Planning Training Flights - PPL

[JonCrawford80]

I want to put a little more structure behind my flights. I have about 175 hours and just started back flying last year.

Can anyone recommend ideas or resources for planning out flights that will help me practice and meaningfully improve various skills? Right now I'm just out there flying VFR but eventually I would like to work toward my IR.

Any thoughts are appreciated.

-Jon

 

[RingLaserGyroSandwich]

Have you tried planning/executing cross country flights without GPS available?

 

[JonCrawford80]

Have you tried planning/executing cross country flights without GPS available?

It is a great idea.. I've done some flights into a local VOR and back out without GPS. I could absolutely work on navigating cross country to unfamiliar locations without GPS to refresh those skills. Maybe go a step further and navigate on paper without VOR using heading and landmarks. I only hesitate because I love the added safety of using foreflight for traffic, but flight following could be the safety margin instead.

 

[TommyG]

Do some navigation work. And a a nice day, cover your attitude indicator and get used to using the other instruments to maintain level flight.

 

[Racerx]

It is a great idea.. I've done some flights into a local VOR and back out without GPS. I could absolutely work on navigating cross country to unfamiliar locations without GPS to refresh those skills. Maybe go a step further and navigate on paper without VOR using heading and landmarks. I only hesitate because I love the added safety of using foreflight for traffic, but flight following could be the safety margin instead.

If you have blue tooth headsets or audio panel capable have the ipad with you for the aural alerts but not in front of you.

 

[Dana]

Do some cross countries by pilotage alone, no navaids at all. Then try it down low, like 1000' AGL, where everything looks different and you can't see as far.

 

[455 Bravo Uniform]

Structure: Write down one or two things you want to do or practice during a given flight. Put it on an index card. Check it off when you do it and take notes in flight. Something simple like “confirm air speeds and configurations when stall indications occur - buffet, horn, etc.”. Or “VOR check”. Etc.

Your IR will be some large percentage about procedures. Get the books and some localish approach charts and do some learning in the comfort of your house.

On the flying end, remember how to and practice navigating using a CDI, if you have one.

Fly headings by hand +/- 0 degrees and altitudes +/- 0 feet (or at least try to).

Learn your various power settings at climb, level cruise, pattern entry airspeed, and 500 fpm descent. Write it down. Memorize it.

Keep using flight following. Arrange it on the ground. Arrange it while airborne.

 

[chemgeek]

Cross-countries with flight following. This will give you a chance to exercise navigation skills, especially if you use your cockpit time to verify your position on a map (moving or otherwise) with the view outside, and provide practice communicating with ATC. Find a good place to fly to scarf a meal or visit some attractions and go there and back. That's how I built hundred of VFR hours in an AA-1A, and got a lot of practical travel experience, before training for my IFR rating. If you really want to extend your skills, plan not only one-leg trips out and back, but two-leg trips, getting a bit farther afield. The purpose of a plane is to travel far more quickly than by car. It's amazing how far away you can get on a day-trip or an overnighter. I'm about 7 hours from DC by road, but it's not even a long leg in an AA-5. Making an overnight or 2-3-day excursion to do museum visits and restaurant-hopping is easy as pie, and much less stressful than driving.