I think Someone may have mentioned these before but what works for me...

1. It is very easy once you reach TOC to switch off mentally. Your still flying the plane but your mind starts to drift to the point where the guy sitting next to you is a slim blonde in a bikini holding 2 Martini's... This is where mistakes happen!
Keep yourself Busy by listening to what's going on around you and Keep a good lookout. I try to visualise all the traffic on the area Freq and ask myself where are they in relation to me...

2. Fly your heading. Pick a reference feature and fly there! Its amazing how much easier it is to fly towards a mountain directly on your track. Think "BIG PICTURE"

3. Don't just make places be what you want them to be cause it fits nicely with what you would like to see... Find atleast 3 reasons why you are at the place you think you are!

4. Take lots of photos if you get the chance and turn that Darn GPS off! Its a good tool sometimes, other times its just makes things boring as hell!:ok:

Always wear a shirt with top pockets. Cant beat them pockets!! Sunnies in one, pen and Ipod in the other. Although if you're doing nav training maybe not the ipod, instructors tend to view them as the devils spawn. And of course minties, you just cant beat chewing minties and trying to extract them from your teeth to keep you awake on those long lines!!

As for the guy stiing next to you starting to look like a blonde in bikini with 2 martinis....cant say I ever found my any of instuctors attractive enough to hallucinate on quite that level. Mind you there was this one little brunette.......:E

I know it is obvious, but when you turn onto a new heading and complete your CLEAROF checks, look at what geographical features are ahead on your heading. There will likely be a nice big hill or other feature which you can use as a visual reference - the number of times young-uns don't do this is amazing

GFPT just to add what Edition12 said. Further to a cellosheen WAC, cover your current VNC in matt clear contact. Over the period of a few months and a few navs it is going to cop a beating. Chinagraph pencils in a couple of colours and sooo easy to wipe off and edit.

That first time a turn point comes up on your nose, on track and on time to the minute with a 20kt crosswind is just pure gold:ok:

And from my personal stash of PPRUNE GOLD-
How to Navigate Visually

GFPT, at least your not doing circuits with your instructor asleep... anymore:}
Bout bloody time you pulled your finger out and got on with it!

All the tips mentioned are usefull, remember the KISS principle: Keep It Simple Stupid. And more over

AVIATE NAVIGATE COMMUNICATE.

Oh, and never under any circumstance give the map to the instructor!!!!
It will end up in the baggage bay.:ok:

Jedi old boy !

I do remember having to wake you up on one particular ocassion after your Friday night sessions, Lucky I had a whole 3.5 hrs total time, so I was in compleate control :E.....

Congrats on the Dash Command :D , I always believed you would get there one day :ok:

Me too, but the b@st@rds have stopped making them (why?) and its a pain to do the old "Contact" application....

All good advice here, though.

Ooh! Just remembered. There were some very good articles written by Jim Davis that appeared in Australian Flying magazine, from memory about 5 years ago. Just had a quick look through my stuff but can't find the exact ones. You could try getting your hands on some back issues (2002/03) or give him a call. (he instructs, or at least used to, at Jandakot ifor one of the flight schools there. I'll keep looking and if I find them I'll scan them and figure out some way of how to post them here, duly observing copyright of course ;)