IFR Navigating Flight Preperation

[ksa5223]

Hello,

I am just about to start on some X country Navex's for my MEIR course.

Any experienced fellows care to share some tips / handy ways to keep things organized in the cockpitt and make the flight as smooth as possible? From planning to in flight tips/organization tips all would be great!

[Arm out the window]

Each time you change a navaid or comm freq, put the next expected one up in the standby window if your avionics allow.

If you have to divert, check the new LSALT!

Just a couple of quick 'uns.

[sms777]

Draw yourself an easy to follow mudmap with all the important info like area freq.,lsalt, dest elev. navaid freq. etc. That way you have most of your planned route on the one sheet rather than looking through several maps.
As for a smooth flight?... Get on top of cloud

[PLovett]

Keep the cockpit tidy. Too much paper floating around makes life awkward, especially if you are wearing a visor or vision limiting goggles.

If you don't have standby frequency radios, or even if you do, make a list on the side of your flightplan of the expected radio frequencies in the order you will need them.

Biggest part of the early nav exercises for me was in staying ahead of the aircraft especially on the homeward leg. Pre-plan as much of the exercise as possible before leaving the ground, things like top of descent points, holding point sector entries, minimum sector altitudes etc.

Good luck and have fun. Don't get disheartened after the early exercises, it gets better.

[future.boeing.cpt]

If you're sitting and doing nothing, find something to do.
Always be one step or more ahead of the aircraft, don't brief approaches at the last minute and always remind yourself of DH/MDA on approach!

And have fun!
Your first proper instrument approach in IMC is amazing!

[waren9]

All what those guys said.

Minimise the amount of paper in the cockpit.

Before you go, pre-fold your map so that your route is face up and stick it on a A4 size clipboard. Sit it on your lap in flight.

Consider the use of high-lighter on your intended route/diversion points for ease of reference.

Throughout the flight, always be thinking "whats next?" to avoid the plane getting ahead of you.

If ya make a boo boo, make a positive correction. Dont sit there and hope he hasnt seen it. He will have. Positive action on a mistake will earn back marks.

Think of the test as just another lesson and a chance to learn something else from another instructor. Because thats what it is.

[apache]

and if it all starts turning to custard... SLOW DOWN!
slowing the a/c down by even 20 kts will give you a lot more time to catch up again.

[Unusual-Attitude]

I practiced all possible permutations of the test route on an old version of MS flt sim....lotsa times, in addition to all the usual synth trainer stuff. It's cheap (free!) and i found it really helped on the BIG day! No big surprises, (pretty much knew all the tracks/LSALTS by rote!) which left more spare mental capacity for the usual engine failures at random points. First time pass on all aides, so couldn't have done any harm!

Good luck.

[300Series]

"I practiced all possible permutations of the test route on an old version of MS flt sim"

Can't agree with UA more. Get on MS Flight sim or x-plane or whatever you have and practice practice practice. Practice everything, basic IF flying, approaches etc, makes the first time in the real world that much easier.

300

[Scorpion83]

Flight sims are highly recommended, another tip is to create your own Flight Log. The idea is to have absolutely all critical information on ONE sheet in front of you. You don't really even need to look at a map if done correctly.

I used MS Excel and on it I've got the standard AIP Flight log minus the fuel plan (used that on a second page) on the top half.

The bottom half I have reserved places for my NAVAID data (RNG-MORSE-ILS front course bearing, etc). Below that I've got some standard procedures for ILS or NDB/VOR APP plus radio calls in brief in the corner.

All on one page. If you need help let us know.

[Capt Wally]

'ksa' it may seem daunting what yr about to do but remember to get where you are now means you can already fly the plane so don't try to make it perfect first up, remember, AVIATE NAVIGATE & COMMUNICATE in that order. Lots of good advice here esspecially be prepared & as someone said SLOW the plane down if needed, nothing is ever that urgent when it comes to flying.
Also another hint if yr doing an NDB app for Eg on a sunny clear day under the hood at an AD that has multiple VFR traffic in the circuit get yr instructor/examiner to assist with the traffic as in get him to take note of who is where in & around the circuit area & even talk with them if needed. Why you may ask should you do that? Well if you where actually doing a fair dinkum NDB at this same AD meaning the wx is most likely crap then there wouldn't normally be that many VFR tarffic in numbers anyway. In other words CRM, yr instructor is in the cockpit USE him/her if needed
If during an App it doesn't feel right it usually means it isn't so bug out, make a missed approach, (good practice anyway) yr instructor would expect this if yr out of tollerances & it shows good cmd decisions early on.

At the end of the day remember an inst Approach is designed to get you visual so you can perhaps land. Don't start it (as in stay in the holding pattern if needed) until YOUR ready with the task at hand well sorted out before hand.

A saying..........."Chance favours the prepared mind"

CW




CW

[Unusual-Attitude]

And remember...one peek is worth a thousand scans!

Just kiddin!

[Centaurus]

Have a useable ADF and/or VOR frequency up at all times and frequently check its bearing for reasonableness. In other words know where you are. Situation awareness is vital in IMC. That done check the MSA at your assumed present position and be prepared to climb quickly if you are below MSA.

[CHAIRMAN]

Actually - DON'T peek, it'll ruin your scan. Instead of the crappy old curved hood, get and old cap and staple and staple a folded piece of cardboard (I used the A4 cardboaed cover off the a flight plan pad in those days), so that your vision is restriced left and above, but not right.
This minimises your head turning during scans to the right side of the panel, a mere swivel of the eyeball is all that is needed - ergo - less vertigo!

[MACH082]

K.I.S.S

Blokes i know in training would write novels of info to seat on their lap when learning IFR which is just more things you need to look at when simulating assy sequences to clog your already overloaded mind, IFR does not have to be made complex, in fact it is easier to fly IFR than VFR.

Think of the whole exercise as almost what you do already with a couple of extra radio calls and briefing an approach before your decent, with a couple of extra rules and alternate requirements to catch you out. In the real world of IFR in Australia, you will rarely shoot an approach for real, most is just for currency. The real world is giving a Taxi call, departure call, maintaining, Position reports and frequency transfers, TOD, copying traffic and canceling SAR. You are given all the frequency's, advised of alternate routes around airspace if required and a heap of other goody's that you will find out about as you make plenty of mistakes!

Just be ahead of the aircraft, and if your not, don't do anything stupid quickly!

[FRQ Charlie Bravo]

peek-a-boo

And remember...one peek is worth a thousand scans!

Kiddin!

I was told by my testing officer that OUTSIDE OF TRAINING & TESTING a peek at the ground through a hole in the clouds (provided that there's not too much vertigo-inducing head movement) was generally a good idea.

FRQ CB

[ForkTailedDrKiller]

in fact it is easier to fly IFR than VFR

Geez Mach, I thought that was secret IR pilot's business!

Dr

[Fragnasty]

in fact it is easier to fly IFR than VFR.

Utter nonsense.

Here's a useful tip though, when you're reading your map, hold it up in front of you, so your peripheral vision keeps you flying down the correct track. Reading from your lap will start adding wee errors to your track-keeping accuracy as you drift off track, and they'll add up over time. There's also potential for a bit of vertigo to set in if you spend too much time with your head in your lap.

Above all, have fun. Cross country is to be enjoyed, not feared. All you need is a boat-load of preparation, and it's all good after that.

(MACH082, please note the correct use of 'your' and 'you're'.)

Choice bro'!

[Chimbu chuckles]

IFR flight, particularly SP IFR, is a time management exercise...it is knowing where to look for the information you need and what to do with that at any one point in time seemingly without effort...prioritisation.

I tend to not agree with, and don't use crutches like mud maps and clip boards covered in cheat notes...many do I know.

ALL the information you need is on the enroute/terminal and IAL charts so why write it out on separate pieces of paper and clutter up your lap/the cockpit with extraneous ****...because take if from me as an ex ATO you will still need to have the Jepps stuff out as well and if you're not using it the instructor/examiner SHOULD hammer you for it.

If you **** something up because you wrote it down wrong or waste precious minutes searching through a lap full of crap or the clipboard slips off your lap onto the floor you will just look very silly and unprofessional.

As far as prep goes (besides the obvious study of the route detail the night before) certainly use a highlighter to highlight the planned route, navaids, LSALTs, Grid MORAs (hint: know how wide an airway is and if you have to divert around weather and that takes you outside that limit reference the grid mora and bring it to the attention of your tormentor - (you'll look very clever) and also highlight any Navaid boxes associated with places he/she could reasonably divert you too on the way around the primary route. Fold your chart so that the entire route is exposed to plain view and with as much of the surrounding 'possibilities' exposed as possible. Then fold it in half again with the route on the outside. It is now perfectly set up to be jammed in the crack at the side of the coaming where you can access it in a second without looking down into you lap and fecking with your clip board.

Your flightplan and notams/weather will be in A4 so staple them all together and fold them in half in the obvious way. The result will be thick enough to form a stable writing surface. The best place to write your clearances is across the top (departure) and bottom (arrival) of the flightplan where they are easy to check. Hint: Never, and I mean fecking NEVER, ask for a clearance without a pen in your other hand and something to write on. Turn the lot over and you have all the scratch paper you will ever need. Folded with the flightplan on the outside you can jam it in the same crevice as the enroute chart...easily accessible by simply reaching out with your left hand while maintaining your scan and a quick glance later jam it back in again.

Put all the plates you think you will need (primary and diversion) in a separate 1in binder/similar in the order you will need them (those coloured plastic jepp dividers are excellent) and have that binder within VERY easy blind reach. Maybe there is a side wall pocket...any plastic gimmicks you need (rulers/protractors etc) can go in there too. Obviously the rest of your charts are within reasonably easy reach behind the front right seat.

If you're one of these young blokes who needs an electronic calculator and can't use a prayer wheel, that lives in your top pocket, with your right hand while flying with your left...well you're just sad

Logistically you're ready to do battle with a tidy organised cockpit where you don't need to go searching for stuff and your lap is clear of crap that can AND WILL fall on the floor at the MOST inopportune moment.

Take your approach plates and a pencil and label them as follows;

1/. Chart name
2/. Chart number and effective date
3/. MSA
4/. IAL procedure commencement altitude
5/. Frequency and track outbound/inbound and RMI/HSI selections
6/. Limiting or Check alts/inbound profile (see below about profiles)
7/. Minima/MAP and threshold elevation (circling MDA and restrictions?)
8/. Required vis and position of threshold relative to aircraft track.
9/. Missed approach instructions
10/. Holding pattern
11/. Notes

When you brief the approach simply 'paint by numbers'. In the fullness of time you won't need to write the numbers once the correct habit is ingrained.

Remember too when briefing approaches that certain things logically go together and if you link them in your mind you will be less likely to forget and, as an example, fly an otherwise great NDB approach without monitoring the aid or try to fly a VOR approach with the RMI selectors on ADF...yes I have seen that attempted.

Thus a brief for the SY RWY 25 VOR/DME would sound like this,

"We are going to conduct the 1 SY RWY 25 VOR DME approach, 2 chart 13-3 dated xyz. 3 MSA is 2600 feet, 2100 within 10nm. The procedure commences overhead the VOR at 4 3000', 5 frequency 112.1 (tuned/idented) and the initial track cat A/B is 068, RMI selectors VOR. Track inbound is 236, 6 3 times profile down to a minima of 7 630' (580 +50'), Missed Approach Point 1.5 DME, minimum vis is 8 3.2 km, threshold elevation is 20' and should be straight ahead. If not visual we track 9 236 degrees an climb to 3000' or as directed by ATC. 10 Holding is at the VOR track inbound 083 and its a lefthand 1 minute pattern, minimum altitude 3000' likely entry from a missed approach is sector 1. 11 Notes, max initial IAS 210kts, GPS can be used in lieu of DME, ref way point SY VOR."

Now for extra brownie points and to make your life SOOOO much easier when actually flying the approach look at the DME/ALT table and work out a 3 x distance profile (the night before) and write that on the plate in pencil too next to the table.

The table is,

2.1/580'
3.0/855'
4.0/1175'
5.0/1495'
6.0/1810'
7.0/2130'

Now 3 x 2.1 is 630' (how lucky was that), 3 x 3 = 900' etc...all the way back to 3x7=2130' (forget the 30 or a twitch on the stick can fix it). No limiting steps so fly the entire inbound leg on a straight 3xdist profile...easy!

To calculate an approach profile always start at the minima and work out what it is as a 3x dme distance profile and the run that profile back up the approach and ensure it doesn't cut any limiting steps...the minima might be 750'/2DME which would be a 3xdist+150'...if it cuts a limiting step modify it appropriately. You might end up with a 3xDist+200' profile to say 6 DME and then 3 x dist + 150 after that so instead of looking down at the plate every 1nm and trying to pick out which numbers apply at this second you can simply keep your normal scan going and say to yourself "3x4=1350' - on profile" or if a little low/high adjust your RoD and check again in a mile.

Look at the outbound distance/time and see how much altitude you must lose and have a target RoD in mind...or written on the plate. On this particular chart you go out 7nm followed by a rate 1 turn to intercept the 056 radial inbound (236 on the course bar) at 2130' and commence the final descent. At 180kts that is 2 and a bit minutes to the commencement of the turn and 1 minute in the turn to lose 900'. Call it 3 minutes @ 300'/min to be conservative. You don't want to be way HIGH turning the corner but you also don't want to be flying the last part of the outbound track and the base turn level...although that is preferable to being high.

Another little hint is if the aircraft has a HSI and RMI/CDI track outbound on the RMI/CDI and have the HSI set to the inbound course as soon as you don't need it to track on anymore. I would, all things being equal, track the last 5 nm to the VOR and the entire outbound track on the RMI and have the HSI set to the inbound course long before station passage outbound.

Its all time management...and when it comes to actually flying the approach you want as little distraction from FLYING THE APPROACH as you can manage.

I'll come back with more/clarify anything if you're interested.

[Atlas Shrugged]

As always, excellent, well written and invaluable advice from Chimbu Chuckles

Thanks for sharing that