Power Hour Lesson Outlines

Outline:

1. Part 61 FARs

   • Overview: This section references the Federal Aviation Regulations under Part 61, which outline the qualifications for pilots and flight instructors. These regulations set the foundation for how navigation is taught and the requirements for pilot certifications.

2. Is it possible to teach navigation without traditional tools?

   • Discussion: A question is posed about the necessity of paper charts, E6B flight computers, plotters, and NavLogs for teaching navigation. It suggests that navigation can be taught through principles rather than relying on specific tools.

3. What do students need to understand about the principles of navigation?

   • Key Concepts: This section focuses on the understanding of navigation fundamentals, such as location (latitude and longitude), direction (course, heading, bearing), and distance measurement. It stresses the importance of grasping the core principles rather than just memorizing tool-based calculations.

4. Location

   • Longitude: An angular measurement east and west from the Prime Meridian, used to determine a location’s east-west position on Earth.

   • Latitude: An angular measurement north and south of the equator, with 0° at the equator.

   • Example: Specific coordinates (e.g., 98° 16’W, 29° 32’N) are given to illustrate how location is pinpointed.

5. Numerical System in Navigation

   • Compass Rose: A key navigation feature with 360 degrees used for determining direction. Each degree corresponds to a specific direction and distance on the map.

   • Application: The compass rose helps pilots understand directions like true courses and magnetic headings.

6. Terms

   • Course: The intended direction of travel.

   • Heading: The aircraft’s actual orientation relative to the longitudinal axis.

   • Bearing: The direction between two points on the map.

   • Direction: The relative position of one object to another.

7. Map Projections

   • Mercator Projection: A map projection where longitude and latitude are perpendicular. It distorts landmasses, especially near the poles, to maintain straight lines for navigational purposes.

   • Lambert’s Conic Projection: Accurate over specific latitudes, useful for mapping smaller areas.

8. Distance (Flat Surface vs. Sphere)

   • Flat Surface: On a flat surface, the shortest distance between two points is a straight line.

   • Sphere: On a spherical Earth, the shortest path between two points is along a great circle, which divides the Earth into two equal halves.

9. Tracks – Rhumb Line vs Great Circle

   • Rhumb Line: A track that maintains a constant angle to the meridians, easy to fly but longer than the great circle route. Often used for shorter flights.

   • Great Circle: The shortest path between two points, though the angle changes along the route, making it more difficult to fly.

10. Aeronautical Charts

    • Lambert’s Conic Projection: This map projection is commonly used for aeronautical charts with specific scales for sectional and terminal charts

11. Time Zones

    • Longitude-based: Time zones are typically defined by every 15° of longitude, with each zone representing one hour of time difference.

    • Daylight Saving Time: Discussion of how different regions apply daylight saving time, often adjusting the standard time zone.

12. Compass Rose

    • Degrees and Directions: The compass rose is used to plot courses and bearings in navigation, referencing true north (TN) and magnetic north (MN).

13. Magnetic Variation

    • Difference Between True North and Magnetic North: The discrepancy between true and magnetic north, varying by location.

    • Magnetic Variation: The angular difference in navigation, which must be accounted for when flying..

14. Deviation (Compass Heading)

    • Electromagnetic Interference: Deviation refers to the errors in compass readings caused by the aircraft’s own magnetic field, which can be corrected through adjustments.

15. Effect of Wind on Navigation

    • Wind Correction: How wind affects an aircraft’s course and speed over the ground. The wind correction angle (WCA) is used to counteract wind drift and stay on course.

16. Wind Triangle

    • Theoretical Model: The wind triangle helps calculate the effect of wind on the aircraft's course and speed. It accounts for the aircraft’s true airspeed (TAS), wind speed, and heading.

17. Navigation Example

    • Practical Application: An example demonstrating the use of the wind triangle in navigation, calculating the course and correcting for wind drift.

18. Forms of Navigation

    • Pilotage: Using visual references to navigate, relying on landmarks and ground features.

    • Dead Reckoning: Using calculated headings, ground speeds, and time to navigate, typically without visual references..

19. Steps in determining Compass Heading (CH)

    • Step-by-step Process: A detailed guide to determining the correct heading for navigation, which involves plotting the course, calculating wind correction, applying magnetic variation, and correcting for compass deviation.

20. Where to Get Information

    • Sources: Information on how to gather necessary data, such as wind conditions, magnetic variation, and aircraft performance, through sources like the POH (Pilot Operating Handbook), sectional charts, and weather forecasts.

21. Basic Calculations

    • Fuel Requirements: The formula for calculating the required fuel for a flight based on time and fuel consumption per hour

22. Pilot’s Planning Sheet

    • Detailed Flight Plan: A sample planning sheet that helps pilots track route details, fuel consumption, and required navigation information for a single flight leg.

23. Calculation Methods

    • Manual vs. Electronic: How calculations can be done manually (using geometry and arithmetic or a flight computer) or electronically using tools like ForeFlight, a popular EFB (Electronic Flight Bag)

24. What EFB’s can’t do

    • Limitations: EFBs cannot choose the best route, apply personal risk management, or make subjective decisions based on personal minimums. It is up to the pilot to ensure these decisions are properly made..

25. Getting Back on Course

    • Track Correction: Methods for correcting flight path errors, using tools like the 1:60 rule and the Track Error + Closing Angle Method to determine how far off course the aircraft is and how to get back on track.