Pilot Navigation
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Pilot Navigation
Do any of ya know what is involved in pilot navigation exercise in the Private pilots licence? What should you study? Any tips on Navigation?
Hot tip: Listen to your instructor. Learn the rules.
There are that many different ways of teaching nav you will just get confused by asking everyone's methods in a forum like this.
The principle of navigation is if you fly for a set time and speed in a set direction you will end up in a certain place.
There are that many different ways of teaching nav you will just get confused by asking everyone's methods in a forum like this.
The principle of navigation is if you fly for a set time and speed in a set direction you will end up in a certain place.
In its most basic form the key to visual navigation, IMHO, is:
1) the ability to fly a consistent heading/track
2) speed/distance/time to next check-point/destination
3) good map reading skills - look at the big picture
4) 10 nm/time checks along your track
5) 1:60 as required
6) know where you are at all times!
It still fascinates me how we used to find a spot in the middle of nowhere using the above!
Dr
1) the ability to fly a consistent heading/track
2) speed/distance/time to next check-point/destination
3) good map reading skills - look at the big picture
4) 10 nm/time checks along your track
5) 1:60 as required
6) know where you are at all times!
It still fascinates me how we used to find a spot in the middle of nowhere using the above!
Dr
Last edited by ForkTailedDrKiller; 23rd Jul 2009 at 21:19.
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I take it that you've just begun, or about to start your PPL nav training.
Just read through your PPL study book, whether it be the Bob Tait one, or the 7 ATC PPL/CPL books. Those explain the theory required sufficiently.
In terms of advice, these threads should contain everything you need:
http://www.pprune.org/dg-p-general-a...-visually.html
http://www.pprune.org/dg-p-general-a...does-work.html
PPL navigation is pretty straight forward, you'll do fine. Any hassles or queries please ask, but the above threads are quite handy.
Just read through your PPL study book, whether it be the Bob Tait one, or the 7 ATC PPL/CPL books. Those explain the theory required sufficiently.
In terms of advice, these threads should contain everything you need:
http://www.pprune.org/dg-p-general-a...-visually.html
http://www.pprune.org/dg-p-general-a...does-work.html
PPL navigation is pretty straight forward, you'll do fine. Any hassles or queries please ask, but the above threads are quite handy.
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the biggest thing i find with students, NOT doing, is Looking at the big picture, the coast is behind you, mountains in front, so you should be on a westerly heading... etc etc oh and try not to let your heading drift when your head is down doing calculations etc if the aircraft is trimmed correctly, it wil fly straight, some students will do 90eg turns while looking at maps or doing fuel calcs, then continue straight ahead on the new(incorrect) heading.
When you live....
Pilot Navigation
I thought pilot navigation was not getting lost on the way to the airport, making sure you find the right plane and not getting separated from it during the flight....
Aicraft navigation, now that's a whole different story......
Aicraft navigation, now that's a whole different story......
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...Looking at the big picture, the coast is behind you, mountains in front, so you should be on a westerly heading...
I didn't know you had completed your PPL pyro.
Pyro
"I thought no civvy aircraft dared venture outside the circuit area without a serviceable GPS"
Maybe, but at least we don't need flight suits to do circuits in glorfied airtourers or need the tower to remind us to check our gear is down
j3
Maybe, but at least we don't need flight suits to do circuits in glorfied airtourers or need the tower to remind us to check our gear is down
j3
The 5 P's: Prior Preparation Prevents P%ss-Poor Performance. (Maybe that's 6 P's then).
Remember a well prepared flight plan always helps. Make sure wind drift has been applied correctly, fuel figures added up correctly etc. (double check) Make sure you have a watch with the correct time set. The amount of times I had students show up without a watch on their Navs
Also plan your arrival at the other end. Brief yourself well in advance on how you're going to join the circuit etc. Its one thing finding your way to the destination, but it another to correctly join the circuit (especially if there are right hand circuits or noise abatement procedures).
So basically its a matter of being prepared, staying well ahead of the aircraft and as Ultralights said, not losing sight of the big picture
It all comes with practise
Remember a well prepared flight plan always helps. Make sure wind drift has been applied correctly, fuel figures added up correctly etc. (double check) Make sure you have a watch with the correct time set. The amount of times I had students show up without a watch on their Navs
Also plan your arrival at the other end. Brief yourself well in advance on how you're going to join the circuit etc. Its one thing finding your way to the destination, but it another to correctly join the circuit (especially if there are right hand circuits or noise abatement procedures).
So basically its a matter of being prepared, staying well ahead of the aircraft and as Ultralights said, not losing sight of the big picture
It all comes with practise
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Listen to the Dr.
Just be carefull not to set your TAS as your track. Seem's simple but I was checking a pilot to line on a King Air and he had 6000 + hours, grade 1 M/E instructor rating and he set the TAS and I did the same on my PPL flight test. I was lucky setting 120 instead of 125. It was a very short sector and I was within the tracking limits. I only realised the error when I set the next track!!. Do some "back seat" Nav's with other students if possible. Take your WAC charts and a copy of the flight plan. You can do a NAV and the other student "back seats" yours, well that happened in my day!!
Best of Luck
Rifdas
Just be carefull not to set your TAS as your track. Seem's simple but I was checking a pilot to line on a King Air and he had 6000 + hours, grade 1 M/E instructor rating and he set the TAS and I did the same on my PPL flight test. I was lucky setting 120 instead of 125. It was a very short sector and I was within the tracking limits. I only realised the error when I set the next track!!. Do some "back seat" Nav's with other students if possible. Take your WAC charts and a copy of the flight plan. You can do a NAV and the other student "back seats" yours, well that happened in my day!!
Best of Luck
Rifdas
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if the aircraft is trimmed correctly, it wil fly straight,
(or a c150 for that matter)
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Indeed. Flying for three hours holding half a ball of rudder to keep straight gets annoying after a while. Cherokees with their fancy rudder trim are fantastic once you've done that a couple times.
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One of the important lessons to learn when navigating is to check that your DG is aligned with compass. Check this every now and again (at 10 minute intervals, at least ..it only takes a second to check), whether flying VFR or IFR.
Bates106,
I remember that the most stand-out Nav issue that I had during my PPL was that I wanted to account for every road, building and power line on the map. I had drawn out my trackline on the WAC chart and during flight i'd expect to see outside my window what was meant to be below me 
.
My advice summmarised (and my instructors at the time): "don't sweat the small stuff".
If you miss an intersection, powerline, lake, structure here or there, don't let it take away from your confidence. Aim for the next one and rely on your calculations/ estimates.
Once you have it, keep using it from time to time when you have an opportunity. When time or $ isn't the immediate concern, or when feeling rusty, plan a VFR flight using a map only. Re-visit basic principles and either let your ego be crushed
or hightened by knowing that you can/ can't nav by relating ground features to your flightpath.
Keep flying,
I remember that the most stand-out Nav issue that I had during my PPL was that I wanted to account for every road, building and power line on the map
. I had drawn out my trackline on the WAC chart and during flight i'd expect to see outside my window what was meant to be below me . My advice summmarised (and my instructors at the time): "don't sweat the small stuff".
If you miss an intersection, powerline, lake, structure here or there, don't let it take away from your confidence. Aim for the next one and rely on your calculations/ estimates
.Once you have it, keep using it from time to time when you have an opportunity. When time or $ isn't the immediate concern, or when feeling rusty, plan a VFR flight using a map only. Re-visit basic principles and either let your ego be crushed
or hightened by knowing that you can/ can't nav by relating ground features to your flightpath.Keep flying,