I'm sure this will be an easy question, but I'm having trouble finding a concrete answer online. I'm deep into my IR reading right now, and it seems like everything is always somewhat is reliant on GPS in terms of the real world examples I'm finding.
If I were to fly a plane that is /U or /A is there a general rule of thumb about IFR flight planning and how to choose an initial departure waypoint? It seems like a lot of flight plans I see online between two airports have an initial fix of some part of the victor airway segment (Ex: DUMMY, LOTTS, etc). If I'm without a GPS, I imagine I'm not allowed to file with these waypoints as part of the flight plan? Does that mean that I have to always file using a VOR as my first point? What if the nearest one is over 40 miles away, or maybe obstructions between?
I'm sure these questions will get answered as I get into my training, but just something that seemed obvious that I wasn't grasping.
Thanks!
If I were to fly a plane that is /U or /A is there a general rule of thumb about IFR flight planning and how to choose an initial departure waypoint? It seems like a lot of flight plans I see online between two airports have an initial fix of some part of the victor airway segment (Ex: DUMMY, LOTTS, etc). If I'm without a GPS, I imagine I'm not allowed to file with these waypoints as part of the flight plan? Does that mean that I have to always file using a VOR as my first point? What if the nearest one is over 40 miles away, or maybe obstructions between?
I'm sure these questions will get answered as I get into my training, but just something that seemed obvious that I wasn't grasping.
Thanks!