Planning my first nav-ex - any and all tips welcomed!

[Sleeve Wing]

Hi Alex,
Welcome to the flying fraternity. That's one thing you'll never regret.

I've been around a while and there are just a couple of things I would recommend.

1) Plan properly and clearly, as you have been taught.
2) Don't clutter you chart with unnecessary guff.
3) If YOU don't like the weather, don't go.
4) When you're enroute, THINK AHEAD. Don't spend time thinking about the last fix.
As you're approaching it, start looking for the NEXT one.

Finally, relax and enjoy it, maybe a bit of a challenge when it's all so new and exciting.
4)

[worrab]

'G-XXXX are you visual with the airfield?'; 'Negative, struggling to locate, can you assist'

Happened to me as well. A well-known, international airport kindly turned on the runway lights for me! It's worth having a look at your route on one of the map/satellite sites before you take to the skies.

Enjoy!

[A and C]

Good training video

What I can recomend is a very good training video that can be found on the Internet called "Nought feet".

Dispite not being the most modern training aid it is as good now as the day it was made, the more perceptive observer will note that aircraft can be flown without the aid of GPS, safety is maintaned without being clad head toe in dayglo clothing and the compleat lack over important clipboard holding elf & safety officers does not end in disaster.

Good luck with the flight and keep a very good lookout in that airspace !

[Pirke]

Enjoy! Your first cross country is exciting and special, just like first solo

[Vilters]

Once we had foreign students, and off they went on their first solo nav.
One evening one was a bit overdue so we launched search airplanes.

Once "the lost one" found out we where looking for him he was so exited he lost it and shouted on the RT:

"Chateau, chateau, j'arrive."

(Castle, castle, I am coming.)

He was not lost at all, just enjoying the flight.

[27/09]

The best tip I can give you is to listen to what you instructor tells you. That's his/her job and that's what you're paying him/her to do.

Don't piss him/her off by telling them about a whole lot of stuff you heard about on PPRUNE.

A couple of observations from your photo. It would appear you have had no formal training on flight planning/navigation.

Why all the scale calculations to work your leg distances? One nm is one minute of one degree of latitude, so distance is easy to measure by placing your measured distance along the lines of longitude and counting the number of minutes of latitude. Or you could use a nm ruler for the scale of chart you are using. Perhaps you will be shown this as part of your preparation for the flight.

I see you have drawn the track on the chart, have you made up a navigation log with tracks and distances? Your instructor will probably advise on how he/she wants this done.

Also I would use a soft lead pencil, nicely sharpened to mark your track. It allows for you to draw track line that's not too thick and is easy to rub out when you need to use the chart again. Take advice from your instructor on this too.

Edit: A second look at you photo shows that you may have a plastic coating on your chart, if that's the case ignore my pencil comment. Also use a square protractor, it's much easier to align with the lines of latitude, longitude and your track and it gives a full 360 degrees to measure from.

[thing]

Don't piss him/her off by telling them about a whole lot of stuff you heard about on PPRuNe.

A couple of observations from your photo. It would appear you have had no formal training on flight planning/navigation.

.........

[Jan Olieslagers]

"Chateau, chateau, j'arrive."

To those who might have their concerns: at most Belgian aerodromes, R/T is quite formal and quite effective. There are exceptions though, of course, as always and everywhere, and over here we have them mostly in the South, where many things are much more relaxed.

[thing]

There is a south of Belgium? Is it big enough to have geographical areas?

Went to Oostende last year, very helpful and efficient ATC.

[Gertrude the Wombat]

There is a south of Belgium? Is it big enough to have geographical areas?

Went flying in Slovenia once. In a 1.5 hr flight the challenge wasn't to avoid infringing controlled airspace so much as to avoid accidentally crossing (several) international borders by flying in a straight line for more than a few minutes!

[2high2fastagain]

I had an unpleasant experience on my qualifying cross country when the wind which was forecast to be blowing from the north, was actually blowing from the south. The west-east leg suffered a double drift effect pushing me way too far to the north.

After that, I always set a waypoint around 6-10nm from the departing airfield and pay particular attention to where I am relative to it as I pass (both time and position). This means I can quickly get an idea of what the wind is really doing up there early on as opposed to relying on what someone forecast. I find that it makes the rest of the leg a lot less stressful.

[thing]

After that, I always set a waypoint around 6-10nm from the departing airfield

Not your fault obviously but were you never taught to do that right from the start of your xc training?

[airpolice]

If you can't see your way point when you expect, consider the possibility that you've flown right over it

Maybe even just about to fly over it. I found, more than one, turning point that had been under the engine. Having looked up just a fraction too late as they slipped under the spinner, I was searching both sides whilst they were underneath.

I also had an issue with an airfield which positioned itself on the wrong side of me, and despite lowering a wing and looking, I just couldn't see it. To save the day, my instructor pointed out that he had one on his side and we could use that as a turning point.

Enjoy the day. and let us know how you get on.

As for planning, assuming you use laminated maps, try this combo:

Sharpie pens and toilet roll. Seriously, this is even better than Chinagraphs, which I get free. Different colours, cheap n cheerful, available in Tesco. What's not to like?

As long as you give it a few seconds to dry, the lines are ideal.

[thing]

Sharpie pens and toilet roll.

Nay, surely if you get to the point where you s*** yourself before a xc it's time to pack it in.

[airpolice]

Thing, I'm trying to help him be prepared.

[airpolice]

If he is indeed going to **** himself..............

[airpolice]

Then he has the toilet roll.


If he uses it to clean up that, then He will probably not fly again, so he will not need to wipe the map. Simples.

[thing]

I acknowledge and admire your thinking sir.

[airpolice]

Likewise your achievement at finding humour in a fairly dry subject.

[thing]

There's humour in everything if you look hard enough