FAQ - Aviation

Descent
3 Degree Glide Slope Descent Rate
Add a zero to your indicated speed, divide
by two. This should keep you stabilized on
the approach. Ex: 150 knots on the GS.
150(0) / 2 = 750fpm descent. 120(0) / 2
=600fpm descent, etc. 3 Degree Glide
Slope To maintain a 3 degree glideslope
(eg: ILS) multiply the groundspeed you
are achieving by 5. The resulting number
is the rate of descent to fly. Ex.
Groundspeed = 110 Kts x 5 = 550fpm rate
of descent to maintain 3 degree glideslope.
Double the DME for a 1000' ft per
minute drop rate at 200 kts IAS. That
would tell you how far out you should
start the descent. Ex. I'm at FL230,
cruising at 200 KIAS. I know I want to be
down to what ever the IAF alt is (say
4000') before I get there, maybe 3-5 miles.
Based on 1000 ft/min descent rate, if I
start the descent when I am FL alt minus
the alt of the IAF that gives me 19k to
loose. This means if I start with 38 DME
and add a fudge factor of about 6-8 then I
will hit a point before the IAF at the alt I
need. This is not an Exact science as under
FL180 you have to change to the local alt
setting. But, it does work and it usually has
you down with plenty of time to spare The
distance to descend at 500 ft per
minute. Equals 2 times the ground speed
in miles-per-minute times the altitude to
lose in thousands of feet. Ex. If ground
speed in the descent is 155kts/180mph(3
miles-per-minute) and you must descend
8000ft, you must begin you descent 48
miles from the point at which you must be
at the lower altitude. 2 times your 3 miles
per minute ground speed equals 6 times 8
(your altitude to be lost in thousands)
equals 48 miles. Distance To Descend 1.
Take your altitude and multiply it by 3.
That equals your distance in miles to begin
your descent. 2. Now take half your
ground speed. This is your rate of descent
in hundreds of feet. Ex. If you are flying at
12000ft at a ground speed of 150kts and
you need to descend to 2000ft, the
difference is 10000ft. Multiply 10*3=30
miles out you must begin your descent.
Half your ground speed is 75, add a zero,
and 750 ft per minute is your rate of
descent.

Ground Speed
High Speed Aircraft - Ground Speed
For relatively high speed aircraft- say 250
kts or better the quickest way of
calculating Ground Speed using the DME
(without G/S readout) is to note the
distance traveled in 36 seconds. 36
seconds = 1% of one hour Thus if you
travel 3.25 nm your Ground Speed is 325
Kts- voila!! Ground Speed 1. To find
ground speed note the time required to fly
a published distance. 2. Pick a number that
when multiplied by the flight time yields
approximately 60. 3. To get that ground
speed, multiply that number by the
distance. Ex.15 minutes is required to fly
30nm (15*4=60)Ground speed equals
120kts. (4*30=120)
Wind Components/Correction
Wind Correction Angle 1. To determine
the wind correction angle you must know
the crosswind component at that altitude.
2. Divide the crosswind component by
your True Airspeed in miles per minute,
which will yield the wind correction angle.
Ex. If the crosswind component is 14kts
and the True Airspeed is 2 miles per
minute (120kts),the wind correction angle
is 7 degrees (14/2=7 degrees) Wind
Components 1. The 45 degree multiplier
is 0.7 for headwind, tailwind & crosswind
components. 2. And, for every 15 degree
variation in wind direction from the 45
degree position, the 0.7 multiplier is
adjusted by 0.2 Ex. Your heading is 090
and the wind is 165 degrees at 14kts. The
wind is 75 degrees off the nose. (165-
90=75) The headwind multiplier is 0.3, So
your Headwind Component is 4kts
(14*0.3=4kts) The crosswind multiplier is
1.0, So your Crosswind Component is 14
kts (14*1.0=14kts)
Bank Angles
Leading a Heading 1/2 Standard Rate =
1/3 your bank angle Standard Rate = 1/2
your bank angle Bank Angle for
standard rate turns 1. If indicated
airspeed is in MPH, divide airspeed by 10
and add 5 for standard rate turn. Ex. IAS
is 110mph, divide by 10 equals 11, plus 5
equals 16 degrees (110/10=11+5=16
degrees) bank angle for a standard rate
turn. 2. If indicated airspeed is in knots,
divide airspeed by 10 and add 50% of that
value. Ex. IAS is 100kts divided by 10
equals 10 plus 5 (50% of 10) equals 15
degrees (100/10=10+5 (50% of 10) =15
degrees) bank angle for a standard rate
turn.

True Airspeeds
True Airspeed Calculation Divide your
indicated altitude by 1000, multiply this
figure by 5, and add this number to your
indicated airspeed. Ex: 30000/1000=
30*5= 150+280= 430 is your TAS. True
Airspeed (TAS) To find True Airspeed
increase your indicated airspeed by 2% per
thousand feet of altitude. Ex. If your
indicated airspeed at 8000ft is 120kts, add
16% (2*8=16%) to your indicated
airspeed. Your True Airspeed is 139kts

Fuel Flow/Management
Pounds of Fuel vs. Gallons For every
100 pounds of fuel there is 15 gal. Ex. So
if you need 1000 pounds of fuel that
equates into 150 gallons. Simple and Fast
Way To Determine Fuel Burn: 1. Set
the indEx of the rotating bezel (or a
marker on the planes clock) of that fancy
pilot watch you bought to the minute hand
at takeoff. 2. Figure out how many gallons
you burn in a unit of time. Example: my
old Stinson burns a gallon every five
minutes. 3. Now just count off the units.
The bezel on my watch is graduated in 5
minute increments. 15 minutes would be 3
units and three gallons. Simple, just count
off from the indEx one, two three...three
gallons! You'll always know how much
fuel you've burned and consequently how
much is left. Try it! Fast and easy.
Convert Pounds of Fuel to Gallons
Take the amount of pounds needed, drop
the last zero, divide that new number by 2
and add it to the new number. That is the
same amount in gallons!! Ex. Say 400
pounds is needed. Drop the last zero = 40.
Then divide by 2 which = 20. Add 40 and
20 to get 60 gallons of fuel Fuel Flow If
your airplane has a fuel flow gauge
multiply that number by 3 to get gallons
per hour. Ex. If your fuel flow is 2.3 per
engine. Then, you are burning 69 gallons
per hour per engine. (2.3*3=69 gals)

Horsepower
Horse-Power At Altitude For Turbo-
Prop To find out what amount of horse-
power you are producing at certain
altitudes, use this formula. HP=RPM times
Torque times .00019 Ex. Assume 1900 on
the rpm and 9's on the torque. Hp will
equal 325. (1900*900*.00019=325)
Pressure Altitude
Pressure Altitude For Performance
Charts To find pressure altitude for use on
performance charts take standard pressure
(29.92), subtract the current pressure
setting , multiply that number by 1000,
and add the elevation and to equal your
pressure altitude. Ex. Current pressure
altitude is 28.92 and the elevation is 1200ft
msl. 29.92 (Standard pressure) - 28.92
(current pressure) = 1.00 * 1000 + 1200 =
2200 This is your new pressure altitude.

FPRIVATE
"TYPE=PICT;ALT=Aviation History"
Temperature Conversions
Temperature Conversion Number 2
Another alternative to the above
temperature conversion is to 1) Double the
number 2) Deduct 10% and 3) Add 32 to
get the Fahrenheit figure. Ex. We have a
current temperature of 35 degrees Celsius.
Double it which equals 70, deduct 10% (7)
equaling 63, and add 32, which equals 95
degrees Fahrenheit Temperature
Conversion To convert Celsius to
Fahrenheit, you must multiply the current
temperature by 9, divide that number by 5,
and add 32. Ex. We have a current
temperature of 35 degrees Celsius.
Multiplied by 9 it equals 315, divided b y
5 equals 63, and add 32, which equals 95
degrees Fahrenheit

Climb Gradient/Climb Rate

Convert Climb Gradient To Climb
Rate To convert the climb gradient to the
climb rate in hundreds of feet, divide your
current ground speed by 60 and multiply
by climb gradient. Ex. If you are required
to gain 200 ft per nautical mile and you
have a 150kt ground speed, your rate of
climb in hundreds of feet is 500.
(150/60=2.5*200=500)

Instrument Flight
Reciprocal Heading If known heading is
0 -180, add 200 and subtract 20. If known
heading is 181 - 360, subtract 200 and add
20. This is easier and quicker than trying
to add or subtract 180. Ex: Reciprocal of
120 is 120 + 200 = 320, 320 - 20 =300.
Ex: Reciprocal of 210 is 210 - 200 = 10,
10 + 20 = 30. Northerly Turning Error:
Another easy way to remember this
compass tendency is: ANDS. Accelerate -
North, Decelerate - South. VOR
orientation When using a second VOR
for cross radials, "Same side, not yet
arrived" Ex., If the CDI is on same side of
VOR head as the VOR is from your
course, you have not yet arrived at the
cross radial fix. Conversely, if the VOR is
say, to the left of your course, and the
needle is to the right, you have passed the
fix Partial Panel Remember that if doing
partial panel , that you have the other
instruments, such as the obs on NAV 1 to
help you visualize your position or
heading. If every 30degress takes 10
seconds, then anytime you have the big
numbers on the DG, such as 030, 060, 090,
the time in between each will be 10
seconds. In order to also help you, if you
think that you have to turn to a heading
that is LOWER usually turn LEFT. I know
that this does not work if you are on a NW
heading and have to go to a north east
heading, but use common sense.
Instrument Landing Check C ompass L
ights I dentify F laps F uel Use this on my
procedure turn outbound in lieu with of the
gump check. Check heading, runway
lights, landing lights, frequency, approach
flaps, check fullest tank. IFR approach or
hold. Time, turn, throttles, twist, track,
talk Time: start timing as required Turn:
start turning to the desired course
Throttles: set as applicable, precision
approach, holding, etc Twist: re-set the
HSI inbound course window if required
Track: fly the airplane and track the
inbound course Talk: tell the controller if
you need to. Calculating VDP VDP - A
point along a straight-in approach at which
a 3 degree slope to the runway can not be
maintained resulting in a, missed
approach, circle to land, or unsafe
maneuver. VDP’s are for straight in
approaches and are simply used for a
reference. it will indicate to you that a 3
degree descent path to the runway will not
be obtainable from that position without an
evasive maneuver There are three ways to
calculate VDP: 1. They are published on
the approach plate. 2. By DME - 300ft
per nautical mile (from end of the
runway) Ex. Say the MDA = 600 and the
runway is 1 DME from the fix VOR, LOC,
NDB, ETC) Your VDP = 3 DME 600/300
= 2 DME plus the 1 DME = 3 DME 3.
Take 10% HAT off your time. Ex. Say
the published HAT is 800ft and the time
for that approach is 5:20 Your VDP will
be at 4:00 along the approach. 10% of 800
= 80 seconds, subtract that from 5:20 and
you get 4:00 Drift Correction 300
divided by TAS) X (Crosswind divided by
5) = correction in degrees Ex. TAS 150,
Crosswind=10 300/150=2 Times (10x5)
50 =100...drop the “0” 10 degrees
correction Altitude Deviation Correction 2
X deviation in feet = VSI indication back
to altitude Partial Panel Compass
Flying "OSUN" used for partial panel
compass flying. O vershoot S outh U
ndershoot N orth Remember that the
magnetic compass lags from the North and
leads to the south. How much you over or
under shoot your desired heading depends
on the degrees latitude that you are flying.
Overshoot the South heading by the
required degrees and Undershoot the North
heading by the required degrees. Ex.1
Suppose you are flying in Kansas
(approximately 30 degrees latitude) and
your heading is 090 degrees and you want
to turn to a North heading. Because of the
lags to the North you should roll out of
your turn when your com pass reads 330
(360- 30=330 degrees) if your turn is to
the right and 030 (360+30=030 degrees) if
your turn is to the left. Ex.2 Suppose you
are still flying in Kansas and your heading
is still 090 and you want to make a turn to
a south heading. Because the compass
leads to the South you should roll out of
your turn when your compass reads 210
(180+30=210 degrees) if the turn is to the
right and 150 (180-30=150 degrees) if
your turn is to the left Cue Words To
Remember Reporting Points Harry
Maintains That Little Cats Don't Ever
Vacuum Willows H. holding entry M.
missed approaches T. TAS changes by 5%
or 10 knots L. loss of navigation
equipment, VOR / DME etc. C.
compulsory reporting points D. deviating
for weather E. ETA changes V. vacating
altitude W. when unable to climb or
descend 500 feet per minute Items
Needed For Instrument Flight
According to FAR 91.205. GRAB CARD
Generator Radio Attitude indicator Ball
Clock Altimeter with pressure window
Rate of turn Direction indicator

Airworthiness
Items Needed for Day/Night VFR
Flights Day VFR A FAST MOOSE;
MAT A- airspeed indicator F- fuel gauges
A- altimeter S- seat belt/shoulder harness
T- tachometer M- magnetic compass O-
oil pressure gauge O- oil temp gauge S-
safety gear (flares, flotation device) E-
ELT MAT M- manifold pressure A- anti-
collision lights T- transition light NIGHT
VFR: ASLAP A- anti-collision lights S-
spares fuses (3) L- Landing light when for
hire A- adequate source of electrical
power P- position lighting

Miscellaneous Rules of Thumb

The Nautical Thumb For the average
person, the distance from the tip of your
thumb to your knuckle is equal to
approximately 10 nautical miles on the
Sectional Chart scale. This makes it fast
and easy to estimate distances on the
sectional chart, especially during
diversions to an alternate airport. To
"calibrate" your thumb, just bend your
thumb and place it on a standard 10nm
class C airspace on your sectional chart. It
should fit almost perfectly between the
center of the airport to the 10nm ring!
Course Reversal Add 2 subtract 2 or
subtract 2 add 2 for course reversal. Ex: If
you are on a heading of 060 you +2 & -2 =
240 Ex: If you are on a heading of 340 you
-2 & +2 = 160 A little common sense
and it always works. Gumps For Low-
Wing Aircraft: BCGUMPS B oost
pump on C arb heat off G as on fullest
tank (no both position in a PIPER) U
ndercarriage - Gear down and locked M
ixture - Rich P rops - High RPM S eat
Belts Fastened ATC Speed Reductions
In a turboprop a/c a quick rule of thumb
for a speed reduction is take the airspeed
subtract 100 from it divided by two and
add five. that will give you your torque
setting in percent. Ex: 180 kias. 180-
100=80 80/2=40 add 5= 45% torque 210
kias. 210-100+110 110/2=55 add 5= 60%
torque 1 In 60 Rule For every 1 degree
displacement equals 1 nm in 60 nm. Ex.If
heading is altered 5 degrees to the left: In
60 nm you will be 5 nm left of track. In 30
nm you will be 2.5 nm left of track. Shut
Down Checklist "Remememember to
shut everything down" (R-e-m-m-m ber) R
- adios E - lectrical M - ixture M - aster M
- ags Diversion-Figuring out time to
new destination. A quick way to figure
out how long it will take to get back on
course or to a new destination when
diverting is: Ex. Take 2/3 and multiply it
by the distance to be traveled. 2 - X
15(miles) = 2 X 15 = 30/3 = 10 minutes. 3
This would work with the slow airplanes
like a 150 or Cherokee 140.For faster
aircraft all you would have to do is work
out a different factor. Quick Shutdown
Checklist S - Switches (all electrics) L -
Lean I - Ignition (magnetos) M - Master
Switch Weather Radar Normal Operating
Weather Radar should be able to ground
paint (Dist.) : Square root of your AGL
Altitude Anatomy of a Radio Call: Who
they are, Who you are, Where you are, and
What you want Weight & Balance
WAM: W eight x A rm = M oment
Estimating Cloud Bases: Temp. minus
dew point divided by 4 and multiply by
1000' Ex. 72-52=20 20/4=5
5x1,000=5,000' bases = 5,000' agl during
instability and warmer part of day
Compass errors on an east-west
heading ANDS: Accelerate North error
Decelerate South Pre-landing Check
GUMPS: Gas - Fuel to 'BOTH'
Undercarriage - Gear down and locked
Mixture - Full RICH Props - High RPM
Safety - Seatbelts & Shoulder harnesses
Course Heading True Virgins Make Dull
Company for figuring course Heading
(True course +/- variation = magnetic, +/-
deviation= Course heading.) Ex. 240 + 7
degrees equals 247 magnetic + 3 degrees
deviation = 250 for a course heading