Tutorial
11. Flight Planning
Pilot's Operating Handbook (POH)
The aircraft speed, fuel capacity, and weight & balance information come from an FAA Approved Flight Manual.
The POHs for airplanes built after March 1, 1979 are also FAA Approved Flight Manuals. They provide general information,
aircraft limitations, normal procedures, emergency and abnormal procedures, aircraft performance charts and information,
and weight and balance information. The POH also contains information on aircraft systems, handling, service, and
maintenance plus supplements and safety and operational tips.
Weather Information
Weather reports and forecasts come from any number of sources: the Weather Service
Office, FAA Flight Service Station, private weather reporting services, local
media, and for starters, looking out the window.
The weather determines the rules under which you will conduct the flight. The
flight rules are not just rules; they are Federal Laws. The Code of Federal
Regulations Part 14 contains the Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs). Flights
are conducted using Visual Flight Rules (VFR) or Instrument Flight Rules (IFR)
depending on the weather conditions. Visual Meteorological Conditions (VMC),
generally means the ceiling is at least 1000 feet and the visibility is at least
three miles. If the weather conditions are below either, the flight must be
conducted using Instrument Flight Rules. Pilots receive judgment training when
they learn to fly. Pilots do not break rules, especially weather rules. The
old saying is "there are old pilots and there are bold pilots but there
are no old bold pilots." The weather services available to pilots are explained
in the Weather section.
Flight Planning
Assuming you as the pilot know where you are and where you are going, you obtain the proper chart for the flight.
If you are flying VFR you could use a VFR Terminal Area Chart, a Sectional Chart, or a World Aeronautical Chart
(WAC). The chart selected would depend for the most part on how far you are going to fly. Sectional Charts are
available for the entire USA. When pilots are in flight training they use Sectional Charts.
Flight Planning Examples
Mixed Navigaton Flight
Mert, an instrument-rated private pilot, needs a biennial flight review. The
Federal Aviation Regulations FARs require all private pilots to have one hour
ground instruction and one hour flight instruction in an aircraft they are rated
in every 24 calendar months. Mert asks his friend Norm, a Certificated Flight
Instructor, to give him his BFR. Since Mert lives at Airpark-Dallas (F59), an
airport community, he does not have to drive to an airport. He can taxi from
his hangar (which is part of his house) to the runway.
The ground instruction review covers FAR Part 61, the flight rules, any new regulations and developments, and any
current problems and concerns. For the flight portion Norm proposes a flight from Air Park-Dallas to Terrell (TRL)
using pilotage and a handheld GPS receiver. On takeoff from Terrell they will do some airwork on slow flight and
stall recognition and track to the Caddo Mills NDB north of Terrell. After arriving at the Caddo Mills NDB Mert
will ask for a practice ILS approach to Majors field at Greenville, TX east of Caddo Mills. After flying the ILS
approach to Majors field, Mert puts on the IFR hood and flies instruments to intercept the 173 degree radial of
the Bonham VORTAC along Victor Airway V 15 and flies to the Bonham VORTAC. From there Mert and Norm will return
to Air Park Dallas.
Before the flight Mert will preflight the aircraft, plot the course, name the headings and altitudes to be flown
and fill out a Flight Plan form. Norm will check the planning and see if Mert catches the fact that the return
to Air Park will be along one of the major arrival routes of air carrier aircraft from the northeast.
An IFR Flight
Susan and Frank plan a Sunday flight to show off Susan's new Beech A-36TC Bonanza that has all the bells and whistles.
They plan to fly IFR from San Jose International (SJC) in California to Monterey Peninsula (MRY) airport. They
will rent a car and drive to Carmel for lunch. After lunch they decide to fly to Modesto City-County-Harry Sham
Field (MOD) because they want to visit NASA Crows Landing airfield (a joint NASA/Navy facility) where NASA conducts
flight test operations. Crows Landing is along V 111 south west of Modesto, California.
The first part of the Flight plan is to file IFR GPS Direct to Modesto. For the return flight they plan to file
Monterey to Salinas VORTAC via V 111 to Modesto GPS direct to San Jose or MOD SNS V 111 MOD D SJC.
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