Navigation

When filing VFR flight plans, use the five-letter identifier as information to plot the aircraft position and then give vectors a waypoint in the route of flight section if there is an intended to a suitable landing site. If the situation becomes threatening, course change at that point or if used to describe the planned transmit the situation on the emergency frequency 121.5 MHz route of flight. This VFR filing would be similar to VOR use and set the transponder to 7700. Most facilities, and even in a route of flight. Pilots must use the VFR waypoints only airliners, monitor the emergency frequency. when operating under VFR conditions. Flight Diversion Any VFR waypoints intended for use during a flight should There may come a time when a pilot is not able to make it to be loaded into the receiver while on the ground and prior to the planned destination. This can be the result of unpredicted departure. Once airborne, pilots should avoid programming weather conditions, a system malfunction, or poor preflight routes or VFR waypoint chains into their receivers. planning. In any case, the pilot needs to be able to safely and efficiently divert to an alternate destination. Risk Pilots should be especially vigilant for other traffic while management procedures become a priority during any type operating near VFR waypoints. The same effort to see and of flight diversion and should be used the pilot. For example, avoid other aircraft near VFR waypoints is necessary, as the hazards of inadvertent VFR into IMC involve a risk that is the case when operating near VORs and NDBs. In fact, the pilot can identify and assess and then mitigate through a the increased accuracy of navigation through the use of pre-planned or in-flight diversion around hazardous weather. GPS demands even greater vigilance as there are fewer Before any cross-country flight, check the charts for airports off-course deviations among different pilots and receivers. or suitable landing areas along or near the route of flight. When operating near a VFR waypoint, use all available Also, check for navigational aids that can be used during a ATC services, even if outside a class of airspace where diversion. Risk management is explained in greater detail in communications are required. Regardless of the class of Chapter 2, Aeronautical Decision-making. airspace, monitor the available ATC frequency closely for information on other aircraft operating in the vicinity. It is Computing course, time, speed, and distance information in also a good idea to turn on landing light(s) when operating flight requires the same computations used during preflight near a VFR waypoint to make the aircraft more conspicuous planning. However, because of the limited flight deck space to other pilots, especially when visibility is reduced. and because attention must be divided between flying the aircraft, making calculations, and scanning for other aircraft, Lost Procedures take advantage of all possible shortcuts and rule-of-thumb Getting lost in flight is a potentially dangerous situation, computations. especially when low on fuel. If a pilot becomes lost, there are some good common sense procedures to follow. If a town When in flight, it is rarely practical to actually plot a course or city cannot be seen, the first thing to do is climb, being on a sectional chart and mark checkpoints and distances. mindful of traffic and weather conditions. An increase in Furthermore, because an alternate airport is usually not very far altitude increases radio and navigation reception range and from your original course, actual plotting is seldom necessary. also increases radar coverage. If flying near a town or city, it may be possible to read the name of the town on a water tower. The course to an alternate destination can be measured accurately with a protractor or plotter but can also be If the aircraft has a navigational radio, such as a VOR or ADF measured with reasonable accuracy using a straightedge receiver, it can be possible to determine position by plotting and the compass rose depicted around VOR stations. This an azimuth from two or more navigational facilities. If GPS approximation can be made on the basis of a radial from a is installed, or a pilot has a portable aviation GPS on board, nearby VOR or an airway that closely parallels the course it can be used to determine the position and the location of to your alternate destination. However, remember that the the nearest airport. magnetic heading associated with a VOR radial or printed airway is outbound from the station. To find the course to Communicate with any available facility using frequencies the station, it may be necessary to determine the reciprocal of shown on the sectional chart. If contact is made with a that heading. It is typically easier to navigate to an alternate controller, radar vectors may be offered. Other facilities may airport that has a VOR or NDB facility on the field. offer direction finding (DF) assistance. To use this procedure, the controller requests the pilot to hold down the transmit After selecting the most appropriate alternate destination, button for a few seconds and then release it. The controller approximate the magnetic course to the alternate using a may ask the pilot to change directions a few times and repeat compass rose or airway on the sectional chart. If time permits, the transmit procedure. This gives the controller enough try to start the diversion over a prominent ground feature. 16-34