07-01-2006, 03:52 PM
You’re kidding right? This could develop into a huge response but on the short and skinny there are various methods of navigation.
Starting on the simple end with VFR you can fly visually. You will draw a line on a map between the two points that you wish to fly then mark off
various ground check points to help you out. You put this information onto a navigation log correct for wind and then use time, distance and heading
to determine your progress. There are other factors such as special use airspace, victor routes, ect. But this is the first method most student pilots
are taught. Included in this method is dead reckoning.
The second add electronic navigation to the mix using VORs and NDBs. Our Victor routes in the US are routes defined by land based navigation aids. By
using equipment in the aircraft we can navigate between these points and tell where we are in relation to where we want to be. This method is much
better than flying "visually" only.
Finally there is RNAV or area navigation. This includes both short range RNAV such as the VOR/DME based RNAV kits and long range RNAV including OMEGA,
LORAN, INS, and GPS. (I personally do not consider FMS a RNAV set as the actual RNAV in a FMS is based on one of the other technologies.) RNAV allows
you to have course guidance along a route that is not strictly defined along land based radio radials. While I am a strong proponent of knowing how to
use your black boxes I do not advocate using them as a crutch either.
VFR is visual flight rules and it is a set of rules used when flying visually. This is done under VMC or visual metrological conditions.
IFR is instrument flight rules and is a set of rules for guiding aircraft based on instrumentation in the aircraft or under radar guidance.
When you say commercial aviation you clearly include the airlines, but also included in commercial aviation are corporate, medevac, air cargo, sky
crane and sight seeing tours. Corporate aviation will operate in what ever matter is the least expensive for the operator while sight seeing
organizations will often operate exclusively VFR. Thus how you operate will depend on what you must accomplish. If you’re a sky crane you may pickup a
load under VFR fly it IFR to the job site then set it in place under VFR. Yes you can and I have flown a sling load under IMC.
How we plan our flights is using charts. Of course I get some help with computer based flight planning (at work I use Jeppesen’s FliteStar) but it is
the charts (with NOTAMS and CHUMS in place) that are the final authority.
Starting on the simple end with VFR you can fly visually. You will draw a line on a map between the two points that you wish to fly then mark off
various ground check points to help you out. You put this information onto a navigation log correct for wind and then use time, distance and heading
to determine your progress. There are other factors such as special use airspace, victor routes, ect. But this is the first method most student pilots
are taught. Included in this method is dead reckoning.
The second add electronic navigation to the mix using VORs and NDBs. Our Victor routes in the US are routes defined by land based navigation aids. By
using equipment in the aircraft we can navigate between these points and tell where we are in relation to where we want to be. This method is much
better than flying "visually" only.
Finally there is RNAV or area navigation. This includes both short range RNAV such as the VOR/DME based RNAV kits and long range RNAV including OMEGA,
LORAN, INS, and GPS. (I personally do not consider FMS a RNAV set as the actual RNAV in a FMS is based on one of the other technologies.) RNAV allows
you to have course guidance along a route that is not strictly defined along land based radio radials. While I am a strong proponent of knowing how to
use your black boxes I do not advocate using them as a crutch either.
VFR is visual flight rules and it is a set of rules used when flying visually. This is done under VMC or visual metrological conditions.
IFR is instrument flight rules and is a set of rules for guiding aircraft based on instrumentation in the aircraft or under radar guidance.
When you say commercial aviation you clearly include the airlines, but also included in commercial aviation are corporate, medevac, air cargo, sky
crane and sight seeing tours. Corporate aviation will operate in what ever matter is the least expensive for the operator while sight seeing
organizations will often operate exclusively VFR. Thus how you operate will depend on what you must accomplish. If you’re a sky crane you may pickup a
load under VFR fly it IFR to the job site then set it in place under VFR. Yes you can and I have flown a sling load under IMC.
How we plan our flights is using charts. Of course I get some help with computer based flight planning (at work I use Jeppesen’s FliteStar) but it is
the charts (with NOTAMS and CHUMS in place) that are the final authority.
_____________________________
exsilium
Ken
exsilium
Ken