Circuit Training and Google Earth

[Guest Bigfella]

I'm in the midst of my ppl training at YMMB and this was my last go at circuits before venturing out to the training area for my area solo training.

 

I downloaded whats turned out to be a great gps app, MotionX, and these are the results.

 

Using runway 17L so anti-clockwise in this pic.

 

It was a very calm day so my crosswind and downwind legs look pretty well aligned. I had a Cessna join the circuit and cut me off on one of the downwind legs so I had to do a bit of deviating on base and overshot the runway turning onto final. I also had to extend one of the downwind legs while waiting to verify traffic with ATC. My instructor even threw in a glide approach.

 

A great little training tool in my opinion, would be interesting on a windy day to look at how well I was holding off drift.

 

These are the other stats the App spat out.....

 

Distance travelled - 107km

 

Elapsed time - 1hr10min

 

Avg Speed - 50knts

 

Max Speed - 106knts

 

Min Alt - 15'

 

Max Alt - 1060'

 

Cheers,

 

Bigfella

 

 

 

[coljones]

Similar to "My Tracks" for android. My Tracks also gives a vertical display so you can count how many times you landed while practising circuits, or how accurately you are flying heights. Print them out and save them with your flight plan and log in your brag folder.

 

 

[jerrajerra]

Good on you :)

 

I have used an application called GPSLogbooks. Works the same way as to what Mytracks does.

 

Create an account on google earth and GPSLogbooks. The app works with GEarth. You can see your alt and patterns etc.

 

 

[Ultralights]

yes, it makes a great training tool, plenty of room there to tighten up those circuits., though i cant see a scale of the map, downwind should be no more than 1 mile from the runway

 

 

[J170 Owner]

 

I just load my GPX file from the Garmin into Google Earth. Great way to see how well you maintain track on a nav etc. Curious, what were you flying?

 

 

[J170 Owner]

Using my Garmin Nuvi to keep track of my track. I cannot justify spending big bucks on an aviation GPS when a car GPS for < $200 does one just fine. Used only as a backup to the map and compass.

 

 

 

[eightyknots]

Interesting apps!

 

 

[Guest Bigfella]

J170 - your circuits look a lot neater than mine! I'm flying a Piper Warrior.

 

Ultralights - I think I'm 1.5 mile from the runway on downwind? it's a about as tight as it gets in the plane I'm flying, it's one thing we've been working on.

 

The couple of upwind legs that ran long was a result of me forgetting to turn the carby heat off on final! interesting to see the effect this has on your rate of climb.