Learning to fly, or thinking of learning? Post your questions, comments and experiences here

Moderator: AndyR

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By TrickyWoo
#1887145
VRB_20kt wrote:Well WRT your test AIUI only one leg now needs to be completed without the aid of GPS.

Potentially helpful things for map, stopwatch and compass include:

Ensure you pick a start point for the leg where you are actually at cruising speed - it makes the stopwatch even more reliable.

The starting point for the first leg doesn't have to be at the airfield. If there's somewhere easy and unmistakeable a few miles away then get to cruise height and use that.

As ever, check with your instructor.


Brilliant!

The starting point for the first leg doesn't have to be at the airfield. If there's somewhere easy and unmistakeable a few miles away then get to cruise height and use that.


This is so good - I always go up and leave from the centre of the runway overhead but at the same time i'm still getting into the 'feel' of being up again. Next time I'll use somewhere I know really well which points in directions I know too. Great!

You can use a part of the airframe as a reference marker - eg the strut on a C150/152.


I'm not sure I quite get this one. Like using the wing to start a base turn?

Fly slightly to the right of the line on the chart (airspace permitting) - it puts everything of interest in the front left quadrant.


Yep did this in low-level nav. So much fun. One of the highlights. Loved it and so easy! Sort of a 'ha look at you standing there on the platform.' :-)

Try to set a cruise speed of 90kt - it makes the maths a lot easier.


Why didn't I know this?! Awesome tip.

In most training aircraft, anything just on the nose is about 3 miles away - about two minutes.


I'll try this too.

Thank you.
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By VRB_20kt
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1887156
TrickyWoo wrote:
You can use a part of the airframe as a reference marker - eg the strut on a C150/152.

I'm not sure I quite get this one. Like using the wing to start a base turn?


Use it as a marker for when to start the timer and for when the destination is reached. There is sometimes a tendency to start the watch early. Having a reasonably precise point at the start improves the likelihood of arriving on time.
T6Harvard liked this
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By lobstaboy
#1887170
Although feature crawling is a no-no (zig zagging all over the place), it can be very helpful to have preselected visual references every 5-10 miles. These will allow you to have a running sense of the accuracy of your heading and timings. Importantly these won't be exactly on track, but that's ok. "At 15 minutes I should be passing a medium sized town with a river and railway about 3 miles to port. Oh yes, there it is!" And so on...
Remember to use visual references that have at least three identifying features - rivers, towns, large roads and coastlines are good
- railways are ok, and woods should be but can change shape
- high ground is good if you're in the right place
- disused airfields can be confusing because they're not all on the chart so you'll see ones you don't expect and expect to see others that have all but disappeared. Grass airfields are invisible!

I'm also a great believer in using remote start points. Everything is much calmer.
derekf liked this
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