Navigation
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Navigation
Hey ppl
I have a small problem when it comes to navigation; im not particularly good at it! Usually i can read from the land to the map fine, but when it comes to making course corrections im useless. I can't seem to find a method that really works for me, (eyeball, fan lines etc) and was wondering if anybodyy had any tips that they knew of. Ive only recently passed my ppl, and got lost on my gft so I always knew that this was something I would have to improve on. Also, are their any decent books out there that may be of some help?
Before somebody starts suggesting I retrain from scratch or something, I am genuinely keen to imporve my nav skills, and any helpful advice would be welcome.
Cheers
etc
I have a small problem when it comes to navigation; im not particularly good at it! Usually i can read from the land to the map fine, but when it comes to making course corrections im useless. I can't seem to find a method that really works for me, (eyeball, fan lines etc) and was wondering if anybodyy had any tips that they knew of. Ive only recently passed my ppl, and got lost on my gft so I always knew that this was something I would have to improve on. Also, are their any decent books out there that may be of some help?
Before somebody starts suggesting I retrain from scratch or something, I am genuinely keen to imporve my nav skills, and any helpful advice would be welcome.
Cheers
etc
Join Date: Apr 2002
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Don't worry too much. You can't be that bad or you wouldn't have passed. Just plan well, make sure your headings are correct, it will come with practise. I always found a longer route worked out better than a shorter one, more time to settle down. Don't buy a GPS till you have got it right without.
Fly with another more experienced pilot is also an option. It seems to come more naturally to some people, I like you found it difficult.
Fly with another more experienced pilot is also an option. It seems to come more naturally to some people, I like you found it difficult.
Join Date: Dec 1999
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A bit difficult to give hints without knowing exactly what bits you have been taught, but assuming you have been taught properly it is just a matter of practice. As said, plan fully, fly your headings and speeds and use the timing properly and it should generally work out OK, I would also back the recommendation to fly places with more experienced PPLs, not only do you then have someone to help out if needed but it makes things more affordable if you share costs.
Join Date: Feb 2002
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The two things that I found the biggest help where when I decided to
a) fly mainly straight lines, with as few turning points as possible. That why if you aren't 100% sure that you're at the correct turning point, then it's no big deal, as you can just continue on track, until you find a better land mark.
b) make sure that the few turning points that you're left with, are bloody big towns, or big lakes, or something else, big and obvious from a few miles off track.
Through much of my training, my instructors had me doing flights turning at various little villages, and it got pretty difficult when you're 1/2 way between two idential small villages, and wondering which one you're supposed to be at!
The other thing to do, is if you have a VOR/DME note the bearings and distances on your plan, for your turning points. It helps to confirm that you are where you thinks you are, but doesn't really involve much extra work in flight.
Hope that helps.
dp
a) fly mainly straight lines, with as few turning points as possible. That why if you aren't 100% sure that you're at the correct turning point, then it's no big deal, as you can just continue on track, until you find a better land mark.
b) make sure that the few turning points that you're left with, are bloody big towns, or big lakes, or something else, big and obvious from a few miles off track.
Through much of my training, my instructors had me doing flights turning at various little villages, and it got pretty difficult when you're 1/2 way between two idential small villages, and wondering which one you're supposed to be at!
The other thing to do, is if you have a VOR/DME note the bearings and distances on your plan, for your turning points. It helps to confirm that you are where you thinks you are, but doesn't really involve much extra work in flight.
Hope that helps.
dp
Join Date: Nov 2000
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Choose your weather?
From 2000' on a low vis day then some areas round here are not very easy, consisting of dozens of identical little villages and identical little winding roads and no lakes and no motorways and no railways.
But if you practice at 9000' on a high vis day you can see pretty well the whole of East Anglia! - absolutely no chance whatsoever of getting lost, so you can fly your plan and so long as you don't get more than, say, 30 miles off track, you'll be able to work out exactly what's going on with your navigation.
From 2000' on a low vis day then some areas round here are not very easy, consisting of dozens of identical little villages and identical little winding roads and no lakes and no motorways and no railways.
But if you practice at 9000' on a high vis day you can see pretty well the whole of East Anglia! - absolutely no chance whatsoever of getting lost, so you can fly your plan and so long as you don't get more than, say, 30 miles off track, you'll be able to work out exactly what's going on with your navigation.
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Don't know what you're doing but course corrections shouldn't be too difficult. Draw a line 10 degrees off your course from each of your destination points. That will tell you how far off course you are - if you're half way simply double it for your course correction. I wouldn't bother making course corrections of less then 10 degrees so wait until you're far enough off course before making a correction (and make sure you're doing from a point you can positively identify). Draw the direction of the wind on your chart so you can visualise what's going on.
If all else fails don't be ashamed to use IFR techniques ( I Follow Roads ).
If all else fails don't be ashamed to use IFR techniques ( I Follow Roads ).
PPruNaholic!
Join Date: Aug 2000
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Fly with another more experienced pilot is also an option.
Hope this helps,
Andy
Join Date: May 2003
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I'm also with IO540.
A moving map GPS will let you see that your nav decisions were right or wrong. Use it to check your map reading and situation fixes. It will let you learn about reading the ground and the map in a safe way, which will improve your skills and your confidence very quickly.
Getting confident of your nav skills will transform your flying enjoyment.
A moving map GPS will let you see that your nav decisions were right or wrong. Use it to check your map reading and situation fixes. It will let you learn about reading the ground and the map in a safe way, which will improve your skills and your confidence very quickly.
Getting confident of your nav skills will transform your flying enjoyment.
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A few hints you might find useful:
If you are not already using one, try a quarter mil chart rather than a half mil.
If you are using small features as way points, find a larger feature nearby and know where your WP is relative to that.
Look for a feature beyond your way point that if you get to, you know you have gone too far.
Following roads, rivers and railways is always a good one, but dont forget to cross reference with your compass. All to easy for a low time PPL to get the wrong motorway around London.
Feature hop. Draw your line and work out features on or close to you route. When flying hop to each, but don't navigate too close, ie if when you get flying you can see your destination, fly to it and don't worry about the features you planned to see in between.
Draw a black line around the shape of towns/woods/lakes that you have picked as features so that you can see at a glance what you expect to see on the land.
If you get a gps, then learn how to use it intimately before you go flying with it.
Good luck
If you are not already using one, try a quarter mil chart rather than a half mil.
If you are using small features as way points, find a larger feature nearby and know where your WP is relative to that.
Look for a feature beyond your way point that if you get to, you know you have gone too far.
Following roads, rivers and railways is always a good one, but dont forget to cross reference with your compass. All to easy for a low time PPL to get the wrong motorway around London.
Feature hop. Draw your line and work out features on or close to you route. When flying hop to each, but don't navigate too close, ie if when you get flying you can see your destination, fly to it and don't worry about the features you planned to see in between.
Draw a black line around the shape of towns/woods/lakes that you have picked as features so that you can see at a glance what you expect to see on the land.
If you get a gps, then learn how to use it intimately before you go flying with it.
Good luck
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Comment One:
To help find an answer to the quesiton of course corrections there is a rule of thumb that I don't use, but I would like to prompt somebody else to describe it properly.
Basically it goes along the lines of (no pun intended): Turn left/right 60 deg and then fly for one minute for every mile you are off track. After that duration turn back on track and get a fix.
That should prompt a respond so somebody please fill the gaps and/or correct it.
Obviously you wouldn't want to do that in anything faster than an Arrow, but for your average PPL I imagine it ends up being a damn sight easier than mental math.
Comment Two:
How about inbound and outbound Fan lines of 10deg. You simply add up the degrees of tack to get your course correction angle. The downside is that you can only correct your course once. The way to get arround this is to make two (or more) shorter legs from one long one and then give each its own set of drift (fan) lines.
Personally I hate drawing lines everywhere so I just stick to doing sums, but each to their own.
To help find an answer to the quesiton of course corrections there is a rule of thumb that I don't use, but I would like to prompt somebody else to describe it properly.
Basically it goes along the lines of (no pun intended): Turn left/right 60 deg and then fly for one minute for every mile you are off track. After that duration turn back on track and get a fix.
That should prompt a respond so somebody please fill the gaps and/or correct it.
Obviously you wouldn't want to do that in anything faster than an Arrow, but for your average PPL I imagine it ends up being a damn sight easier than mental math.
Comment Two:
How about inbound and outbound Fan lines of 10deg. You simply add up the degrees of tack to get your course correction angle. The downside is that you can only correct your course once. The way to get arround this is to make two (or more) shorter legs from one long one and then give each its own set of drift (fan) lines.
Personally I hate drawing lines everywhere so I just stick to doing sums, but each to their own.
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Don't go anywhere 
Practise makes perfect, if you got lost on your skills test, I suggest you shouldn't have been passed. As you were; maybe a few post PPL trips with an instructor?
Practise makes perfect, if you got lost on your skills test, I suggest you shouldn't have been passed. As you were; maybe a few post PPL trips with an instructor?
Hear, hear!
There's a lot of the blind leading the blind on this thread. If your navigation is so poor, you must fly with an experienced FI!
There's a lot of the blind leading the blind on this thread. If your navigation is so poor, you must fly with an experienced FI!
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Forget my question, I found the answer. It's called the "Standard Closing Angle" and Beagle meantioned it up above.
Basically you work it out on the ground:
60/(NMs/Min) = SCA. (SO 90kts TAS would be 60/1.5 = 40deg).
Then turn the SCA backtwards track and fly on that angle for 1 min for every mile, then turn back on track. I think I'll give it a go!
Basically you work it out on the ground:
60/(NMs/Min) = SCA. (SO 90kts TAS would be 60/1.5 = 40deg).
Then turn the SCA backtwards track and fly on that angle for 1 min for every mile, then turn back on track. I think I'll give it a go!
Better red than ...
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My 2 1/2d in old money.
1. Now you have the license, plan a post qual training pgm with an instructor, focused on general nav. Tell him/ her what you want and get them to commit to getting you to X standard within Y hours. Discuss this with them, and tell them what you can commit to in terms of personal study and flying time (you'll need to read some of dem book again and learn some stuff). Does not need much but its only a few pounds more than hiring the basic aircraft you are getting lost in ...
2. Team up with a more experienced PPL and fly second (or back) seat with them and see what they do. Pick a good one though ...... (else negative tfr of bad habit)
3. Plan some solo flights that involve navigation that is difficult but not dangerous (ie not around major airfield concentrations). Plan the flight. Draw the lines on the chart. Know your way points. Make sure you always know where you are (without forgetting to 'aviate' and 'communicate' as well. Do it on a nice day (dont want to worry about weather too).
There will come a point where if you always get lost, nobody will hire to you then you are out of the game.
NB do above without getting or using a Skymap or GPS. When you can navigate then your allowed the labour saving devices as a backup.
h-r
1. Now you have the license, plan a post qual training pgm with an instructor, focused on general nav. Tell him/ her what you want and get them to commit to getting you to X standard within Y hours. Discuss this with them, and tell them what you can commit to in terms of personal study and flying time (you'll need to read some of dem book again and learn some stuff). Does not need much but its only a few pounds more than hiring the basic aircraft you are getting lost in ...
2. Team up with a more experienced PPL and fly second (or back) seat with them and see what they do. Pick a good one though ...... (else negative tfr of bad habit)
3. Plan some solo flights that involve navigation that is difficult but not dangerous (ie not around major airfield concentrations). Plan the flight. Draw the lines on the chart. Know your way points. Make sure you always know where you are (without forgetting to 'aviate' and 'communicate' as well. Do it on a nice day (dont want to worry about weather too).
There will come a point where if you always get lost, nobody will hire to you then you are out of the game.
NB do above without getting or using a Skymap or GPS. When you can navigate then your allowed the labour saving devices as a backup.
h-r
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Or if you really would like to learn and improve navigational skills you could always try going to a day organised by the Precision Pilots assoc, usually mentioned in Pilot mag calendar.
They teach good techniques and seem to have fun as well.
They teach good techniques and seem to have fun as well.