A large part of anyones helicopter flying training is spent on training for Navigation. Navigation is an acquired skill and takes practice. throughout your skills test you will have to carry out a navigation diversion. Navigation diversions can be the most intimidating part of a License Skills Test (LST) but I am going to divulge to you a technique that I use with all of my students and it works exceedingly well totally.
I will assume that you are capable of doing regular navigation flight planning and can additionally fly an altitude and heading in the course of flight.
During the navigation portion of the LST, your examiner will, at several stage(s), tell you that he wants you to divert to an altered destination. One that you have not planned for. There are a few things you must do before you head of blindly on a rough heading.
Ahead of the flight, you will beforehand have drawn an exorbitant arrow on your chart showing where the wind is coming from and highlighted the wind speed and direction on the arrow.
You will also previously have prepared the crosswind component for the wind at 30 degree intervals relative to the helicopter and sketched a schedule on your chart.
E.g. 1: If the wind is 15 kts and is on your 12 o'clock, there is no crosswind component and therefore no course correction to make but your ground speed is reduced by 15 kts.
E.g. 2: If the wind is 15 kts and is on your 1 o'clock, there is a (1/3 airspeed) 5 kt crosswind component (15 / 3 = 5) and a 5 degree course correction is mandatory. ground speed is reduced by 10 kts (2/3 airspeed) ((15 / 3) x 2 = 10).
E.g. 3: If the wind is 15 kts and is on your 2 o'clock, there is a (2/3 airspeed) 10 kt crosswind component ((15/3) x 2 = 10) and a 10 degree course correction is called for. ground speed is reduced by 5 kts (1/3 airspeed) (15 / 3 = 5).
E.g. 4: If the wind is 15 kts and is on your 3 o'clock, there is a (3/3 airspeed) 15 kt crosswind component ((15/3) x 3 = 15) and a 15 degree course correction is imperative. Ground speed is not affected in the course of the leg as there is no head/tail wind.
1. Determine a point on the soil that you can work with as a reference point while you do your planning for the diversion. Fly in a wide circle around that point or fly towards that actual point if it is further away (during the time you do your navigation diversion planning). Apprise your examiner what you are performing.
2. Draft a rough line on your chart from an conveniently identifiable locality on your chart (near to your position) to the diversion destination. Check the distance precisely.
3. Put your pencil on the line and move it (without shifting its direction) over a VOR compass rose. Take a note of the heading on the compass rose. It is a magnetic heading so there will be no prerequisite to take variation into account (It may help to retrieve a previously drawn VOR with a bigger diameter, drawn on your chart).
4. Now take a heed of the wind direction relative to the helicopter utilizing the large arrow you already have drawn on your chart. Put to work the clock code (30 degree intervals).
5. Refer to the table you made up ahead of your flight (refer to the examples above). From that table you can see what your ground speed and your course correction are. Judge the period to get to your destination at the new ground speed and tell your examiner what heading you are going to put to use and what time you are going to arrive at the destination.
6. Keep in mind any relief on the chart that may aid your navigation diversion to the destination.
This may sound like a complex plan in consideration of navigation diversions but bear in mind that 90% of it is carried out on the earth before the aeronautics and you have actually very little to do during the aviation. This method is the simplest that I have ever used and it in reality works every time when it used precisely.
Author Resource:
John Toal is a very experienced helicopter pilot and instructor with over 6000 hours flight time.
For FREE books and helicopter aeronautics schooling information visit his Helicopter Training Blog .
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