BFR / Flight Training Plans / IPC workflow (+/- with advanced avionics)

[midlifeflyer]

25 minutes ago, Marc_B said:

Of course doesn't include GNS430/530, and I'm surprised that they don't include the G3X with the PC GAT for flight display.

There's a separate trainer (PC) for the GNS. It doesn't have a full associated PFD, but enough to be workable.

[Vance Harral]

1 hour ago, Marc_B said:

i.e. Program KFOM ODP departing runway 22.

I agree that programming this into a modern navigator is a good "mental push-ups", exercise that helps you become even more familiar with your equipment.

Having said that, I confess to feeling a bit old-man-ish about an ODP that involves nothing more than flying a heading to intercept a VOR radial.  Even though I'm pretty proficient with my GTN650, I find it to be less trouble and less distracting to "program" these sorts of ODPs simply by setting the appropriate frequency and OBS in my #2 VOR prior to departure, and leaving the GTN out of the equation.  I take off, climb to the prescribed turn altitude, turn to the prescribed heading, ident the VOR and wait for the CDI needle to center.

One reason I like this strategy is that in large metropolitan areas with Diverse Vector Areas, ATC is often going to vector you off the ODP as soon as you check in with them anyway.  Because of this, having the ODP in your primary navigator ahead of your cleared route is arguably irrelevant.  It can actually be a distraction, though not much one for anyone proficient with flight-plan-ology.

My strategy does assume one is comfortable with a good old fashioned VOR receiver and CDI, and I've certainly had a few clients with fancy avionics, who just aren't.  They really need the comfort of a magenta line on a moving map to feel confident they're not going the wrong way.  And in some cases, they just really, really want to be able to fly everything with an autopilot, which can add challenges based on the autopilot's connectivity with one or both VOR receivers.  So yeah, I can and do teach them how to paint a VOR radial with their GPS - you've got to meet people where they're at.  But those clients are also the ones most likely to suffer an unfortunate, simulated #1 navigator failure during training. 

[midlifeflyer]

1 hour ago, Vance Harral said:

I agree that programming this into a modern navigator is a good "mental push-ups", exercise that helps you become even more familiar with your equipment.

Having said that, I confess to feeling a bit old-man-ish about an ODP that involves nothing more than flying a heading to intercept a VOR radial.  Even though I'm pretty proficient with my GTN650, I find it to be less trouble and less distracting to "program" these sorts of ODPs simply by setting the appropriate frequency and OBS in my #2 VOR prior to departure, and leaving the GTN out of the equation.  I take off, climb to the prescribed turn altitude, turn to the prescribed heading, ident the VOR and wait for the CDI needle to center.

One reason I like this strategy is that in large metropolitan areas with Diverse Vector Areas, ATC is often going to vector you off the ODP as soon as you check in with them anyway.  Because of this, having the ODP in your primary navigator ahead of your cleared route is arguably irrelevant.  It can actually be a distraction, though not much one for anyone proficient with flight-plan-ology.

My strategy does assume one is comfortable with a good old fashioned VOR receiver and CDI, and I've certainly had a few clients with fancy avionics, who just aren't.  They really need the comfort of a magenta line on a moving map to feel confident they're not going the wrong way.  And in some cases, they just really, really want to be able to fly everything with an autopilot, which can add challenges based on the autopilot's connectivity with one or both VOR receivers.  So yeah, I can and do teach them how to paint a VOR radial with their GPS - you've got to meet people where they're at.  But those clients are also the ones most likely to suffer an unfortunate, simulated #1 navigator failure during training. 

One of the things that isn’t focused on enough is that there are a few situations  in which going to green needles is more efficient.

[Marc_B]

I can't remember the last time I actually flew an ODP.  Leaving Greeley it's always "upon entering controlled airspace fly..." runway heading or a vector to fly.  I've gotten SIDs a few times but usually vectors to a waypoint with an ATC assigned altitude constraint.  My thought with programming an ODP was purely a mental and physical exercise of do you know your equipment and how to turn written or graphical instructions on into a GPS box.  In that respect, the Garmin Aviation Trainer (or similar ipad/PC program) is a great tool.  The example I gave just happened to have VOR, course to, and a hold in a nice efficient package.

My thought with this thread was a list of "good things to work on" ranging from tasks in the aircraft, in the simulator, on the computer, practiced solo, etc.  Most of these tasks have 3-4 ways to do it, and there in lies the finesse and skill/experience to do it efficiently and smoothly.

But I like the thought process of being competent to use your GPS, but being proficient enough that you don't "need" it.

[Vance Harral]

1 hour ago, Marc_B said:

Leaving Greeley it's always "upon entering controlled airspace fly..."

Same at Longmont.  But my one of my favorite instrument scenarios around these parts is to pretend it's 400 OVC (every great once in a while it actually is); and that we've decided to depart anyway (not unreasonable, given that in the event of a problem shortly after takeoff, there are three airports within a few minutes' flying time with precision approaches to 200' AGL).  Controlled airspace starts at 700' AGL.  If you're in the soup at 400' AGL, you can't VOCA, and you've got 300' of climb during which your only guidance is the ODP.  This gets more interesting when the prescribed heading for entering controlled airspace is different from the radial intercept heading prescribed by the ODP (it usually is, though often not by much).

All this makes for a busy departure workload: into the soup almost immediately after takeoff, right at the point you're supposed to start your ODP-prescribed turn.  You already need to be thinking about identifying GLL if you've chosen to actually use your VOR radio for the ODP.  And then, while possibly still in the original turn, a new turn to the ATC-prescribed "on entering controlled airspace" heading at 700' AGL.  Between 700' AGL and 1000' AGL, you should be switching to the departure frequency and attempting to check in, but note that they probably can't hear you until about 1200' AGL.  Don't forget your post-takeoff checklist, generally at 1000' AGL.  If it's a simulated IMC training flight where I'm pretending to be Denver Approach, I'll often fail to respond to the pilot's initial check-in attempt(s), and see what they do.  Hold heading while waiting a few seconds and trying again?  Turn back to the ODP intercept heading to re-acquire the ODP?  Try to figure out what the "vector" rules for lost comm mean when the heading you were vectored onto actually takes you away from the course in your clearance?

It's a fun exercise, and really healthy for gaining proficiency and confidence.  Mostly what I want to see is that the pilot (a) verifies they're steering away from the big rocks just west of the airport; and (b) does something decisive and reasonable, without panic or brain lock.