The mechanics of (and "tips" for) the Navigation phase

This is the phase where most of the points can be gained so please study this section thoroughly.

During the navigation phase (a course of 100 statute miles), the navigating itself won't be very difficult in terms of finding the Waypoints.  We've purposely allowed the use of GPS for two important reasons: firstly it's the way everyone navigates in this day and age and, we saw no value in making crews navigate the old-fashioned-way for no good reason.  Secondly and perhaps more importantly, we were unable to secure maps that were sufficiently accurate and detailed for the task.

At the crews' Saturday briefing, each crew will be required to complete an entry form.  On this form you will be required to nominate your ground-speed for the entire Navigation phase, in increments of 5 m.p.h. (i.e. 95, or 100, or 105, etc.).  This means you nominate one number and this will be the GS to which you will try to adhere between each Waypoint.  The skill in navigation and piloting will be to maintain this ground-speed regardless of wind direction and strength throughout the course.  Points will then be deducted at each Waypoint for every second you are early/late, as measured by the ground observers at each WP.  For example, assume you're flying from Waypoint 7 to Waypoint 8 and that you've nominated a GS of 90 mph (i.e. 1.5 miles per minute).  If the distance between the two Waypoints is 12 miles, then this leg should take you 8 minutes, exactly.  If you were to arrive after 8 mins and 20 secs, you would incur 20 penalty points.  If you were to arrive early after 7 minutes and 35 seconds, you'd incur 25 penalty points.


Prior to departure from EFC, each crew will be given the lat/longs and photographs of all the Waypoints for the course and your timing will begin at your allotted take-off time - don't be late!  At each Waypoint you'll be required to make a note of the ground symbol, note your time overhead (as a check against the grounds observers' timing) and, you'll need to calculate your new heading and airspeed (allowing for wind strength and drift) ....... sound easy?  It isn't.


Throughout the course we will not throw you any curved balls but, we will keep you pretty busy in the cockpit.   Remember, the point of this exercise is to sharpen our flying/navigation skills and, to have fun.


Please remember to keep a very good lookout at all times around the course for ground objects (there are plenty of masts) and, other aircraft - you know that there are two other aircraft within +/- ten minutes of you.


Tip 1:  Nominate a GS that is roughly halfway between your aircraft's stall speed and the maximum level flight speed.
Tip 2:  In flight the pilot will (obviously) need to vary the airspeed - practice flying trimmed at these different speeds.
Tip 3:  Practice some mental dead-reckoning for wind-drift calculations.
Tip 4:  You will need to enter Lat/Longs into your GPS in a short time so, make sure you know how to do it, quickly. 
Tip 5:  Tie everything down in the cockpit - in practice we were always dropping pens, stopwatches, pieces of paper, etc.

Tip 6:  Trikes and open-cockpit aircraft especially - use knee-boards.  You will need to read and write during the flight.
Tip 7:  Set your GPS so that Ground Speed can be read.
Tip 8:  On approaching a Waypoint, steer to one side when a short distance away - otherwise the symbol will pass under your nose and you won't see it! 
Tip 9:  Practice

Each crew will need: a GPS, one knee-board each (especially for open-cockpit aircraft), a method for writing notes, a map of the area (legal requirement) and, a clear head.


We will not.....

......Inundate you with in-flight paperwork - you will only need to carry one piece of paper that will be available in A4 and A5.  We know what it's like to try and fly a trike or a Quicksilver with bits of paper floating around.

......Take you into controlled airspace other than crossing U-Tapao's center-line or, into any Danger/Prohibited Areas. 


......Give you a route that requires you to take a reciprocal headings so, if you find yourselves backtracking, you know you've made an error.