Cross Country Flight Planning Lesson

Navigation:

Pilotage: Navigating using visual landmarks on the ground
Dead Reckoning: Plotting magnetic headings, computing compass heading, time & distance calculations should tell how long it should take
Radio Navigation: Navigating using ground based navigation aids VORs and NDBs, they are radio transmitters that tells instruments how to locate them.
GPS Navigation: Global Positioning System, satellite navigation.

Flight Service Station (FSS):

Prior to departure you call to get standard weather briefing, after you file VFR flight plan with them. The flight plan is a safety tool, it means that someone on the ground knows where you’re going and when you’ll be in the air and they’ll expect a call on the radio or a phone call after you land to close the flight plan, otherwise they’ll find out where you are.

NOTAMs – Notices to Airmen found in the notices to airmen publication every 28 days

TFRs – Temporary Flight Restrictions (it can pop up at any time and flying through them can cause trouble)

Type of weather briefings:

Standard: this is full weather briefing. It should be obtained from FSS before departing on any flight. It is made up of the following parts: adverse conditions, sypnosis (overview), current conditions, forecast conditions, winds aloft, and NOTAMs and TFRs.
Abbreviated: this is a partial briefing covering information you request. It should be requested when you need to update information from an earlier briefing.
Outlook: this type of briefing may be requested when the planned time of departure is more than six hours into the future.

Call procedure:

Identify yourself as a pilot (airplane tail number) or if in the air you refer to the flight service station by the city name followed by the word “radio” in blue box on the sectional chart

BEST Sectional Chart Description: http://cessnachick.com/525-2/

Cruising Altitudes:

0 > 179 (East) Odd + 500
180 > 359 (West) Even + 500

Planing Tools:

skyvector.com
foreflight application (iOS)
garmin pilot (iOS & Android)
https://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ato/service_units/systemops/fs/alaskan/alaska/fai/pfpwb/
https://www.aviationweather.gov/briefing

Planing Flight using sectional:

use plotter to measure distance between 2 airports
find the closest line of longitude and line up with the whole following the bottom line and note down the true course

Magnetic north pole which lies on north eastern Canada

True north pole which marks the point where the earth center is located

Winds are reported in true degrees not magnetic.

isogonic line report magnetic variation – you subtract the magnetic variation from TC to get magnetic course.

To find out if you subtract or add the magnetic variation:

East is Least (subtract)

West is Best (add)

A sample trip planing:

check field elevation
if TPA not specified add 1000 ft
write down runway numbers and lengths
write down radio frequencies
plot to determine True Course (TC)
make in route checkpoint with airport on the way and divide the course in 2 legs
plot the course determine the distance in NM
look for isogonic line and check if west or east to know if to add or subtract
if no wind then no more corrections then write down Magnetic Course (MC)
calculate Ground Speed (GS) according to head or tail wind
calculate ETE = (60/GS) * Distance

Learn how to use and practice E6B with smartphone or mechanical

Weather Briefing Types:

Standard: complete before every flight
Abbreviated: update certain info from a previous standard briefing
Outlook: when your planned departure time is six or more hours in the future

VFR Cruising Altitudes (Hemispherical Rule):

Easterly: odd thousand + 500 ft (MSL)
Westerly: even thousand + 500 ft (MSL)
Below 3000 feet AGL the Hemispherical Rule is not mandatory

Calculating Headings:

True Course: determine using plotter and sectional
Wind Correction Angle: add or subtract from TC to yield True Heading (TH)
Magnetic Heading: add or subtract magnetic variation from TH (east is least, west is best)
Compass Heading: add or subtract deviation (from compass card) from MH

Estimated Time en Route (ETE) and Estimated Fuel Use are based on Ground Speed.

Use EB6 to calculate headwind/tailwind component and add/subtract from True Airspeed.

ETE = 60/ground speed x nautical miles

ZULU TIME:

Cross Country Flight Planning

A cross country flight is a flight to, and landing at, an airport that is a minimum of 50 nautical miles from your departure airport. As a student pilot, you are not permitted to make solo cross country flights except with a specific logbook endorsement. In fact, you must stay within a 25 nautical mile radius of your base airport while flying solo.

Cross country flights require the additional skills of:

Preflight planning to determine correct headings, times en route, and fuel consumption as well as advance research of airport and runway information for your destination airport and weather conditions that affect your flight

Navigation using pilotage and dead reckoning

Radio navigation using VORs to locate your existing position

Radio communications with airport, approach, and FSS personnel

Things you will need for flight planning:

(1) Current sectional

(2) Current AFD

(3) Plotter

(4) Flight computer (either electronic or circular slide rule type)

(5) Highlighters with small tips in different colors

(6) Paper and pencil (with good eraser)

(7) Pilots Operating Handbook or Airplane Flight Manual

(8) VFR flight planning forms

Step 1: Draw your course on the sectional using your highlighter (assume a straight line from departure to destination)

Step 2: Determine the true course (TC) using your plotter

Step 3: Correct the TC for magnetic variance to determine the magnetic course (MC)

Step 4: Correct the MC for forecasted winds at your planned altitude to yield magnetic heading (MH) Note: winds are given in true degrees, so use TC when calculating wind correction angle

Step 5: From your POH, determine your true airspeed and fuel burn in gallons per hour

Step 6: Determine total distance using your plotter

Step 7: Adjust your true airspeed for winds to determine ground speed

Step 8: Determine total estimated time enroute (ETE) based on ground speed (ETE=60/gs * nm)

Step 9: Determine total fuel burn based on total ETE

Step 10: Select visual waypoints that are easy to find along your route

Step 11: List these waypoints on your flight plan form

Step 12: Note the distance and MH between each waypoint

Step 13: Calculate and note the estimated time enroute (ETE) between each waypoint

Step 14: Calculate fuel burn required for travel between each waypoint

Step 15: Add times and fuel burns

Step 16: Confirm your accuracy: Accumulated times and fuel burns should equal the totals you calculated in Steps 8 and 9.

View Doc

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PRE FLIGHT DOCUMENTS:

The rule of the 5 Cs (LOST PROCEDURE)

Climb: Climb to the maximum safe altitude that your aircraft can fly it will help avoid collision with mountain and quickly spot landmarks and save fuel.
Communicate: Call for help make sure the transponder is on so the controllers can help you.
Confess: Admit to yourself you are lost remain calm check the instruments to see how far you are.
Comply: Don’t argue with the tower just follow their directions.
Conserve: Conserve fuel so that you are minimizing the chance of a forced landing while waiting for instructions.

The rule of the 5 Ts (APPROACH PROCEDURE)

Turn: Make your turn toward the desired heading
Time: Record time as it is part of your cross country to determine your waypoints
Twist: Consider the new OBS setting, this will be part of your navigation
Throttle: Adjust your power settings for your approach or heading
Talk: Communicate your intensions to the controller

Pilot management (EMERGENCY):

Aviate: Maintain positive control of the aircraft. Make sure you are actively flying the airplane even in case of emergency.
Navigate: Know where you are, the terrain around and below you. Do not crash on a mountain.
Communicate: contact ATC to declare your emergency be clear concise and communicate all necessary details.

Diversion Procedure:

Make the decision to divert early!
Once made, choose a prominent feature from which to carry out the diversion. This point can be ahead of you, off to one side or even behind you.
Draw a line from your divert point to your new destination.
Make all the necessary calculations – heading, distance, ETA, performance factors (drift down, terrain clearance etc) – based on this diversion point. Also, review the airspace, weather and NOTAMs for the new destination.
On arrival at your diversion point, turn onto your new heading.
Transmit your diversion intentions.
Maintain communication channel 121.5 and 123.45
Then as per normal navigation techniques to get to your destination.

Calculations:

Heading: Find two perpendicular VOR you get the from radial of each to know where you are located. Then choose a To VOR and center withe CDI to know your heading. Verify that heading incator is properly adjusted.
Distance: Use your pen and mesure it against the legend to get an idea. Then see with your pen from where you are to where you are going to get an estimated distance
Time: Divide your distance by 2 to have an idea of the time and this will depend on your plane (C152 in thisex)
Fuel: You have to know your GPH of your aircraft in this case 6 GPH so about 1.5 Gallon for 15min (C152 in this ex)

How to use E6B

Start at 100
dial wind direction
mark wind speed
dial true course
slide that mark to true airspeed
read ground speed at the center
read the mark dot to get correction
add/remove the mark dot value and add/remove magnetic variation to get the magnetic heading

Calculate weight & balance:

How to read a sectional:

How to flight plan [NAVIGATION LOG]:

MORE DETAILED –>

How to flight plan [FAA & briefer call]:

How to weight and balance:

How to plan weather briefing:

MORE RESOURCES:

ERAU Special VFR: https://youtu.be/7X8I6QTAm9Q

Pilot Training System: https://youtu.be/miXi7EU7msI

TIPS:

What to Memorize:
- AIRPORT
  - Departure Airport Frequencies (ATIS, Ground, Tower)
  - Departure Airport Taxi Map
  - All runway length and their respective TPA
- AIRCRAFT
  - Empty Weight
  - Aircraft CG
  - Usable Fuel Qty
  - Usable Oil Qty
  - Max Take Off & Landing Weight
  - Useful Load
  - Engine type, cylinder, etc
  - Fuel requirement
  - Tire inflation
  - Alternator volt & ampere
  - Battery
  - Best Glide Speed
  - Vso
  - Vs1
  - Vr
  - Vx
  - Vy
  - Va
  - Vfe
  - Vno
  - Vne
  - Vapp
- FLIGHT
  - Know heading degrees (North, East, South, West)
  - ATC communications
  - Diversion (Heading – Distance Time – Fuel Burn)
  - Power on Stall
  - Power off Stall
  - Spin (Apply rudder to opposite direction where the plane is going – Aileron Neutral – Push Yoke forward)
  - Cruise RPM – Level
  - Cruise RPM – Descent
  - Approach RPM – Level
  - Approach RPM – Descent
  - Climb on right foot:
    - 1. Pitch
    - 2. Power full (as we picth)
    - 3. Trim
  - Level:
    - 1. Pitch level
    - 2. Airspeed build up to cruise
    - 3. Power to cruise
    - 4. Trim once all stable
  - Descent on left foot:
    - 1. Power
    - 2. Pitch
    - 3. Trim
  - Manoeuver starts on downwind, look safe area, clear traffic, crusing speed
  - After rain > Carb Ice (put carb heat) -2deg per 1000feet
  - Know your approach procedure
  - Know your destination frequencies & runway TPA (how to enter)
- EMERGENCIES
  - First Reaction (A-B-C-D):
    - Carb heat on
    - A – Airspeed to best glide
    - B – Best spot to land
    - C – Checklist (Emergency) Start & Shutdown
    - D – Declare Comms
  - Frequency 121.5Mhz
  - Transponder 7700
- AIRSPACES
  - How all airspaces in your trajectory and their altitude
  - Know your VFR Minimums
    - CLASS A: IFR
    - CLASS B: 3SM | Clear of clouds
    - CLASS C & D: 3SM | 500 ft below – 1000 ft above – 2000 ft horizontal
    - CLASS E < 10,000 MSL: 3SM | 500 ft below – 1000 ft above – 2000 ft horizontal
    - CLASS E >= 10,000 MSL: 5SM | 1000 ft below – 1000 ft above – 1 sm horizontal
    - CLASS G (uncontrolled) =< 1,200 ft
      - Day: 1 SM | Clear of clouds
      - Night: 3 SM | 500 ft below – 1000 ft above – 2000 ft horizontal
    - CLASS G (uncontrolled) > 1,200 ft < 10,000 MSL
      - Day: 1 SM | 500 ft below – 1000 ft above – 2000 ft horizontal
      - Night: 3SM | 500 ft below – 1000 ft above – 2000 ft horizontal
    - CLASS G (uncontrolled) > 1,200 ft >= 10,000 MSL
      - 5 SM | 1000 ft below, 1000 ft above, 1 SM horizontal

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Cross Country Flight Planning Lesson

Cross Country Flight Planning