I'm lost! A Surivivors Guide.
Join Date: Feb 1999
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My visual navigation is pants. The main problem is using the 1:500K scale map. It's much easier to use the 250K, since for proper visual navigation, you need to see much more than the occasional VRP (which I can never normally figure out on the larger scale map).
If you must, plan the route via obvious sights: lakes, funny shaped towns, big aiports like EGLL. (OK so the last one is not such a good idea).
I've avoided a GPS. There are plenty of ways to get around on radials and the like. Buy a Jepesson flight guide, which will have the correct radials for the approach to all airfields.
You might want to get IMC rated too.
If you must, plan the route via obvious sights: lakes, funny shaped towns, big aiports like EGLL. (OK so the last one is not such a good idea).
I've avoided a GPS. There are plenty of ways to get around on radials and the like. Buy a Jepesson flight guide, which will have the correct radials for the approach to all airfields.
You might want to get IMC rated too.
This is an extract of the lost procedure out of my syllabus from when I was a CFI.
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a. Aircraft established in endurance configuration;
b. Check made of fuel endurance and if low, action considered for a possible precautionary search and landing;
c. Intentions notified to ATC or FS;
d. Check made of compass and DI accuracy;
e. Check made of flight planned heading and ETA for accuracy;
f. Assessment made of probable track made good;
g. D/R position calculated;
h. Search made of most probable position;
i. Climb made to a higher altitude if necessary to increase map reading range of vision;
j. Track made to a known prominent feature if unable to pinpoint or fix position, or reciprocal heading steered to return to the last fix.
k. Assistance sought from ATC or FS if required; and
l. Use made of radio navaids.
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a. Aircraft established in endurance configuration;
b. Check made of fuel endurance and if low, action considered for a possible precautionary search and landing;
c. Intentions notified to ATC or FS;
d. Check made of compass and DI accuracy;
e. Check made of flight planned heading and ETA for accuracy;
f. Assessment made of probable track made good;
g. D/R position calculated;
h. Search made of most probable position;
i. Climb made to a higher altitude if necessary to increase map reading range of vision;
j. Track made to a known prominent feature if unable to pinpoint or fix position, or reciprocal heading steered to return to the last fix.
k. Assistance sought from ATC or FS if required; and
l. Use made of radio navaids.
Why do it if it's not fun?
Join Date: Jul 2001
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Tinstaafl,
Surely if you're not where you should be, steering a reciprical heading won't get you back to the last fix? At best, it will leave you the same distance from you last fix as you currently are from your intended position. At worst, if there's a strong, unforecast wind, for example, you'll be twice as far from your last fix as you currently are from your intended position. The only time I can see that this would work is if you steered an incorrect heading, and you knew what heading you'd steered - but in that case, surely you're not lost, you're just not where you intended to be? 
All your other points are excellent though. Especially climbing for a better view (as long as the cloud-base allows) - don't think anyone else had mentioned that one yet.
FFF
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Track made to a known prominent feature if unable to pinpoint or fix position, or reciprocal heading steered to return to the last fix.
All your other points are excellent though. Especially climbing for a better view (as long as the cloud-base allows) - don't think anyone else had mentioned that one yet.
FFF
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Join Date: Jun 2002
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I'm Lost?
Sennadog,
The suggestions so far have been right on the mark. But the most important thing to do is to ADMIT that you are lost then effectively and efficently work out the situation.
Being an air traffic controller I've had many pilots call on frequency that were lost, getting lost is not limited to general aviaition pilots so don't ever become embarrased when you do get lost. Just last year I had a military C17 at FL310 call on lost due to an electrical failure.
Air Traffic Controllers utilize the following methods to locate a lost pilot listed in order of preference is: Radar Identification, VOR orientation, DF equipment (which is not as available as it use to be) prominant land marks (lakes, highways, buildings, etc), another aircraft (someone hopefully with DF).
I can not stress enough the importance of recognizing that you are in a situation (lost) soon enough and asking for help.
Mike
The suggestions so far have been right on the mark. But the most important thing to do is to ADMIT that you are lost then effectively and efficently work out the situation.
Being an air traffic controller I've had many pilots call on frequency that were lost, getting lost is not limited to general aviaition pilots so don't ever become embarrased when you do get lost. Just last year I had a military C17 at FL310 call on lost due to an electrical failure.
Air Traffic Controllers utilize the following methods to locate a lost pilot listed in order of preference is: Radar Identification, VOR orientation, DF equipment (which is not as available as it use to be) prominant land marks (lakes, highways, buildings, etc), another aircraft (someone hopefully with DF).
I can not stress enough the importance of recognizing that you are in a situation (lost) soon enough and asking for help.
Mike
Join Date: Aug 2000
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At the risk of being shot down by fellow PpruNers who are no doubt far better navigators than I , I just cannot understand why so many people are so scathing about GPS. It is a wonderful piece of modern technology and a very accurate aid to navigation. Not designed to replace a chart nor eyeball. But used in conjuction with said items, much easier to interprete and use than for example an ADF - and quite likely to be much more accurate as well.
I am not IR rated but do have an IMC rating so have done a modest amount of instrument flying.
If one uses the GPS to do no more than verify position using the moving map - does it look the same with the chart you are holding and the countrywide you are seeing (?), then it adds an enormous amount to peace of mind and at least in 96% of the time (according to some study in the UK that I vaguely recall reading recently), accuracy, as to one's location.
Like any aid to naigation, GPS is not 100% reliable. Neither though is ADF - VOR probably usually better that ADF I will admit. But just as GPS units can fail, so to can one's traditional nav instruments.
I too subscribe to the view that if you can afford to buy a simple GPS unit and have the smarts to take time to learn to use it quickly and efficiently, why wouldn't you?
I am not IR rated but do have an IMC rating so have done a modest amount of instrument flying.
If one uses the GPS to do no more than verify position using the moving map - does it look the same with the chart you are holding and the countrywide you are seeing (?), then it adds an enormous amount to peace of mind and at least in 96% of the time (according to some study in the UK that I vaguely recall reading recently), accuracy, as to one's location.
Like any aid to naigation, GPS is not 100% reliable. Neither though is ADF - VOR probably usually better that ADF I will admit. But just as GPS units can fail, so to can one's traditional nav instruments.
I too subscribe to the view that if you can afford to buy a simple GPS unit and have the smarts to take time to learn to use it quickly and efficiently, why wouldn't you?
Join Date: Jul 2002
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Probably stating the bleedin' obvious, but:
1/ accurate ETAs, or at least ETEs for checkpoints - so many folk have no idea when the 'fix' is coming up either looking too soon and worrying when it's not there, or too late and it's beeehiind yooou....
2/ Before you go think about line features (ie you can't miss them!) that you can fly toward and then follow until some positive ID-able feature turns up.
3/Always use at least 3 unique features to positively ID a checkpoint
4/ Draw a small diagram on the 1/2 mil of the runway layout next to your destination AD if you might have difficulty orientating
5/Practice makes perfect!
And finally if the vis is less than 5k, visual nav with compass, clock and map is going to concentrate the mind.
1/ accurate ETAs, or at least ETEs for checkpoints - so many folk have no idea when the 'fix' is coming up either looking too soon and worrying when it's not there, or too late and it's beeehiind yooou....
2/ Before you go think about line features (ie you can't miss them!) that you can fly toward and then follow until some positive ID-able feature turns up.
3/Always use at least 3 unique features to positively ID a checkpoint
4/ Draw a small diagram on the 1/2 mil of the runway layout next to your destination AD if you might have difficulty orientating
5/Practice makes perfect!
And finally if the vis is less than 5k, visual nav with compass, clock and map is going to concentrate the mind.
Flies for fun
Join Date: Feb 2000
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I was happily flying on a Lowrance Airmap GPS when a "position lost" message appeared on the screen. I was flying along a mountain range looking for a particular mountain pass in limited vis. Kept on the same course waiting for the GPS to "rediscover" it's position but it didn't!!!!!!! Because restricted airspace was around me, I did a 121.5 call and was vectored to an airport by ATC.
I learned some lessons that day: 1. Never rely solely upon GPS navigation, use VOR's or VFR navigation in future as secondary back up! 2. When the current position is "lost" note time and airspeed for a rough calculation on approximate position later - at 120kts., 15 minutes here or there is a lot of distance! As it was, I had been lost longer than I had guessed and my position was actually over the map fold so looking for my position on the VFR chart was futile anyway because I simply wasn't even close to where I had estimated to be.
Don't rely on GPS, it simply isn't infallable.
I learned some lessons that day: 1. Never rely solely upon GPS navigation, use VOR's or VFR navigation in future as secondary back up! 2. When the current position is "lost" note time and airspeed for a rough calculation on approximate position later - at 120kts., 15 minutes here or there is a lot of distance! As it was, I had been lost longer than I had guessed and my position was actually over the map fold so looking for my position on the VFR chart was futile anyway because I simply wasn't even close to where I had estimated to be.
Don't rely on GPS, it simply isn't infallable.
Join Date: Aug 2000
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Only two things to add to the good stuff:
1. Get lost early - getting lost later is much more lost! (FFF's threshold of second missed waypoint sounds sensible)
2. (aeros people): Assuming you can't cage DI gyro, drill yourself into DI reset after the fun and games. All too easy to think "hey, I just went out to the practice area, now that I know I'm still there, I'll just point the DI and go home!
Note 2 is primarily aimed at me, I don't have a drill for this yet and so this topic reminds me I've got something to fix.
1. Get lost early - getting lost later is much more lost! (FFF's threshold of second missed waypoint sounds sensible)
2. (aeros people): Assuming you can't cage DI gyro, drill yourself into DI reset after the fun and games. All too easy to think "hey, I just went out to the practice area, now that I know I'm still there, I'll just point the DI and go home!
Note 2 is primarily aimed at me, I don't have a drill for this yet and so this topic reminds me I've got something to fix.
Join Date: Oct 2001
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Sensible:
I have used two Lowrance Airmaps for the past seven years or so, their reliability has been fantastic.
To address the mountain issue I have used them in the Alps, the pyrnees in Spain, the Canadian Rocky mountains and all the way to the southern United States, the Andean range in South America and every major mountain range in Africa. Never had a terrain caused loss of position.
Where was your GPS antenna? Could be it was not seeing enough of the sky?
Chuck E...
I have used two Lowrance Airmaps for the past seven years or so, their reliability has been fantastic.
To address the mountain issue I have used them in the Alps, the pyrnees in Spain, the Canadian Rocky mountains and all the way to the southern United States, the Andean range in South America and every major mountain range in Africa. Never had a terrain caused loss of position.
Where was your GPS antenna? Could be it was not seeing enough of the sky?
Chuck E...
Flies for fun
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Chuck, I was using the antenna detached from the GPS with the window sticker. I was flying a PA28 181 and I placed the antenna close to the bottom of the windshield. Wether it was electrical interference from the engine or the fact that the antenna was not flat I don't know. Another issue was the fact that after I had left the airport, I didn't need the GPS until the pass because I only needed to follow the mountains. After "position lost" message, a while later "GPS cold start" message appeared and it may be that the GPS was unable to orient itself again because of either the continual shift of aircraft position or the electrical interference from the engine. Usually and since, I leave the antenna attached to the GPS which is in turn attached to the to the yoke in the right hand seat.
S
S
Join Date: Oct 2001
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I would always try one of the following:-
- Stop at a petrol station and ask (most of them have a road atlas);
- Fly low enough to read road signs;
- Throw a note out to someone, which encourages them to write down their answer and throw it back to you;
- Ditto the above, but ask them to paint your location on the tarmac of a local car park;
- Use D&D
They'll triangulate your radio transmission, rather than spot you on radar, giving you a spot-on position.
It's a toughy, but one of the above will serve you well. The decision as to which one (when you really are lost) is up to you.
And all you helo bods out there can stop looking smug about being able to use the first one.
- Stop at a petrol station and ask (most of them have a road atlas);
- Fly low enough to read road signs;
- Throw a note out to someone, which encourages them to write down their answer and throw it back to you;
- Ditto the above, but ask them to paint your location on the tarmac of a local car park;
- Use D&D
They'll triangulate your radio transmission, rather than spot you on radar, giving you a spot-on position. It's a toughy, but one of the above will serve you well. The decision as to which one (when you really are lost) is up to you.
And all you helo bods out there can stop looking smug about being able to use the first one.
Join Date: Oct 2001
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Sensible:
The Lowrance Airmap will sometimes have difficulty finding the satellites if for some reason it loses them, especially if there is a big position change. The cold start message is your clue, what you do is shut off the GPS and re start it thereby rebooting its computer and it will very quickly pick up the satellites as long as the antenna is able to see them.
I always position my antennas so they can see all the sky and have only had two temporary signal losses in tens of thousands of miles of flying. One loss was approaching Bamaco Mali in Africa and the other one was near Bordeaux France. In both cases recapture of the satellites was less than thirty seconds.
I also mount my GPS's on the insrrument panel glareshield which puts them in the line of sight like a headsup display, thus no need of looking down to read them.
I run an Anywheremap on one side and a Lowrance Airmap on the other side.
Bulletproof navigation...... Far better than the steam guages in the airplane panel. ( Of course we use all the airplane Nav. aids so as to be legal and have " ALL "the info to work with. )
And before anyone gives me any of that crap about how to navigate with a map and Abaccus forget it, I have been flying IFR since 1957.
Cat Driver:
The Lowrance Airmap will sometimes have difficulty finding the satellites if for some reason it loses them, especially if there is a big position change. The cold start message is your clue, what you do is shut off the GPS and re start it thereby rebooting its computer and it will very quickly pick up the satellites as long as the antenna is able to see them.
I always position my antennas so they can see all the sky and have only had two temporary signal losses in tens of thousands of miles of flying. One loss was approaching Bamaco Mali in Africa and the other one was near Bordeaux France. In both cases recapture of the satellites was less than thirty seconds.
I also mount my GPS's on the insrrument panel glareshield which puts them in the line of sight like a headsup display, thus no need of looking down to read them.
I run an Anywheremap on one side and a Lowrance Airmap on the other side.
Bulletproof navigation...... Far better than the steam guages in the airplane panel. ( Of course we use all the airplane Nav. aids so as to be legal and have " ALL "the info to work with. )
And before anyone gives me any of that crap about how to navigate with a map and Abaccus forget it, I have been flying IFR since 1957.
Cat Driver:
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I too subscribe to the view that if you can afford to buy a simple GPS unit and have the smarts to take time to learn to use it quickly and efficiently, why wouldn't you?
I went to pick up my aircraft with the fellow who was going to instruct me to get my licence back. Wanting to appear a good-goody eager beaver I said I wouldn't bother bringing my newly-purchased GPS as between the two of us I was sure we'd be able to map read it. His response was, broadly: "Bollocks to that, I'm bringing mine then!" He first soloed in about 1950 and has been flying continually -- RAF, BOAC and GA -- ever since. People like this know what they're talking about and have no patience with all this pussy-footing about. When you need to know where you are, you need to know where you are and it is appropriate to use any means, fair or apparently foul, to do so.
QDM
Jeez, Chuck, 
Don't mention a bloody abacus. If the UK CAA &/or JAA hear of it they'll want to include it in their syllabus & exams.
BTW, do you find the straight side of the frame handy for drawing in your tracks?
Don't mention a bloody abacus. If the UK CAA &/or JAA hear of it they'll want to include it in their syllabus & exams.
BTW, do you find the straight side of the frame handy for drawing in your tracks?
FFF,
Flying into an area of minimal (or no!) defining features it's usual to fly to a point where a good fix can be gained then proceed by DR from there.
There are times in remote areas where the most optimal place to obtain a fresh fix is at, or in the vicinity of, the last fix.
Even if the wind is 20kts, after 30 mins the most you can be away is 10nm.
Flying into an area of minimal (or no!) defining features it's usual to fly to a point where a good fix can be gained then proceed by DR from there.
There are times in remote areas where the most optimal place to obtain a fresh fix is at, or in the vicinity of, the last fix.
Even if the wind is 20kts, after 30 mins the most you can be away is 10nm.
