Advanced Navigation Course

This is a unique course developed for those who wish to undertake more challenging cross-country flights and boost their confidence in navigation. The course includes the following topics:

  • A re-cap of traditional navigation methods including ‘dead-reckoning’ and radio navigation methods
  • Some practical short cuts and tips for re-gaining track, diversions and weather avoidance which are simpler than the text-book methods
  • More advanced use of radio nav-aids
  • Different modes of GPS navigation
  • Contingency planning for GPS failure
  • Navigating close to and through controlled airspace, using 3 different methods: GPS, VOR radial ‘fences’ and visual anchor points
  • RT technique for controlled airspace, to maximise your chance of getting your requested zone transit

The course is typically 6-8 hours of briefings, part of which can be self-study, with 2-3 navigation flights of 1 to 1.5 hours each. The flight routes can be tailored to the pilot’s future requirements.

 

VFR PLOG’s

One of the keys to successful navigation is to have a well laid-out PLOG. Our PLOG’s include a number of best practice elements:

    • Clear layout with ample space for notes
    • Planning calculations concealed during flight for clarity and to avoid confusion
    • No need to transcribe information from one part of the sheet to another (hence avoiding errors)
    • Record of MSA (minimum safe altitude), Planned altitude and max altitude (to avoid infringing controlled airspace)
    • Room to make notes in flight
    • Fuel use tracking
    • Room to record clearance adjacent to the corresponding radio frequency
    • A journey log section to comply with EASA requirements to record crew names, call-sign, times etc.

We offer two tools to help. The Integrated VFR planner, contains all the planning calculations and an Operational PLOG, plus forecast weather, a fuel plan, weight and balance and take-off / landing performance.
Integrated-VFR-planner-v2

For situations where a W&B, and take-off performance calculations are not required or are done in another way, the simpler VFR PLOG just contains planning calculations, an Operational PLOG / Journey Log, plus forecast weather and a fuel plan.
VFR-PLOG