A form of navigation by visual reference to landmarks.

Don's Navigation Checklist

I use this checklist to remember what information I will need to fly VFR from my airport to my destination airport. I follow this checklist to fill out the form on the following page (Figure I) that I will carry with me on the flight.

Figure I should fit on a LANDSCAPE 8.5"x11" sheet of paper so that you may print it out. It works with both my Epson LX-800, and my HP DeskJet in Landscape (rotate the paper to be wider than it is high) Mode.

Note that the all important fuel calculations are performed elsewhere. I use this checklist to assist in pilotage for VFR navigation only.

1)
Get Airport Information for your destination airport(s) (and departure airport, if unfamiliar) from the USGFI Publication AIRPORT/FACILITY DIRECTORY ( or "Pilot's Guide to California Airports" or the Jeppesen Airport Guide). Use the handy form provided in Figure I to jot down the airport frequencies, call sign, location and hours of operation.

2)
Make a runway map of the airport using the information collected above. Draw the runways properly oriented, label them with their heading numbers, and mark the apporach ends with dog-leg arrows to indicate Left or Right traffic as appropriate. Also provide the TPA and Ground frequencies. I note taxiways with dashed lines.

3)
Use the VFR chart to find the airports (use lat-long, and/or nearest town).

4)
Identify the general heading.

5)
Identify VOR's along the track.

6)
Identify visible landmarks 5-15 mins apart to be used as check points (CkPt).

7)
Note when the ATC's must be notified, and their frequencies.

8)
List these for each checkpoint:

9)
Get the weather from your Flight Service Station (FSS)
Have your aircraft ID ready, and call WX Brief. Write down the standard weather briefing info on the handy Figure II side of your cheat sheet. Specifically, write down the wind speed and direction at your Departure and Arrival Airports, and the wind speed (Wsm) and direction (Wmg) at your flight altitude (ALT) enroute at each of your checkpoints for heading, Elapsed Time (ETT) and fuel usage calculations. .

10)
Compute these for each check point:

11)
Get ATIS for your departure and arrival airports. You can get this from the FSS, also. The AIRPORT / FACILITY DIRECTORY often has phone numbers for the airport's ATIS. Although you will need to get ATIS again prior to contacting the arrival airport, it is good NOT to be surprised by the weather Be sure and watch the dew-point spread. It has been known to go from VFR to IFR conditions pretty quick here-abouts.

When I fly, I keep track of where I am on my VFR map (I use the LA VFR Terminal Map in the LA Basin.) I leave a finger on the map at my current position. As I fly, I Stay Ahead of the Plane by noting the next checkpoint on my list, its location on the map, and where it should be relative to the plane (me). I also do the same with the checkpoint after that. If the plane gets ahead of me, I slow down, right down to pattern speed and drop flaps if necessary. Those SoCal guys get a little testy if you fly into their airspace uninvited.

I have even been known to ask (how un-machO!) an ATC for her verification of my position.

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