Pilots need ways to know where they are even when there is no GPS display to follow. Pilotage means navigating by comparing the view outside the aircraft to features on a chart, such as rivers, roads, towns, lakes, and towers. Dead reckoning means predicting position from heading, speed, time, and wind.
Together, these skills help pilots plan routes, check progress, and stay oriented in the air.
Key Facts
- Distance = ground speed × time
- Time = distance ÷ ground speed
- Ground speed = distance ÷ time
- Estimated time en route: ETE = distance ÷ ground speed
- Wind correction angle is the angle added to or subtracted from the course to hold the desired track.
- True heading = true course + wind correction angle
Vocabulary
- Pilotage
- Pilotage is navigation by matching visible landmarks to features shown on an aviation chart.
- Dead reckoning
- Dead reckoning is estimating position by using course, heading, speed, time, and wind effects.
- Course
- Course is the intended path of the aircraft over the ground, usually measured in degrees from north.
- Heading
- Heading is the direction the aircraft nose points, measured in degrees from north.
- Ground speed
- Ground speed is the speed of the aircraft over the ground after wind has affected its motion.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Confusing heading with course. Heading is where the nose points, while course is the path over the ground, and wind can make them different.
- Using airspeed instead of ground speed for time estimates. Time over a route depends on ground speed because wind can speed up or slow down the aircraft relative to the ground.
- Ignoring wind correction angle. Without correcting for crosswind, the aircraft can drift away from the planned course line.
- Choosing vague landmarks for pilotage. Large forests or similar-looking fields are hard to identify, while unique features like river bends, bridges, highways, and towns make better checkpoints.
Practice Questions
- 1 A pilot plans a 90 nautical mile leg with a ground speed of 120 knots. What is the estimated time en route in minutes?
- 2 An aircraft flies for 18 minutes at a ground speed of 100 knots. How many nautical miles does it travel?
- 3 A pilot sees a town on the left side of the aircraft, but the charted course line should pass directly over that town. What does this suggest about the aircraft position, and what should the pilot check before correcting?