Chart Handling
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Chart Handling
Hi all newbie so be gentle! I am currently training for my PPL in an R22 and have recently started my NavEx's on my third sortie at the weekend I had all sorts of troube with my chart which kept slipping around and causing general distraction. I tried moving my kneeboard to me left leg but felt that would impede my cyclic control and thought about clipping the chart to the kneeboard on my right but wasn't comfortable doing that either as it was a faff trying to turn it round so I could look at it the right way round and keep control of my flying. I am OK with the Navigating itself its just the map (and partly my radio) that is spooking me enough to make me think twice about solo navex's.....
What do you guys do as a rule with your chart when flying in small single engine heli's?
What do you guys do as a rule with your chart when flying in small single engine heli's?
Ricardo, most will probably say they follow the GPS!
If you can fold your map so it is an easier size to handle, that can help - you could hold the map in your cyclic hand between your thumb and the cyclic.
Or - note the next event on your route and the time (crossing a road and railway at 4 mins 30 secs for example) then tuck the map under your leg and look out and fly your drift corrected heading accurately - then with 30 secs to go, pull out your map and check your position and time. If you are on time and on track then great - note the next event and repeat the process. if you are off track or early/late - make a sensible adjustment and then continue as before.
Another tip is from your start point, try and identify a feature that is on your track (whether it is a building, natural feature, an odd shaped wood, whatever) and fly to it - when you get there, repeat the process.
If you find you need to look at the map constantly then you are map reading, not navigating - route study is important!
Remember - Aviate, Navigate, Communicate
If you can fold your map so it is an easier size to handle, that can help - you could hold the map in your cyclic hand between your thumb and the cyclic.
Or - note the next event on your route and the time (crossing a road and railway at 4 mins 30 secs for example) then tuck the map under your leg and look out and fly your drift corrected heading accurately - then with 30 secs to go, pull out your map and check your position and time. If you are on time and on track then great - note the next event and repeat the process. if you are off track or early/late - make a sensible adjustment and then continue as before.
Another tip is from your start point, try and identify a feature that is on your track (whether it is a building, natural feature, an odd shaped wood, whatever) and fly to it - when you get there, repeat the process.
If you find you need to look at the map constantly then you are map reading, not navigating - route study is important!
Remember - Aviate, Navigate, Communicate
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Get yourself a clip.
If youŽre wearing an overall-there should be a pocket or pen pocket on your left leg....slide the clip in-itŽll hold the map.
If youŽre flying in jeans-get yourself a strap.
YouŽll find them in any Aviation Shop that sells pilots equipment....
The strap wraps around your leg-slide the clip (or even a pen or a pocket knife with a clip) under the strap-there you have your map holder!
If youŽre wearing an overall-there should be a pocket or pen pocket on your left leg....slide the clip in-itŽll hold the map.
If youŽre flying in jeans-get yourself a strap.
YouŽll find them in any Aviation Shop that sells pilots equipment....
The strap wraps around your leg-slide the clip (or even a pen or a pocket knife with a clip) under the strap-there you have your map holder!
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No need for clips if you're navigating properly. Identify your waypoint, note course and time to next (or next en route), put map away, concentrate on flying, pick map up again an appropriate time before that waypoint.
Map on knee as said above isn't navigating, its track crawling. It's pretty basic, don't they teach this any more?
Map on knee as said above isn't navigating, its track crawling. It's pretty basic, don't they teach this any more?
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Funny, just had this discussion with my youngest, who is embarking on her training seems like she is at the same stage as you.
I find that with the map properly folded, a large bulldog clip holds the map into correct shape. The shape of the package, and the weight of the clip, make it easier to handle.
As Crab says, though, if you are constantly looking at the map for anything but a track crawl exercise (which is map reading, I suppose) are you sure you have your mind focussed on the right thing? When you don't need to actually look at the map, put it down or give it to your instructor to hold.
I know when I started navigation I was fixated on knowing exactly where I was on the map at all times. As a result my DR navigation was poor as I did not hold heading and speed accurately. When I got used to using DR techniques - way-point / set heading & speed, hold for [time] and then check for drift and alter heading / recalibrate arrival accordingly - I spent less time looking at the map amd more time flying the helicopter, so I became more accurate. I also found that I still knew where I was!
For things like places where a frequency change is required, I have them marked on the map but (as Crab says) take a note of features from the map then "eyes outside" and you will not miss the change over place.
Good luck, and enjoy!
EDIT [AB posted whilst I typed! Still, happy to find I agreed with an old ex..]
I find that with the map properly folded, a large bulldog clip holds the map into correct shape. The shape of the package, and the weight of the clip, make it easier to handle.
As Crab says, though, if you are constantly looking at the map for anything but a track crawl exercise (which is map reading, I suppose) are you sure you have your mind focussed on the right thing? When you don't need to actually look at the map, put it down or give it to your instructor to hold.
I know when I started navigation I was fixated on knowing exactly where I was on the map at all times. As a result my DR navigation was poor as I did not hold heading and speed accurately. When I got used to using DR techniques - way-point / set heading & speed, hold for [time] and then check for drift and alter heading / recalibrate arrival accordingly - I spent less time looking at the map amd more time flying the helicopter, so I became more accurate. I also found that I still knew where I was!
For things like places where a frequency change is required, I have them marked on the map but (as Crab says) take a note of features from the map then "eyes outside" and you will not miss the change over place.
Good luck, and enjoy!
EDIT [AB posted whilst I typed! Still, happy to find I agreed with an old ex..]
Last edited by John R81; 17th Dec 2012 at 13:45.
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Thanks everyone. I kinda guessed that would be the case. My heading holds seem pretty good at the moment and for whoever asked above we are doing heading holds and also track crawls as a bit of a mixture.
I wonder if maybe we are consulting the map too often to drum home picking out the ground features against whats on the map, and maybe as I get more experience this won't be done to quite that extent and relieve the pressure a bit......
Actually find myself track crawling when I'm meant to be heading holding (as I can see where I'm going) but apparently I need to make sure I don't do that for my check flight......
Still loving the whole experience even though on occasion it can be quite a challenge. Have order a knee clip to see how that goes.....
I wonder if maybe we are consulting the map too often to drum home picking out the ground features against whats on the map, and maybe as I get more experience this won't be done to quite that extent and relieve the pressure a bit......
Actually find myself track crawling when I'm meant to be heading holding (as I can see where I'm going) but apparently I need to make sure I don't do that for my check flight......
Still loving the whole experience even though on occasion it can be quite a challenge. Have order a knee clip to see how that goes.....
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Preparation of the chart itself is important too.
fwiw my technique was this. Buy unfolded charts. Trim the borders off the chart to leave the lat/long on the extreme edges (simply to reduce its size to minimum) and fold it in half along the long axis, printed surface outwards. Keeping the first long fold in place, fold in half along the short axis. Without moving the chart now halve each of the resulting panels by folding them back so the ends meet at the centre fold. You now need to think a moment which way you need to fold each resulting (keeping the original long-axis fold in place all the time) to halve them too, and you'll end up with a fanfold. The folded chart will now be 1/16th the area of the original, 8 panels on each side. This is small enough to have two panels open at the same time if needed and can be further loosely folded in half acrossways in the air without putting a crease in it. This makes manipulating even a half Mill a one-handed job.
If my description doesn't make sense follow it through on a piece of A4. Believe me, its worth the effort. This works with any chart thats more or less rectangular, 50,000 (helilanes) 250,000 and 500,000. If you need the crib cut it out and stick it on the back where it doesn't interfere with the folds, and magic mark the edition number and date on the back too if that came off with the border. There's no reason why you can't vary the number of folds - a six panel fold is not so easy but perfectly doable if it gives you a better panel size. Up to you.
Pens. Wax crayons are a pain. Use Staedtler (?) Lumocolour indelible overhead projector pens. Solid dense ink, stands out well, colour available if you want to use them, won't rub off by mistake. Comes off with a wipe of meths and a rag. (from plastic faced charts of course!)
Hope this helps.
fwiw my technique was this. Buy unfolded charts. Trim the borders off the chart to leave the lat/long on the extreme edges (simply to reduce its size to minimum) and fold it in half along the long axis, printed surface outwards. Keeping the first long fold in place, fold in half along the short axis. Without moving the chart now halve each of the resulting panels by folding them back so the ends meet at the centre fold. You now need to think a moment which way you need to fold each resulting (keeping the original long-axis fold in place all the time) to halve them too, and you'll end up with a fanfold. The folded chart will now be 1/16th the area of the original, 8 panels on each side. This is small enough to have two panels open at the same time if needed and can be further loosely folded in half acrossways in the air without putting a crease in it. This makes manipulating even a half Mill a one-handed job.
If my description doesn't make sense follow it through on a piece of A4. Believe me, its worth the effort. This works with any chart thats more or less rectangular, 50,000 (helilanes) 250,000 and 500,000. If you need the crib cut it out and stick it on the back where it doesn't interfere with the folds, and magic mark the edition number and date on the back too if that came off with the border. There's no reason why you can't vary the number of folds - a six panel fold is not so easy but perfectly doable if it gives you a better panel size. Up to you.
Pens. Wax crayons are a pain. Use Staedtler (?) Lumocolour indelible overhead projector pens. Solid dense ink, stands out well, colour available if you want to use them, won't rub off by mistake. Comes off with a wipe of meths and a rag. (from plastic faced charts of course!)
Hope this helps.
Last edited by Agaricus bisporus; 17th Dec 2012 at 17:41.
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When I flew unstabilised helicopters I used to slip my chart under my right shoulder strap, just above the QRB.
Obviously, I folded it first.
Obviously, I folded it first.
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Hi friend,
I have the best solution to the knee pad issue. This is cheap, reliable and workable. See it on my blog at
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I have the best solution to the knee pad issue. This is cheap, reliable and workable. See it on my blog at
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Many moons ago I did my training out of Perth in Australia where it was too hot to pilot the R22 with the doors on.
Maps and bits of paper are a nightmare in that scenario.
Maps and bits of paper are a nightmare in that scenario.
Last edited by Ye Olde Pilot; 18th Dec 2012 at 10:05.
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I have developed an alternative to using full size charts ("Sectionals" in the U.S.). I use Jeppesen FliteStar software for flight planning, and this is capable of printing what are called "strip charts." These show the planned route and a bit on either side of the route, the actual geography shown depending on the scale selected for printing the chart. The strip charts show similar detail to the sectional chart and are printed in a size equivalent to Jepp approach charts, with as many sheets as needed to cover the entire route. I punch these with a 7 hole punch in the same way that Jepp approach charts are punched and attach them with rings to small knee board. The pages can then be turned as the acft progresses along the route. Sounds complicated but it usually takes no more than three minutes to accomplish. I do also carry a full size chart within reach, but have never needed to reference it in flight. This solution depends on having software that will print the strip charts - not sure what might be available for your area. If your route of flight changes substantially once underway, not so useful.
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Clips, the type you can get from a technical drawing/artists shop to secure cartridge paper onto a board. They have a turned up bit on the end so you can slide the chart underneath with little problem. Navigation is all very well but when ATC ask your position or position with reference to a point, you need to know roughly where you are. Telling them 13 mins from your last waypoint 'aint gonna cut it.
Last edited by Sloppy Link; 18th Dec 2012 at 15:05.
