Adrian Lewer Posted January 2, 2009 Author Share Posted January 2, 2009 cool. i will have a look when you get it drawn up. but for now untill i findout where i am going wrong i will stick to the basics, like the overfly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motzartmerv Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 Are you taking off the variation (11 deg for you) from your heading??as well as wind??...is there much deviation in the compass? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Lewer Posted January 2, 2009 Author Share Posted January 2, 2009 what i do is this. the map says point A to point B is 283 Degrease i instantly remove 11 Degrease to bring it down to 272 Degrease. then i go to the AreaFor and take the wind and remove 11 Degrease (This is what i forgot to do the other day stupidly) then get the whizz wheel and dial in the wind with the 11 Degrease removed from the equation (so if the AreaFor was 093/21 i would put 082 under the true index) then set on any even number mark the wind velocity up from the centre point, turn to set my Magnetic heading which here is 272 Deg, then move the scale to set the mark i have made on the 100 line (providing my aircrafts TAS is 100) then my actual IAS will be on the centre point, if the mark is to the left of centre i subtract the amount from my Magnetic heading or to the right i add to the maps magnetic heading. you all wanna hear somthing funny i have just noticed 2 pencil marks on my whizz wheel Now i think i know where i have gone wrong..... i am going to crawl back into my hole now. my Instructor warned me about this..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mazda Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 I'm with motzartmerv on the 6 minute markers, they do work well, and they are easy to calculate as they are one tenth of your groundspeed. 100 knots GS = 10 mile markers and so on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Lewer Posted January 5, 2009 Author Share Posted January 5, 2009 Hi all went for a FIX (Not my 3Rd NavX) yesterday in the J160. I had my friend who is a GA/RA Pilot (Peter) departed YBLT accross to YLED, over my model aircraft club in bacchus marsh, over to laverton, over point cook, down to werribee south, across to YBLT. this was not a NavX as such just went for a quick buzz in my local area for the required "FIX". I flew with no actual flight plan just a couple of lines on the map, required Doc's and was just trying to get a Visual feel for flying trying to place things on my map to the ground which worked a treat BUT I did however find one thing, i keep drifting to the right of track all the time. i have noticed this is a habbit i have fallen into. although i had no GPS or anything yeaterday i had did notice i always wanter to drift right. has anyone else had this sort of thing happen ? Either way yesterday was a success, Peter said although i can get to where i am going i need a little Nav work of which he has offered to help with but did comment on my landings and said they are some of the best he has seen and my general flying was Excelent Ah well all this flying all i need is my own plane now :big_grin: Will someone lend my $20,000 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Brett Campany Posted January 5, 2009 Share Posted January 5, 2009 Hi all went for a FIX (Not my 3Rd NavX) yesterday in the J160. I had my friend who is a GA/RA Pilot (Peter) departed YBLT accross to YLED, over my model aircraft club in bacchus marsh, over to laverton, over point cook, down to werribee south, across to YBLT. this was not a NavX as such just went for a quick buzz in my local area for the required "FIX". I flew with no actual flight plan just a couple of lines on the map, required Doc's and was just trying to get a Visual feel for flying trying to place things on my map to the ground which worked a treat BUT I did however find one thing, i keep drifting to the right of track all the time. i have noticed this is a habbit i have fallen into. although i had no GPS or anything yeaterday i had did notice i always wanter to drift right.has anyone else had this sort of thing happen ? Either way yesterday was a success, Peter said although i can get to where i am going i need a little Nav work of which he has offered to help with but did comment on my landings and said they are some of the best he has seen and my general flying was Excelent Ah well all this flying all i need is my own plane now :big_grin: Will someone lend my $20,000 What was the wind direction and strength like yesterday Adrian? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Lewer Posted January 5, 2009 Author Share Posted January 5, 2009 we had a westerly at about 5KTS. G/Speed was around 98 KTS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yenn Posted January 5, 2009 Share Posted January 5, 2009 If you are drifting off course consistently in one direction, you may be flying with the ball a bit off centre, or the rigging may be a bit out. were you following a compass course or a D.G? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Lewer Posted January 5, 2009 Author Share Posted January 5, 2009 hum... i wonder, let me check on a few things. and i will get back to you tommorrow, but in ansewr to your question i fly 1 of 2 ways. 1 i fly pureley off magnetic compass. but sometimes (if fitted) i get my track using the efis then see what the compass reads then follow the compass headding. i have used the first method the 2 times i have been off track. using the seccond method i have never had a problem. but hey all a/c dont have an efis do they ? maybe the aircraft i am flying (the one i get off track in) has an instrument problem ? or as you said a rigging problem. as for flying with an unballanced a/c u might b right. i will keep closser tabs on that one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Brett Campany Posted January 5, 2009 Share Posted January 5, 2009 I'm thinking a bit of wind drift might have knocked you to the right a touch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenny Posted January 5, 2009 Share Posted January 5, 2009 Drifting to the right Hi Adrian Funny you should ask if anyone else has a problem drifting to the righgt. I managed to get my cross country endorsement yesterday in my Savannah, however I too have a problem with drifting to the right my instructor picked it up a few flights ago it seems I keep dropping the right wing without realizing it. I have been working on it but if the air is anything but reasonably smooth the right wing drops a little unnoticed by me which also makes it hard to keep the bubble in the middle. Likewise I would look forward to some feedback on fixing the problem. Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poteroo Posted January 6, 2009 Share Posted January 6, 2009 Sounds like you are flying a touch out of balance, and this might be due to fuel draining from the LH tank faster than the RH. Take your feet off the rudder bar at normal cruise, and check which way the ball moves. Watch for parallax error if you are not directly in line with the ball. This info will allow you, or preferably, the instructor/aircraft owner, to manually adjust the external rudder trim tab to remove the imbalance. happy days, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Lewer Posted January 6, 2009 Author Share Posted January 6, 2009 humm. i will have my CFI go over the aircraft in question and have a look for me... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
facthunter Posted January 6, 2009 Share Posted January 6, 2009 Drifting. Rudder trim.. You don't have it at your fingertips, of course, but very few aircraft will not drift one way or the other, even when the wings are level and no rudder input is made. There is often a "fixed' tab on the rudder, that you can bend carefully (on the ground). IF you own the aircraft you could tweak it and get it right, FOR YOU. The rudder is acting as a balance control. If you change airspeed , or power (in a simple propeller driven aeroplane, this will change. If you fly with a passenger, or NO passenger (in a side by side configuration) It will change. Some pilots inadvertently put more pressure on one foot than the other, the balance ball, ( It is only a damped pendulum) may not be set up correctly. Next time you fly, pay particular attention to keeping the wings level in smooth air, and watch what the aircraft does.. If it drifts, (don't like the loose use of the word here, so let's be correct and call it TURNS, (changes heading ) to the right (say), even though you bring it back to the required heading frequently, it will have spent a fair amount of time flying with a heading right of the correct one, so you will end up being right of where you should be.(in this example) Nev.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenny Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 drifting right Thanks for the advice guys yes I do have to keep correcting my course I hadn't thought of the fact that each incursion to the right and subsequent correction back to the correct track would inevitably add up to being several miles off course at a certain time on my nav . I did have to rely heavily on the 1 in 60 rule to stay on track over all . Now I have my cross country I can concentrate more on my flying skills to eventually correct the problem I will work out if a trim tab may be the answer or prove if my right foot is heavier than my left Thanks Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest watto Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 Thanks Adrian, I started Nav theory last week and will be onto a few exercises this week and am happy to have learnt a few things from your posts that will give me a leg up, Just something I plan on doing is as my wife and I will be doing a lot of flying together! she is coming to sit in on the nav theory with me and she will be able to do some joint exercises later with me and then as they say, two heads can be better than one! especially in an unexpected situation we can cross check each other to make sure we have it right. (the navigator) It also give her a feeling of having a contribution and that is important. Not that I will rely on her but is is a good second check!, and I also have a GPS but again I am not wanting to use that as more than a general guide as I know from living here with satelite TV and internet, it does not always work when you need it to. Good luck Watto Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Student Pilot Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 Drift is what an Aircraft does in relation to a moving body of air, slip or skid is what the Aircraft does in relation to it's own axis. Drift is weather related, slip or skid is pilot or Aircraft trim related. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brilin_air Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 she is coming to sit in on the nav theory with me and she will be able to do some joint exercises later with me and then as they say, two heads can be better than one! especially in an unexpected situation we can cross check each other to make sure we have it right. (the navigator) It also give her a feeling of having a contribution and that is important. Watto, If I may give a little bit of help here with the Nav exercises that you are going to do. I took the "Theory" Nav course that you can do. (You should be able to do one at Bundy). This basically shows her how to understand the map and what to look for, power lines, railway tracks, etc that may help when you are flying, and keep you on course. It is also explained to you how to Navigate in times, be it 6 minute or 10 minute blocks. It is very simple and easy to understand Nav course. I don't fly, I navigate for Brian and work the GPS when it is needed. I also work the ERSA and this is a big help too. Your wife will become almost your other pair of hands and she will have a big input into it aswell, which she will enjoy. :thumb_up: Best of luck! -Linda P.S. Adrian... I actually heard you give a call out on your Nav back when you were over Bacchus Marsh. Very clear radio call. :thumb_up: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Lewer Posted January 7, 2009 Author Share Posted January 7, 2009 hi linda and brian how r we ? when did you hear me at bacchus ? my radio calls are not bad (so i think) if only the navs where a bit better. i am going to hire another aircraft soon and do one in an aircraft that is not my usual one and see if it is something wrong with the A/C. on my second big navx kirsty done the paperwork, getting the ersa ready Etc she also worked out how to use a garmin 296 in 2 minutes flat thank god for the navigator ;). but i did havve to keep reminding her fuel pump was for the pilot only (she got very gun hoe) but she was happy when she got to flick the landing light on and off :) how is the JAB going. will have to pop over and have a look see... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest watto Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 Thanks for that Linda, we are looking forward to doing this together as you say an extra pair of hands, eyes, ears etc and the navigator of course is an important role and we will be a great team. Regards Watto Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brilin_air Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 hi linda and brian how r we ? when did you hear me at bacchus ?my radio calls are not bad (so i think) if only the navs where a bit better. Adrian, Heard you on your last Nav, (Sunday the 4th about early arvo). You were above the airport heading for Ballarat. I had the scanner on listening and you came over it in 4781. Your call was very good. It's nice to hear pilots give out all the appropriate calls. how is the JAB going. will have to pop over and have a look see... She is doing well. Brian is just fixing the front spat on it atm, we are looking at modifying it like the 160 at Ballarat. The older type spats cover the full wheel at the front. It's also nice to have her at home now too. :big_grin: Catch you soon! -Linda P.S Watto, Will catch up with you at Bundy sometime. :thumb_up: My family lives there so we should be up at Easter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yenn Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 If you are drifting off course consistently and using the compass for direction, there are a couple of things to be aware of. Has the compass been swung recently and is the deviation card up to date, if not it could result in incorrect headings. How accurate do you think your heading is, bearing in mind that every acceleration or bump in the air is going to deflect the compass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Lewer Posted January 11, 2009 Author Share Posted January 11, 2009 I think my Heading was spot on to what my calculations said i should be. I done an overhead departure, got my heading near enough, got the speed, height in toe about 3Nm from the Aerodrome Leveled off and waited for a calm moment to see what the compass was doing. Then adjusted accordingly, picked a point to the aircraft was flying to ahead and from there only had a glance at the compass. I had 1 - 2 glances at the compass and realized the magnetic track looked good but the true track was nothing like it. But I am hopping I found my error with the extra "Marks" on the Whizz Wheel. All my flights in this particular aircraft have been "Off Track" but in others including slower aircraft they have been good. ? I will just have to be more diligent with my planning and flying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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