and as above, if I get a 50 hr check done in time, and everything else pulls together, I'll be off to Le Mans for the 24 hour party (Although I might hang around to watch, wait and see).

The year we did it (1999) the additional implicit clue for each waypoint was along the lines of 'its significant on a half mill chart' Other than that, you have to hope you can read a VOR radial & distance, or similar.

White Waltham website http://www.wlac.co.uk has the noise abatement circuits somewhere - the only awkward ones are 03 and 07, the rest come fairly naturally (although there is a variation in how 'tight' they are) Join at 1300 QFE, descend deadside to 800 QFE to the circuit. Bear in mind there is NORDO stuff around, so keeping your eyes open is essential

If you are around this w/e, may see you. Doing the 'Project Propeller' thing, taking a couple of gents from Elstree to Duxford on Sat, due Elstree 12:00, so if you spot a tallish thirties midlife crisis, with half a beard and a bald spot on top in the morning, say hi!

IFR

[The man formerly known as]

Did anyone manage to fly TOPNAV yet?

[jayemm]

Last Saturday was cancelled. All the year's weather in one day.

I'm going to try this Sunday...weather looks good at present.

[Right Stuff]

My plane still hasn't had its annual, so good job it didn't go ahead anyway! Will hopefully fly it sunday or later that week - let me know what you guys are doing in case we might meet up

[jayemm]

Did it today! Very hot, and hard work, but made it round. Solent ATC seemed pretty miffed that we didn't know where we were going at the next waypoint, but Bristol thought it was funny.

It was a tad frustrating that I didn't know how accurate we had to be...was it a town, a housing estate or a particular building (say a church)?

It was fun all the same, but I doubt if I'll get a prize based on the scratchings we made on the waypoint sheets.

Good lcuk on your attempt.