Activity 1.3.

3 Cross Country Solo Using Fly To

Learn Powered by X-Plane
Introduction
The aircraft operational environment is vast and complex. To successfully work
within this environment, aircraft pilots are not only required to have skills related to
controls and maneuvering but also navigation and flight preparation. To successfully
prepare for a flight, a detailed flight plan outlines where the aircraft is going and how
it will get there. Just as simulators are used to allow aerospace crew members to
learn skills related to equipment, simulators can also be used in creating and
executing detailed flight plans. In this activity you will develop planning and piloting
skills as you prepare a basic flight plan and use a flight simulator to execute the
plan.

Equipment
Engineering notebook
Computer with Fly To Learn Powered by X-Plane software
Aircraft control interface such as a joystick

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Procedure
During this activity you will work in a team to gain experience related to flight
planning and navigation. As the team completes the activity, the non-controlling
team members will take notes of the planning and navigation experience.
1. Create a comfortable work environment free of obstructions and consisting of a
computer with an aircraft control interface and the application Fly To Learn
Powered by X-Plane.
2. Launch Fly To Learn Powered by X-Plane software.
3. Play the tutorial video. You or you and your partner can pause the video and
recreate the maneuvers using the Fly To Learn Powered by X-Plane software
or practice after the video ends. Below is a summary of the steps.
a. Pilots use magnetic compasses to navigate, but they are aware of the
compasses weakness.

b. An example is that a light wind could blow them off course. This effect
may be small, but over an entire flight can add up to be significant.

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c. VOR, or Very High Frequency Omni-Directional Range, assists pilots by
broadcasting a radio signal with navigation information. VOR allows
corrections mid-flight.

d. VOR radio stations broadcast 360 radials, one for each degree in a circle.
Your location will determine the value, or radial, that you will receive from
the station.

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e. Note that the VOR value, and all compass values are magnetic values.
The value we read off a magnetic compass may not align perfectly with
true values. Depending on your location on earth, magnetic and true
compass values may be significantly different.

f. VOR stations do not provide any information about how far you are from
the station, only the directional value or radial. The VOR signal cannot be
received while the aircraft is on the ground or at low altitudes. The receiver
in the aircraft must be in line of sight to the station to receive a VOR
signal. If you are due north of the station you will receive a value of 0 or
360 degrees from the station. If you are due east of the station you will
receive a value of 90 degrees from the station. If you are due south of the
station you will receive a value of 180 degrees from the station. If you are
due west of the station you will receive a value of 270 degrees from the
station.

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g. The value, or radial, you receive from the station is not related to the
aircraft heading. The aircraft could be facing any direction and still receive
the same value.

h. VOR signals are tuned as From and To. There is 180 degrees difference
between a To and From signal. It is like when you walk To an object you
could turn completely around 180 degrees and you would be walking
From an object. So far weve only looked at the value From (VO note:
emphasis) a VOR radio station. If we were to use a From value to
navigate then we would travel away from the station. Most of the time we
will be using a To value because we want to fly towards the VOR station.
If we are due east of a station, the VOR From radial will be 90 degrees. To
get the To value, add 180 degrees for a value of 270 degrees which is
west. If we are due east of the VOR station and we fly west we will be
flying toward the station. Whenever tuning a Navigation radio to find the
radial it is crucial to know if this is a To or a From value.

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i. We will be flying a Cessna 172 from Colorado Spring Municipal Airport,
which is known by its identifier as KCOS to Denver International Airport,
with the identifier DEN. Start by selecting the Colorado Springs Municipal
Airport and then Select Runway 30.

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j. Before taking off, note that the altimeter indicates about six thousand, two
hundred feet. The Colorado Springs airport is already well above sea
level. This means that the aircraft is at 6,200 feet MSL which stands for
Mean Sea Level while it is 0 feet AGL which means Above Ground Level.

k. To takeoff, release the brakes using button 12. Then push the throttle all
the way in. Wait until the airspeed indicates 70 knots then pitch up. VOR
navigation doesnt work at low altitudes so lets climb to at least one
thousand feet AGL or Above Ground Level before preparing the VOR to
navigate. Because we took off at six thousand, two hundred feet we will
need to climb until the altimeter indicates seven thousand, two hundred
feet.
l. After you climb sufficiently high then tune in the navigation radio. We will
need to look up the frequency of the VOR on our sectional map. Select
Location and then Local Map. Make sure that Sectional is selected. Find
the Denver airport also known as DEN, north of Colorado Springs. The
VOR radio frequency is 117.90. Select the x to return to flying.

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m. Find NAV 1. The aircraft has two navigation radios installed. This provides
a backup if one radio fails and also allows a pilot to triangulate the position
of the aircraft. Triangulation is an advanced navigation skill that involved
pilots using two VOR stations to determine their exact location.
Triangulation is beyond the scope of this instructional resource.

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n. There are two sizes of cursor selectors you can use to tune the radio. We
are tuning to 117.90. The next step is to use the OBS (VO Note: Say
letters O-B-S) knob on the NAV 1 instrument to rotate the compass.Rotate
the OBS knob until the white line is centered and the FR flag is white. We
will be near the 175 degree From radial. We want to fly towards the VOR
station so adjust the OBS knob until the white line is centered and the TO
flag is white. We should be near the 355 To radial, which is rotated 180
degrees compared to the From radial.

o. If we fly with a heading equal to the To radial we will be flying towards the
VOR station. Turn the aircraft to the heading 355 degrees.

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p. Now we fly on this heading for the required distance. Denver is 62 nautical
miles from Colorado Springs so at our airspeed of about 110 knots it
should take just over half an hour.

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 q. If the white bar moves from center then you have drifted off course. We
will need to retune NAV 1 to find our new heading. Use the OBS knob to
move the white line to the center while the TO flag is white. This is our
new heading. Turn the aircraft so that the heading matches the VOR
instrument.

r. Eventually well see the Denver airport ahead of us. Congratulations!

Youve accomplished your first navigation flight.
4. Now try your first cross-country solo. Start on Runway 30 at the Colorado
Spring Municipal Airport, KCOS, and navigate to Pueblo Memorial Airport.
Youll have to look up the VOR radio frequency on the sectional map.

Conclusion
1. What errors did you make during this flight?
I went through tress, houses, people, deer Did not get it off the ground. But I
had a successful second flight.
2. What could you do to avoid these mistake(s)?
Actually take off and learn how to turn the aircraft properly.
3. How does the VOR instrument help you navigate?
Helps you know the direction in which youre moving the aircraft.

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