IFR "cheat sheet"

swisspilot

swisspilot

Well-Known Member
IFR "cheat sheet"
Hi guys, I m looking for some ideas for an IFR cheat sheet, something to write down in a neat way: clearances, altitudes, freq, holdings...... When I was in training I had just a white piece of paper with CRAFT on it, but I have seen some cool layouts with the space to write important in-flight information. Any ideas? How you guys write down stuff?

I need this for a CFII lesson

Thx

Alex
 
swisspilot said:
IFR "cheat sheet"
Hi guys, I m looking for some ideas for an IFR cheat sheet, something to write down in a neat way: clearances, altitudes, freq, holdings...... When I was in training I had just a white piece of paper with CRAFT on it, but I have seen some cool layouts with the space to write important in-flight information. Any ideas? How you guys write down stuff?

I need this for a CFII lesson

Thx

Alex
Click to expand...

Tons of techniques out there. I've always used HARD-C written backwards, along with 3 numbered items. Contains all parts of an ATC clearance. I just write the HARD-C header down on my paper, and fill it in as I get the clearance.

C- learanace limit
D- eparture instructions
R- outing
A- ltitide(s)
H- olding (if any)
1- EFC/EAC
2- Departure freq
3- Squawk
 
I have always used CRAFT-HE. It follows a clearance that is given by ATC every time.

C-Clearance Limit
R-Route of Flight
A-Altitude Assignment
F-Frequency (departure)
T-Transponder Code (Squak)

If you are cleared to a point or fix that is not your destination then use:

H-Holding Instructions at clearance limit
E-EFC Time
 
I use CRAFT for my clearance. I write this vertically with extra space for the "R" section so I can write my route vertically too. This makes it easy to tell ATC if/when you miss something in a clearance, rather than writing it horizontally, left to right, which gets confusing. Also, if ATC amends your routing during cruise, you have space on your sheet immediately to the right of your vertically-written original clearance to copy the new one. This also sets it up nicely if the amendment is only for a small part and the rest unchanged.

Then, below that on my sheet, I create three columns with heading "H", "A", and "F" - for Heading, Altitude, Frequency. On takeoff, I translate the DP to that after I brief myself on the departure. During flight, I write down the headning, altitude and frequencies as I hear them. Never--um, rarely--do I ever get it wrong or ask ATC to repeat anything using this system. Headings, obivously, I notate in 3 digits; altitudes I notate in hundreds of feet. Simple system; hasn't failed me yet; easy to adopt and write while I fly.

Bottom line: get a SYSTEM that works easily for you and make it second nature.

-A.S.
 
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