Smart tips during IFR flight?
 

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 =)

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

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

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.

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.

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'.

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