Smart tips during IFR flight?

[Founder]

Does any of you guys have any smart tips you use during flight to calculate descent gradients, time, roc, rod etc?

All tips about everthing that makes flying a bit easier are welcome =)

[oncenterline]

this is a very easy one valid for any approach on a 3° descent profile:

GS x 5 = ROD

another one for flights above FL 300 and speed around M .78:

SAT = TAT - 30

and you certainly know the 1/60 rule: 1° off course results in 1NM off track after 60 NM flying
some rules of thumb are aircraft related, e.g. descent distance

[flyboyike]

Actually, no, no tips at all, I mostly just wing it.

[Rainboe]

Me too. Make too many mental calculations and your flying suffers! On centre line has it about as complicated as you want, but I'm really lazy- just half groundspeed to get ROD- much easier than 5 x calculations. And be a dab hand at ETAs- use 1/10 hour of GS and estimate, working them out in blocks of 6 minutes.

[rubik101]

Keep the blue part of the AH/AI within 30 degrees of vertical.
Keep your airspeed above 1.2 Vs.
Don't run out of fuel.
Don't get lost.

[rodthesod]

Hi, nothing to do with calculations but here's a tip if you're flying simulated IFR under a hood - 'One peep is worth a thousand scans'.

[Curtis E Carr]

Mental calculations are great up to a point. At the end of the day ........ TLAR (that looks about right)!