Navigation Exam

[flythisway]

Am I correct in saying that you can use an electric calculator for part of the naviagation exam but do you still also have to use the 'whiz wheel' for the track and heading questions?

Has anyone got an alternative to a chinagraph pen to mark lines on the chart?

Thank you

[Mike744]

I've asked the very same question and never received an official answer to that. The Confuser says that 'electronic calculators are not allowed to be used during the examination so a good working knowledge of the CRP Computer is essential, particularly as time is at a premium for most candidates during the navigation examination'. That said, talking with pilots it appears to vary from school to school.

Previous to the exam I used non-permanent water-soluble pens however during the exam the chart was a lot older, a much earlier edition than the one I'd trained on so I was required to use a soft lead pencil on that one, the surface was tending towards matt and certainly not as 'glossy' as later charts.

[Flying Boat]

Hello flythisway

First of all, good luck for the Nav Ex

It has been a long time since I did my PPL Nav Ex, and a few years since the ATPL Nav Ex

My personal advice is bin the calculator and practise the Whizz Wheel.
Mental arithmetic and the mastery of the WW is key to passing, electronic calculators can be a hinderance.

The Whizz Wheel can produce all the answers you need and above all it will never produce a 'button error' or crash through low batteries.

In the ATPL exam there is a bank of questions based upon the whizz wheel, and you need to be super adept at operating it to pass, believe me you get cramp in your thumbs and fingers after.

As for writing on a chart, I normally use a fine watersoluble OHP pen, similar to the Staedtler Lumocolor, or a soft pencil as Mike744 mentioned.

Once again, good luck!

FB

[Whopity]

Candidates are not allowed to use programmable electronic calculators in PPL Exams or to take mobile phones into examinations. CAA Standards Document 11 Provision and Conduct of Ground Examinations for the PPL. So if its a simple adding subtracting multiplying calculator you can use it.

[1d2d3d4d]

Hi flythisway, I was taught to use permanent Lumocolour over head projector pens the very fine ones, (the water soluble ones will smudge and smear if, like me, you get hot and sweaty in exams). Your pen lines will come off the glossy surface of the chart quite readily if you use a decent eraser like the the Staedtler mars plastic.

As for calculators not sure about the legality of using one, but from memory I only used the wizz wheel. Don't forget it is not just the track and heading but also the ground speed and leg timing.

All the best with the exam.

Chris

[Maoraigh1]

I used a "Whiz Wheel" in 1964. After allowing my license to lapse, I used an unprogramable scientific calaculator in 1987. I was familiar with it, and the trig was easier, quicker, and more accurate than relearning a whizwheel. Memorised the formulae, and could work them out if I had forgotten.
It depends on how familiar you are with trig and scientific calculators. An arithmetical calculator won't do.

[Ryan5252]

I was taught to use permanent Lumocolour over head projector pens

This is exactly what I use also. You can be sure of fine accurate lines which will not smudge. Very easy to clean away without a trace; I keep an old cloth and a bottle of nail varnish remover in the flight bag at all times - never fails to raise a few eyebrows as well

Also, another tip I picked up would be to laminate a Plog sheet and using the above method can be used over and over and over again - who says pilots don't care about the trees (money?). Down side is you don't get to keep a copy of the flight for later scrutiny days/weeks/months later but I keep a spreadsheet copy of my logbook and plogs anyway.

To the OP - my club did not allow any calculators/mobiles into the exam but to be honest don't focus too much on this end. Anytime you may require a calculator the WW will suffice and at least 2 of the answers can generally be ruled out after a quick gross error check. You will be required to convert various units i.e. US Gal - Imp, Meters to Feet etc etc, so unless you remember 20 different rules of thumb the WW is by far your best friend!
Another piece of advise I would offer is although time is pressing please take your time at the start for drawing lines. One question I got wrong was in relation to identifying a local landmark at a certain coordinate, if you exam is anything like mine there may well be 4 features within millimeters of each other on the chart and each one is a possible answer A, B, C, D.

Try not to worry too much - if you have done a good bit of practical nav you should by now be well used to planning flights and thus well prepared for the exam!

Best of luck!!

Ryan

[BEagle]

Electronic calculators are now permitted - the only restriction being as stated in Standards Document 11 para 4.1.9:

4.1.9. NEVER allow the use of programmable electronic calculators 3, it is NEVER permitted.

3 defines the term 'programmable electronic calculators' as

'This means those calculators that contact (sic) Flight Calculation software'

'Flight Calculation software' is a very vague definition. If they mean 'those calculators that contain navigation software', then they should say so.

[flythisway]

Co sine /Sine

Thank you all very much for your help.

Can anyone give me an example of how I would use the elec calculator for a naviagation calculation- I guess headwind/groundspeed would be Cos and Drift would be Sine.

If track was 360 deg and wind was 030/30 & TAS = 100 kts

Sine 30 = .5 Co sine = .86

Is that ground speed 86 knots?


but how do I calculate drift with the calculator, I am thinking that using a T of V's, the drift would be the equivalent of flying to a point into wind 15 miles at a radius of 100 nautical miles-is that correct? No do not think that is correct-I have confused myself!-Help!

[olicana]

Dont waste your time with nail polish remover etc.

Use 1 x permenant marker. When you need to remove the line simply draw over it with a non permenant marker, then rub out with your finger.

This can be used when doing diversions.

Minimum equipment maximum effect no mess.

[vw_nutter]

Passed mine last week - take your time as there are some trick questions! READ THE QUESTIONS VERY CAREFULLY!! Learn to use the whizz wheel and learnt to use it well for all calculations. Be 'very' accurate with all of your measurements and you should be fine. PPL confuser helped me loads and I go 90% I used some mental arithmetic and calculations scribbled on scrap paper and all was ok.

Good luck - check over all your answers after as well - I amended 4 of mine as I didn't read the question properly!

[Keith.Williams.]

If track was 360 deg and wind was 030/30 & TAS = 100 kts

Sine 30 = .5 Co sine = .86

Is that ground speed 86 knots?

No it is not.

The track is 360 and the wind is coming from the right (030 degrees). So the aircraft must be heading to the right such that the Easterly component of 100 kts TAS is equal to the westerly component of a 30 knots wind coming from 030.

If we use X for the aircraft heading we get.

100 kts x Sin X (East) = 30 kts x Sin 30 (West)

So

Sin X = 15 / 100 = 0.15

So X = 8.627 degrees.

The northerly component of TAS = 100 Cos 8.627

The southerly component of the wind = 30 Cos 30

So the northerly ground speed = 100 Cos 8.627 - 30 Cos 30

Northely ground speed = 98.87 kts - 25.98 kts = 72.89 kts.


I have done all of this pretty quickly so there will probably be some errors in it.

But with a bit of practice most people will find this kind of thing much easier with the CRP5.