Diversions

[TwinOtterFan]

Good day all, How is everyone doing this balmy snowy morning?

I was hoping to draw on the knowledge of everyone once again, I have been having some trouble with diversions. I feel really dumb about too..... Basically my mental math is not as strong as it used to be, I am practicing again and getting better. I can practice diversions on tabletop and do okay, but I find in the plane with all the other stuff going on (ie flying) that I take way to long to get my diversion sorted, my instructor keeps timing me and says I need to be able to have it all plotted and sorted inside of 60 seconds. Are there any tricks to this? I am still practicing and getting faster, but just wondering what all of you fine people do?

I have recently heard of using a pencil with graduation marks on it, and I see it as a huge time saver for me. Is this frowned upon? I just need to line it up and bam I have my distance and my speed, I brought my whiz wheel on the last flight and my instructor told me I didn't need it, like I said I can keep practicing but if I have these tools available then why not use them?

The other problem I have been having is I just don't recognize some of the towns on the ground like my instructor does, so it takes me a bit to gain some SA depending on what we have been doing and such. Again I assume the only fix is just more practice. I understand he has hundreds and hundreds of hours flying over the same terrain every day so it makes sense that he can point them out so quickly.

Anyway kinda frustrated with it all today so I figured I would reach out, I have had two flights of diversions and they were both junk, I am flying with a different instructor on Monday that I find puts me far more at ease than my normal instructor so I hoping maybe a different instructor may help as well.

[David MacRay]

I still have an issue with diversions you might share. I know it’s just an estimate yet I get hung upon trying for precision. I feel like if it’s not close enough it’s just not right.

You are right the thing with recognizing towns and estimating distances will improve with practice. Then if you don’t use it you will forget again.

I hope to read any suggestions. I know one, I should figure out how many miles my thumb width is on a VNC again. That’s a good idea I need to re-learn. Point being, if I drop the marked pencil in bad Wx, I can probably still find my thumb..

[Squaretail]

IMO the diversion exercise is one of the biggest deviations on what is a practical flying skill to learn and what the "test version" has become. IF we look at the flight test guide:

D. Diversion to an Alternate
Aim
To safely carry out a diversion to a suitable alternate destination using mental in-flight planning, dead reckoning, map reading and pilotage.

Description
In response to a scenario presented by the examiner, the candidate will demonstrate the proficiency to select a suitable alternate destination that is within the actual or a simulated fuel range of the aeroplane. The candidate will carry out a diversion towards the selected destination, or alternatively in the interest of flight test efficiency, towards another destination selected by the examiner. Rulers, notched pencils, protractors, devices such as ForeFlight, computers or radio navigation aids will not be used for this item.

The candidate is expected to initiate the diversion without undue delay by quickly determining a track to follow, an approximate heading and an approximate time enroute to avoid the need to loiter in a holding pattern. (This will require extensive ground training and practice to improve the candidate’s competency to quickly determine a track to follow, an approximate heading and an approximate time enroute in order to avoid the need to loiter in a holding pattern.)

The examiner will specify an initial altitude to fly. When practicable, a part or all of the diversion should be conducted at a height of between 500 and 1000 feet above ground or at the minimum safe altitude, whichever is higher. The candidate may change altitudes to suit the topography or the scenario and is expected to communicate intentional altitude changes to the examiner. Estimated enroute and arrival times may be approximate but with a reasonable degree of accuracy.

The examiner will specify an initial altitude to fly. When practicable, a part or all of the diversion should be conducted at a height of between 500 and 1000 feet above ground or at the minimum safe altitude, if it is higher. The candidate may change altitudes to suit the topography or the scenario and is expected to communicate intentional altitude changes to the examiner. Estimated enroute and arrival times may be approximate but with a reasonable degree of accuracy.

The examiner will assess the candidate’s proficiency to proceed toward an alternate destination by using dead- reckoning or by following a series of geographic features such as roads, railways or rivers, where they are available. The diversion will be continued until at least the stage where the aeroplane is established on the proposed track to the alternate or is following a suitable geographic feature; in a manner demonstrating that arrival at the destination is predictable.

Note: Radio navigation aids or GPS are not to be used during the execution of this item. A paper VNC chart is to be used.

Performance Criteria
Assessment will be based on the candidate’s proficiency to

-perform the following tasks expeditiously:
-identify and record present position;
-select an appropriate alternate destination;
-estimate an initial heading to fly direct, based on a track line; or
-select a series of geographical references that would lead to the destination;
-estimate an approximate time enroute to the alternate destination; and
-estimate an approximate available flight time that will remain with the fuel on board upon arrival at the destination (E.g.: 2 hours+15 minutes);
-intercept the proposed track and divert toward the alternate destination;
-identify the highest Maximum Elevation Figure ( MEF ) along the selected route and determine a minimum safe altitude for the actual route;
-select an aircraft configuration and airspeed appropriate for the actual or simulated conditions, if those conditions include poor visibility (for optimum “See and Avoid”);
-provide an initial ETA when setting heading and confirm or revise that ETA while enroute;
-maintain the selected airspeed (±10 knots) and selected headings, when dead-reckoning (±10°);
-maintain declared altitudes (±200 feet);
-simulate communication with ATS to inform of intention to divert.

Now, the last list of items is a lot to expect of a neophyte pilot without some sort of aid, much less time to think. In the past I always taught people to find something to circle or hold around with the aircraft the moment you decide you need to divert. Don't run farther into worse weather, don't get farther away, don't get more lost while you're trying to read a map. But for some reason they don't like that. Its like they forgot you're going to do this with a map and compass. The test seems to be based around a short range diversion solution - which of course must be reasonably conducted within the time limits of the exam itself, which doesn't really reflect what a pilot might need to do to actually divert somewhere. Keep in mind that this is without the aid of a NEAREST function. I mean if the chips are down and you have to do some actual dead reckoning (map, clock and compass) its going to be worth it to take a few minutes to make sure the direction you're going to leave the known behind on is correct and you have a reasonable estimate of time and fuel needed.

However, to pass the test, you're going to need to do this as they want. Get good at estimating magnetic directions on your map - much of Canada has geographic features which run towards the cardinal points, know what those directions are to aid in guessing a heading to take. If you can during the exercise follow roads. Plan ahead - know probable diversion destinations before the flight.

TBH though, what pilot these days is flying around without any kind of navaid? At least farther than distances they might be able to ride a bicycle to? While I like the idea that pilots should have some pretty good map reading and geometry skills, This being a test item that doesn't incorporate using resources that should be available to most pilots in most real life scenarios is just another example how training has become divorced from the reality of flying. I don't think I know of any PPLs who fly regularly who don't have two different GPS capable devices on board. My iPad will run foreflight all day long on battery power, and even if it fails I can pull out my phone and get some of that functionality. Few PPLs are going to be doing some dead reckoning over the swamp and tundra of northern Canada, and if they do, for God's sake, be prepared for it.

[Slick Goodlin]

what pilot these days is flying around without any kind of navaid?

Me, lol.

I have some more constructive thoughts for this thread too but I also have a honey-do list as long as my arm so I’ll try and get to it later tonight.

[David MacRay]

Thanks for the information Squaretail. Good stuff. I’m probably going to take some time to unpack and absorb it.

what pilot these days is flying around without any kind of navaid?

Me, lol.

I have some more constructive thoughts for this thread too but I also have a honey-do list as long as my arm so I’ll try and get to it later tonight.

Add me to the list.

I usually have a phone in my pocket but I don’t have data and I have never tried the gps. As for the Citabria I have been flying lately. It’s got a magnetic compass.

Looking forward to reading your additions later Slick.

[Slick Goodlin]

Part one: this may or may not help. The big takeaway should be the use of aggressive rounding and how to fine tune it on the way.

[Slick Goodlin]

I sent that video to a friend of mine for review, I figured his training is more recent than mine since the ink is still drying on his PPL. He comes back with:

“Circle, circle, line. Distance, fuel, time.”



I should have talked to him before making the video...

[Liquid_Charlie]

I got to admit that when I started reading the thread I had no idea what you were talking about.

For my generation maybe every flight was a diversion. I have to admit my VFR navigation never had a line drawn on a map. Strictly point to point. That is one conflicting area in this exercise. Point to point (which they accept) is far from a straight line.

Flight management is paramount but it's VFR and like I have always said, you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. While it might be a great exercise the way it's taught actually opens the door for mistakes based on a set of rules and not on thinking.

This also opens up that door on why so many people find themselves short on fuel. Fuel and flight planning to absolute minimum required this type of approach just introduces another trap.

I could never get my head around vector diagrams when I was first learning. I wrote every licensing exam with my trusty jepp, yup even my private. At that time they had just started to allow wiz wheels for private exam sittings.

To me a diversion should be just a picture in your mind. Finger on the map look where you want to go, rough distance and a quick fuel calculation. The stress level goes way down if you are tankering fuel (granny gas was just a fact of life back then) Most of the time if you are local flying a diversion is a simple return to departure point.

Like a lot of stuff they teach now the confusion is in the delivery and over complication and in reality it's very simple. The downside is practical is not TC's approach.

The secret for diversions is to get it started ASAP and get turned towards where you want to go. Fine tuning and navigation tweaks can be done then. Until that time you will need to satisfy your instructor. Keep your open mind and never get caught in the trap that flying is just a long list of rules and "rules of thumb".

Another trick is to keep a few 4 mi/inch topos depending where you are navigating - best thing for map reading. Stay away from WAC charts for actual navigation and 8 mi/in VFR charts have some poor detail as well (I suppose they are getting better) but for the big picture the larger the map scale the better especially over bush, lakes and rivers.

I know this has not helped in your immediate problem but if you can maintain situational awareness picture in your head and know where you are without having doing mental math all becomes much easier. This is especially true for IFR flight.

cheers

[Squaretail]

what pilot these days is flying around without any kind of navaid?

Me, lol.

I have some more constructive thoughts for this thread too but I also have a honey-do list as long as my arm so I’ll try and get to it later tonight.

Are you also doing this in cross country flights that are near the limits of your plane's range and/or endurance? You don't own a cell phone?

I mean I can navigate probably within a 200 mile radius of where I live without even a map, and well enough I could do it in marginal conditions, but that doesn't mean I don't have something available. Also, neither you or David are new pilots, and I would hope wise enough to know not to get yourself into that unlikely on the fly navigation scenario in the first place.

The point is, the exercise is of shrinking relevancy even if it was taught in a more useful fashion than the artificial scenario the test now requires.

[Slick Goodlin]

.
For my generation maybe every flight was a diversion.

I think that’s why it’s so important to demystify them, it’s not like going A to B has changed.

Are you also doing this in cross country flights that are near the limits of your plane's range and/or endurance?

God no. If my planning is sloppy you’d better believe my fuel calculations are rough and with a wiiiiide margin. As a wise fellow pilot once said, “Never push more than one thing when flying.”

You don't own a cell phone?

I do but for various reasons I don’t trust it for anything more than selfies in flight.