For my more experienced student, it's been an interesting thing to begin working with him after he's already completed three quarters of the course. It doesn't give one the opportunity to use the learning principle of primacy, as in many ways, he's already established patterns and methods of procedures. It's more a lesson in recency. And, given that he's preparing to take his check ride, it's my duty to make sure he's ready and that everything is in order.
The penultimate flight in the syllabus is final opportunity for the instructor to ensure the student is ready for the End of Course (EOC) oral and flight exam. That check ride covers many things. Along with checking the applicant's knowledge of systems, weather, airspace, numerous areas of emphasis, performance of standard maneuvers, traffic pattern work, takeoffs and landings, and emergency procedures. Ultimately, the question is, "Can the applicant safely and successfully command the aircraft from preflight to post-flight?
One of the things a check airman or designated pilot examiner (DPE) reviews on the check ride is a student's ability to plan a cross-country flight, using those navigation systems available in the aircraft and the all-important skills of pilotage and dead reckoning (eyeballs, a map, a plotter and computations). Not only does the DPE review the plan, but they start out the exam flight as though they're heading on said trip.
As I have not have the ability to fly a cross country with this student, I asked him to plan a flight so that I could review it with him. We did so on the ground, and although the student's mileage, ground speed, and fuel burn calculations looked good, his course numbers didn't appear to match the course he had drawn out on the map. Thinking he'd backed up his plan with radio navigation (seeing the course plotted along a Victor airway), I wanted to see how the student would react when his flight wasn't going to according to plan. And, given that we were pushing into the hours after sunset, I also wanted to see how he did with the added difficulty of changing conditions (losing daylight and a solid broken layer).
The student did the preflight inspection and had prepared the cabin well, a reflection of good single pilot resource management (SRM) which we had discussed after a couple of previous flights. It gave me some hope. Except, during the Before Takeoff checklist task of setting COM/NAV (entering the proper frequencies and identifying nav stations to be used), he didn't set his nav course. Hmm.
Not too long after departure, when we flew over the radio navigation station that also began the airway and the heading selected didn't match, it became evident to this instructor that the flight wasn't going to go according to plan.
After reaching the top of climb (an important checkpoint for fuel consumption calculations and flight planning), I asked the student where his check point for such was on the map. He had chosen a town to be used for such, and noted it would be off his left wing, which it was, although at a greater distance than he realized. As the student changed heading for his next checkpoint, it became more evident that he was getting farther off course. This will of course happen sometimes when the actual winds aloft are different than the forecast. So, I let it go on for about 20 minutes before I asked the student to identify where he was on the map and in relation to his plan course. After fumbling around numerous times in the dark cockpit for his map and his plotter, he came to the realization that he was well off course (over five miles).
I asked the student how he thought the fight was going. He answered, rather sullenly, "Not very well." I concurred, but I wanted to help him realize what he could use to rectify the situation. While he knew he was not flying his plan, we discussed what tools could be used to help with situational awareness. We then tackled one of the other tough topics of aircraft navigation, diverting to an unplanned location.
For those with good spatial orientation, using a map to divert isn't an overly difficult thing to do. However, if the student isn't sure of his location, situational awareness can be a big factor. I, and a few instructors before me, noticed situational awareness to be an issue with this student. As such, I have been working intently on helping the student to use all resources available to him to determine and maintain situational awareness.
After asking the student to divert to a certain airport, I watched him try and figure out where that airport was and how he was going to get there. Again, darkness masked some of the landmarks he would've normally use. However, the lights of towns and cars on the interstate set against the dark backdrop of the ground helped him out. Although initially he correctly identified the town, he then doubted his spacial orientation, which led him to start to head towards another town in the opposite direction.
Once again, as an instructor, one wants to use teaching moments when possible and give the student tools to be successful. So, I asked him what other tools he could use to verify his location and new destination. He made use of the multiple navigation systems in the aircraft to pinpoint our location and head towards our new, alternate destination. We did a flyover an the non-towered airport, then a touch and go before heading back to our home airport. (We subsequently did a follow-up flight where the plan was subsequently executed satisfactorily).
As with flying, situational awareness is very important in numerous circumstances. I try and stress that when I'm teaching my children how to drive. Whether it's a trip across town or across the country, you need to have a plan, know where you're at and how to handle detours when they arise. I've tried to set an example for them when we go on a road trips, telling them (when they're interested) our planned route, or having them navigate while I drive. It's hard to figure out where you're going if you don't know where you are currently.
When life happens, one has to maintain situational awareness in order to navigate those events. Without using all available resources, it is easy to become lost, especially when detour are required. As pilots, we sometimes want to avoid the fact that we have made a mistake, and especially admit when we are lost. However, there are "5 Cs" that we do to help remedy that situation. Confess, Climb, Conserve, Communicate and Comply. (Circle is sometimes added as a sixth).
- Confess--admit you are lost
- Climb--altitude helps you get the big picture (literally), keeps you out of terrain and gives you more options should you have an engine failure
- Conserve--reduce power, which slows your airspeed and fuel consumption
- Communicate--contact ATC or FSS to confess and give your last known location
- Comply--Follow the instructions given by ATC, FSS and/or your navigation systems to get back on course, or head to safety.
More importantly, we need to remember that God provides us with the tools needed to maintain situational awareness in life, so that we don't keep getting lost. If we don't use them, who's fault is it but our own?
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