Help selecting a QXC route
Join Date: Nov 2007
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I agree. SoCal App you may need to consider a little 'netiquette' as your response was filled with hostility towards the OP and he was only asking for help. Although you might feel the need to stamp your opinion on people there is no need for it and I doubt you would talk to people face-to-face like that. Totally inappropriate behaviour
rich_g85 Good luck with your Q-XC - you'll be fine and try to enjoy it. I remember doing mine and although nervous at first I enjoyed the experience. Just remember to plan the route well and use your student call-sign. ATC are much more forgiving that way and it will help you along the way.
Good luck!
rich_g85 Good luck with your Q-XC - you'll be fine and try to enjoy it. I remember doing mine and although nervous at first I enjoyed the experience. Just remember to plan the route well and use your student call-sign. ATC are much more forgiving that way and it will help you along the way.
Good luck!
Join Date: May 2008
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I think Bristol is closing so it may be an idea to visit once you have your licence
I did Bournemouth - Sandown - Compton Abbas - Bournemouth with a waypoint at Axminster to make up the miles.
Join Date: Jun 2003
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There is (or was in my time) a slight grey area on whether the distance is a straight line distance.
Sometimes the instructor would allow a kink in the route, if the shortcut would pass through some airspace like Gatwick which you would obviously not be taking.
Sometimes the instructor would allow a kink in the route, if the shortcut would pass through some airspace like Gatwick which you would obviously not be taking.
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whats to stop you just touring the whole of somerset and dorset then landing at Exeter and Dunkeswell? or for that matter just flying round in circles for an hour and a half at 100kts? still covered 150NM
In theory yes you could just spin around in circles but personally I quite enjoy the nav, and the CAA seemed happy enough with it to sign off my license. Just another idea though, what are the rules concerning GPS on qualifying cross countries now? That would seem much more on the borderline of the rules to me.
Join Date: Jun 2007
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I'm sure that if I had chosen somewhere stupid, he would have said something though!
One thing I would say is that one of the places I chose on my QXC was somewhere I hadn't been before. That certainly does increase the workload a little so if you can pick a route including places you've already visited, that would be my recommendation.
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I´ve learned in life that you can generate a better solution by asking others what they think before coming up with your own solution - doing so is a sign of maturity, and in professional life willingness to gather data in that way often indicates leadership capability..
But in this case the QXC (or indeed most everything else in the PPL course) is not aimed at finding the most efficient or cost-effective QXC. The intention of the QXC is a learning experience and a confidence builder. The more you figure out (correctly) for yourself, instead of asking others, the more effective the QXC becomes.
The only 'deviation' from a triangular Q X-C route is to include an ATC dogleg where necessary.
For example, at Brize we would always use a start and end point of the triangle which included the necessary compliance with routeing in and out of the Class D CTR at the Burford VRP. But the total distance was measured from the aerodrome of departure/arrival.
Merely including an arbitrary en-route waypoint to increase the distance isn't really an 'ATC dogleg' unless you can say that it was included at their request. Thus, for example, routeing to Axminster in the Yeovilton AIAA at Yeovilton's request would seem reasonable to me.
For example, at Brize we would always use a start and end point of the triangle which included the necessary compliance with routeing in and out of the Class D CTR at the Burford VRP. But the total distance was measured from the aerodrome of departure/arrival.
Merely including an arbitrary en-route waypoint to increase the distance isn't really an 'ATC dogleg' unless you can say that it was included at their request. Thus, for example, routeing to Axminster in the Yeovilton AIAA at Yeovilton's request would seem reasonable to me.
BEagle,
I am currently working with a lady whose husband is hoping to do his QXC tomorrow from Bournemouth. She says that he is going to Dunkeswell and Old Sarum and then over the IoW. I would not have thought that the IoW leg would be a dogleg required by ATC.
I am currently working with a lady whose husband is hoping to do his QXC tomorrow from Bournemouth. She says that he is going to Dunkeswell and Old Sarum and then over the IoW. I would not have thought that the IoW leg would be a dogleg required by ATC.
Why not surprise your instructor and ask for Bournemouth - Cherbourg (lunch with Luc and Edith) - Alderney - Bournemouth. Go with full tanks for the drawback then fill up in Alderney - will save you loads of dosh too 
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I did mine roughly a year ago and it had a few zig-zags in the route to ensure that I covered the correct distance. The route was chosen by my instructor and the two aerodromes were ones I had been to previously with him. I flew the whole trip entirely to plan and with no significant hiccups; however a couple of days later anther student at my flying club flew a virtually identical route and arrived back with one whole tach hour more than me. I was there when this came up and he began to quiz me in front of everyone about this, more or less asking me directly if I had taken any short cuts (which I hadn't). Several weeks later, we had our skills tests booked within a few days of each other. Mine went okay and I passed; he failed his on his nav as he got lost on numerous occasions and spent most of the time orbiting trying to figure out where he was.
Join Date: May 2008
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There can be a lot of variation in the time to fly a QXC. I've had students do it in about 2.5, and some more like 3.5. All it takes is a slight deviation from track, and flying a go around at one of the aerodromes and the time soon adds up.
She says that he is going to Dunkeswell and Old Sarum and then over the IoW.
However, Bournemouth to the Hengistbury Head VRP, then transit to the Sandbanks VRP to set course to Dunkeswell is 63 nm. Then fly from Dunkeswell to Old Sarum via the Wells Mast VRP (to avoid the very busy military area surrounding Yeovilton and Merryfield) and that's another 64 nm. Finally, Old Sarum to the Stoney Cross VRP and thence to Bournemouth is a further 23 nm, giving a total of exactly 150nm. I would consider that a sensible route, with an eminently sound reason for the Wells Mast VRP dog-leg.
Join Date: Jan 2011
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QXC
I included Gloucester in my QXC - quite a nice airport to find and land at. They also do much reduced landing fees if you tell them you are a student. Paired with Bristol as a first look gives you a 154 mile route.
As a suggestion - I purchased the CAA charts on memory-map. Allows you to draw your route electronically. This allows you to modify your route easily and be told the total length at any time without lots of rubbing out & redrawing.
Could also be worth considering airports with multiple runways or at least runways in similar directions. Otherwise if its a windy day you might have to cancel because at least 1 runway will have a strong crosswind
As a suggestion - I purchased the CAA charts on memory-map. Allows you to draw your route electronically. This allows you to modify your route easily and be told the total length at any time without lots of rubbing out & redrawing.
Could also be worth considering airports with multiple runways or at least runways in similar directions. Otherwise if its a windy day you might have to cancel because at least 1 runway will have a strong crosswind
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How about EGHH - Lydd - Shoreham - EGHH. Then you can't get lost 
Yeovilton is no problem, I wouldn't avoid their AIAA I'd just speak to them with a traffic service.
Yeovilton is no problem, I wouldn't avoid their AIAA I'd just speak to them with a traffic service.
