Diversion on the pp checkride

FrankieFlyCRQ

FrankieFlyCRQ

Well-Known Member
Ok folks my checkride for the private is on Aug 17th and I'm feeling pretty good about everything exept the deversion part. Any suggestions/ stragities?? One pilot told me to just use my best judgement on where I think the deversion airport might be, have a line already drawn to it, and have all the calculations wrote down on my nav log and just be ready to explain to the examiner how I got those calculations. Any feedback with the deversion along with anything else that applys to the ppl checkride would be great! Thanks!
 
Re: Deversion on the pp checkride

Having lines drawn and calculations done beforehand could very well piss your examiner off. The whole point of a diversion is to not know ahead of time the "when" and "where".

Just use old fashioned rule-of-thumb approximations and get there using pilotage and dead reckoning and/or other means of navigation if available.

Mike
 
Re: Deversion on the pp checkride

Thats what I fiqured. Thats my whole problem, should I just use a stright edge and use my fingers to calculate distance ? Then reference my heading to a compass rose?
 
Re: Deversion on the pp checkride

I have to ask - didn't your CFI train you how to do a diversion?
 
Re: Deversion on the pp checkride

He did but I'm just a little nervous about it and if I had to do it right now I would probably do it correctly. I'm just curious what other pilots do that's all.
 
Re: Deversion on the pp checkride

If I was going to do it, right when I saw that I needed to deviate I would just bust out the chart and mark my position on the chart and then make an eye's glance at the general direction of where the airport is I wanted to divert to. When you are established in the general direction you can then bust out your plotter to find the course and then get the magnetic heading, fuel burn, yadda yadda...
 
Re: Deversion on the pp checkride

He did but I'm just a little nervous about it and if I had to do it right now I would probably do it correctly. I'm just curious what other pilots do that's all.
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Ahhh - that makes sense.

Here are some techniques I had my students use. (Remember, they're just techniques.)

Remember to always get an approximate heading (doesn't have to be perfect - ballpark it) to your diversion and make a turn immediately. Mark your map where the diversion took place.

Line up your position and your diversion with a pencil, find a VOR compass rose, and roll the pencil up to it and you have your heading. (Don't forget to correct for winds.)

Distance can be measured by fingers, or the plotter.

Now that you have a distance, and you should know your ground speed, you can easily do the time and fuel calculations on your E6B.

During the diversion, don't forget to use pilotage! Match up those outside references with your map.
 
Re: Deversion on the pp checkride

Sounds good. Thanks for the help. It seems a little nerve racking now but I know once I get up there and do it, I'll be fine.
 
Re: Deversion on the pp checkride

For my check ride we took off from VNY with a planned flight to Vegas. At the first checkpoint he tells me to divert to Santa Monica. So I look at the chart to note our position. He says, what are you doing? I say, trying to figure out a course to SMO. He says, well stop all that and divert to Santa Monica. So again I start to look at the chart and he takes it from me and I'm thinking that i've already busted. So he asks, where is Santa Monica? I reply, it's to the south. He says, well then turn south! Der. Then from there did all my calculations. The rest of the ride was similar :panic:. Just do it the way you were taught and you'll be fine.
 
Re: Deversion on the pp checkride

Ok so from what I can gather, It is very important to just turn to the direction of the airport right away, not waisting any time, and then do all my calculations right after. Sounds good.

What did your oral consist of? Was it pretty simular to the ASA Private Oral Guide?
 
Re: Deversion on the pp checkride

FrankiegPilot said:
Ok so from what I can gather, It is very important to just turn to the direction of the airport right away, not waisting any time, and then do all my calculations right after. Sounds good.
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Correct....remember the point of a diversion is that something has just gone wrong....engines running rough, your about to crap your pants,original airport has been shutdown etc.. etc..

Step 1. TURN IN THE DIRECTION OF THE AIRPORT AND MARK YOUR ORIGINAL KNOWN POSITION ON THE MAP!
The reason for this is that if you don't turn and the make your calculations you'll actually be turning from a different position than what you calculated so all your numbers will be wrong.

Step 2. Once heading in the general direction then begin figuring out an actual course, distance, time, fuel burn etc..



If there happens to be a highway, river, railroad tracks, power lines etc.. that run from near your current position to your new destination point those out and say you can be sure of your course because of the terrain features. Something like that shows really good situational awareness.

Good luck
 
Re: Deversion on the pp checkride

Here's the procedures I teach for lost procedures and diversions.


If you do not know your position remember 6 Cs

Circle - over a prominent landmark to make sure you stay in one place while you figure your position

Climb - if able (cloud permitting) climb to a higher altitude to get a better view - look for landmarks and compare to your chart, see if you can determine your position

Conserve - conserve fuel. Reduce the power and lean the mixture, no sense in cirling at cruise speed and wasting fuel

Cross Radial - If you still can't find your position, find a VOR and find your radial off that VOR. Use DME to determine your location. If you don't have DME, use a second VOR and where those 2 radials cross, that's your position

Call - If you are ever really lost this should actually be the first thing you do, but if you still can't find your position, call ATC and if they have radar they can just tell you where you are. If you can't get ATC try an FSS, 121.5 or anyone that you can get a hold of to ask for help. If you are low on fuel or think you may be getting into some restricted/prohibited airspace declare an emergency.


If you do know your position, the procedure for diversion is 6 Ts

Track - mark your position on your chart. Go through 6 Cs if you need to determine your exact location.

Turn - turn approximately in the direction of the new destination. One way to do this is find a VOR on your secional nearby your location. Use a straight edge and parellel your course to the new destination, and look at the number it points to on the compass rose. VORs are already in megnetic, so you don't have to add/subtract variation.

Time - immediately after you start your turn, note the time. DO NOT FORGET THIS. You will need to know how long you've been flying on that heading in order to calculate your time and fuel to the new airport.

Twist - if there are any navaids available to help you get there, tune identify and twist in a course

Throttle - If needed, climb or descend to an appropriate VFR altitude. Many examiners will deliberately divert you in the opposite direction to see that you will remember to change altitude.

Talk - If you are on a flight plan you'll need to call FSS to tell them of your change of plans. This will require some calculation. Use your plotter, and measure the distance from where you were when you started, to your destination. Measure your magnetic course and using winds aloft, find your WCA and groundspeed. Use distance and ground speed to find time and fuel burn to your destination. Now compare that time to the time you noted in step 2, to find your ETA. Now get the AF/D and find your TPA, CTAF, figure how you'll enter the pattern etc.


There's no time limit on any of this. Take your time. And don't forget to scan for traffic during all this.
 
Re: Deversion on the pp checkride

I'll second what Texasspilot said... if you have any terrain features that will guide you to your airport, use them primarily. Once heading that way you can figure out your distance using your fingers or a plotter. Even if you don't have prominent terrain, just get going in that direction and then work out the bugs later.
 
I remember on my PPL and Comm. Multi diversions, I had to get the approx heading, groundspeed, time, distance and fuel burn.

if you have an e6b handy it has distances marked out on it in both NM and SM, so instead of the plotter you can just use that.

Initially, find a compass rose and see where you have to turn to, just take the plotter or e6b and parallel your course to a compass rose.

If your plane has DME with GS readout or a GPS unit it makes it a bit easier :)



Otherwise if you know you winds pretty darn well and know your indicated you can approximate your GS.

If not, pick a point on the map, time it, note the distance, then on the E6B put Distance over the Time to get your Ground Speed.

Once you have your GS, and you know your distance (which you found out with either the plotter or e6B distances) then you can get your time to your destination.

If they ask for fuel burn, know the GPH it burns and since you have the time just look up the time on the inside scale and read directly above it.

Then you will have your heading, Groundspeed, Distance, Time and fuel burn.

Happy examiner :)
 
Sounds great! I am finishing up my CFI over at Orion at the moment. If you need a flying/study partner just let me know! Good luck on your ride.
 
I taught my students the method that is described above and then the examiner says why did you not just use the "direct to" function on the GPS.

My student didn't choke and said that I taught him both ways but was instructed to do it the old fashioned way for the checkride.
 
subpilot said:
I taught my students the method that is described above and then the examiner says why did you not just use the "direct to" function on the GPS.
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That kind of happened to me. The examiner said, okay, you pass. Now tell me why you didn't do this -- and pushed the nearest button on the GPS.
 
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