First XC solo

[10000]

I'm going to be taking my first XC tomorrow. I told my instructor I was unsure about being able to find the target airport and he said "Honestly, it's no biggie if you don't find it...getting back here safely is all that matters".

Is this bad? Is this something illegal?

 

[Jeanie]

Well, it doesn't sound like something I'd want to hear from my CFI. I'd want him to take my concerns seriously and teach me how to find the airport.
Where are you going?

 

[10000]

Well, it doesn't sound like something I'd want to hear from my CFI. I'd want him to take my concerns seriously and teach me how to find the airport.
Where are you going?

I'm mostly concerned about the legal thing of it...

I know how to find airports (on dual XC's), but I have a little trouble sometimes...and it was just a concern.

I just don't wanna say I did and get him or me in trouble.

 

[MSPAviator]

If for nothing more than my own sense of pride, I would definitely want to find the destination airport on my Solo XC.

Do you know how to use a VOR? If you're within about 40nm of one you should be able to home in on that pretty easily. I didn't know how to use it when I flew my solo XC.

I got lost on my solo XC... CFE - 4R5 - ASX - AHH - CFE. Between ASX and AHH, I was flying over a heavily forested area without many good landmarks and no GPS. I started off with a generally good heading because I had Lake Superior behind me as a landmark. But as the lake faded below the horizon, but I quickly lost track of where exactly I was flying over. That was complicated by a 20kt. crosswind so I needed to throw in some wind correction angle in there too.

I climbed, circled looking for something recognizable, didn't find anything, and decided to just continue generally flying in the direction I needed to go. I had just topped off the tanks in ASX so I wasn't too worried about fuel.

Eventually I did see an airport in the distance (RZN), so I made a bee line directly for it. I overflew the field at about 6500ft, which after some studying I was able to recognize...and I was about 15 or 20 miles west of the line I drew on my map. Once I knew I was over RZN it was pretty easy to get to AHH. There is an elongated lake that stretches north to south which basically points right to AAH that I was able to see, and for the rest of my trip, I didn't get lost again.

So... all that said, I think getting lost can be a learning experience and isn't necessarily a bad thing. Just don't get TOO lost or run out of gas or you may learn more than you bargained for.

Oh, I don't think getting lost as a student pilot will get you into any legal trouble.

 

[silver-eagle]

Solo XC means you've done some already. How's your checkpoints? Are they too far apart to be worthwhile? Pick LARGE TARGETS. Something usually 3 to 4 miles laft or right of your track. Airports, rail crossings, rotaries, highway intersections, and big cities are all good. Back during my training, I had checkpoints about 12 to 15 miles apart (HE said too close but I never got lost). I also used "sanity checkpoints" that I could use to validate my path. The main ones went on the flight plan; the others were just circled on the sectional. Timing them is the right thing to do and adjust your course accordingly.
Write on your sectional. They don't last forever so draw a big black line from your starting point to your end point. Keep it TRACK UP so it looks like what you're seeing. Highlight your checkpoints with circles or Xs and draw lines to your path. If you need to verify a checkpoint, take a look at your heading, then circle the checkpoint. See it's what you think it is then get back on your heading and motor onward.
Altitude is your friend. You can see a lot further and pick out your checkpoints better at 4,500 feet than at 2,500.
Use all the tools you have from VOR to GPS to ATC. If you get lost, dial them up and ask for an assist.
By now, you should have the basics down. I think your instructor was indicating that he had faith in your abilities. Make it happen (even if you have to cheat!).

 

[10000]

Solo XC means you've done some already. How's your checkpoints? Are they too far apart to be worthwhile? Pick LARGE TARGETS. Something usually 3 to 4 miles laft or right of your track. Airports, rail crossings, rotaries, highway intersections, and big cities are all good. Back during my training, I had checkpoints about 12 to 15 miles apart (HE said too close but I never got lost). I also used "sanity checkpoints" that I could use to validate my path. The main ones went on the flight plan; the others were just circled on the sectional. Timing them is the right thing to do and adjust your course accordingly.
Write on your sectional. They don't last forever so draw a big black line from your starting point to your end point. Keep it TRACK UP so it looks like what you're seeing. Highlight your checkpoints with circles or Xs and draw lines to your path. If you need to verify a checkpoint, take a look at your heading, then circle the checkpoint. See it's what you think it is then get back on your heading and motor onward.
Altitude is your friend. You can see a lot further and pick out your checkpoints better at 4,500 feet than at 2,500.
Use all the tools you have from VOR to GPS to ATC. If you get lost, dial them up and ask for an assist.
By now, you should have the basics down. I think your instructor was indicating that he had faith in your abilities. Make it happen (even if you have to cheat!).

I'm really hurting for landmarks in N. Florida. I'm flying from KTPA to KOFC...I'm going to use I-75 as the path, because it takes you right to OFC...but I'm also a fan of sanity checkpoints to, but North Florida is all trees and farm pastures...

 

[PilotAlan]

I'm really hurting for landmarks in N. Florida. I'm flying from KTPA to KOFC...I'm going to use I-75 as the path, because it takes you right to OFC...but I'm also a fan of sanity checkpoints to, but North Florida is all trees and farm pastures...

I think you mean Ocala (OCF).

Seriously? From TPA to Ocala you have plenty of landmarks.
First, there's no requirement to go in a straight line, so I-75 is fine.

But in a straight line from TPA to OCF, you'll basically be flying along Dale Mabry Highway.
Your first major checkpoint could be where the Veteran's Expressway spur meets Dale Mabry, and as a double check, that's where Dale Mabry curves northeast.
Second checkpoint would be where Florida and Dale Mabry merge at LandOlakes.
Third would be crossing Highway 52, with Pilot Country to your left, and San Antonio to the right.
Fourth would be crossing the railroad tracks with Brooksville Airport to your left.
Then you'd be flying along with US41 to your right, and go directly over Inverness Airport, checkpoint #5.
Fly over Apopka Lake, and Ocala's directly on the nose.

 

[skidoo]

snip...

Oh, I don't think getting lost as a student pilot will get you into any legal trouble.

The possibility exists. On my solo XC, I recall that I may have inadvertently crossed over some Restricted airspace. I think it was for Nixon near camp Pendelton and was back in the early 1970's. Nothing ever came of it other than my learning experience. Nobody seemed to know except for me when I later reviewed my path.

I can't imagine doing something like that in today's airspace environment.

 

[Greg Bockelman]

Google Earth?

 

[ajstoner21]

What are you worried about being illegal?

If you can't find it, but do make it back to your original point of departure, you can't really log it as a cross country flight for experience toward a private pilot license since you never landed at your destination.

But seriously though, get Flight Following. If you need help, just say you're a student pilot and would like a vector to the airport.

 

[FlySince9]

What kind of idiot instructor sends a student pilot on a cross country when that student is lacking the confidence to do it successfully and without a sound understanding of VOR tracking and using it to pinpoint his position in the event he gets lost???

 

[10000]

What kind of idiot instructor sends a student pilot on a cross country when that student is lacking the confidence to do it successfully and without a sound understanding of VOR tracking and using it to pinpoint his position in the event he gets lost???

Lacking confidence??

 

[dmccormack]

What kind of idiot instructor sends a student pilot on a cross country when that student is lacking the confidence to do it successfully and without a sound understanding of VOR tracking and using it to pinpoint his position in the event he gets lost???

Oh boy, here we go...

So let me get this straight .... You know more about this student and his/her needs and abilities than the CFI who has been working with this student for weeks and likely months?

 

[dmccormack]

I'm going to be taking my first XC tomorrow. I told my instructor I was unsure about being able to find the target airport and he said "Honestly, it's no biggie if you don't find it...getting back here safely is all that matters".

Is this bad? Is this something illegal?

Question #1: The answer is "No, it's not 'bad', it's just a waste of 100LL."
Question #2: The answer is "Maye, if you bumble into a TFR or hot MOA or Class Bravo...."

 

[azure]

Question #2: The answer is "Maye, if you bumble into a TFR or hot MOA or Class Bravo...."

I think maybe you mean hot R-space? AFAIK straying into a hot MOA is not illegal, though it's definitely a bad idea from a safety standpoint.

 

[dmccormack]

I think maybe you mean hot R-space? AFAIK straying into a hot MOA is not illegal, though it's definitely a bad idea from a safety standpoint.

You are correct -- not "illegal".

Restricted airspace would be illegal. Hot MOA would be dumb.

 

[FlySince9]

Oh boy, here we go...

So let me get this straight .... You know more about this student and his/her needs and abilities than the CFI who has been working with this student for weeks and likely months?

I don't have to know the instructor and his relationship with his student to know that sending a student on a XC when he is "unsure he can find the target airport" is a bad idea. And doesn't "unsure" indicate a lack of confidence?

Don't be naive in thinking that Instructors always make the right decisions regarding their students.

 

[FlySince9]

Oh, and by the way, Dan...

Because you are a Flight Instructor, and I assume a good one, I can understand your response. But I am speaking from the point of view of a PP who went through 6 instructors before finding a good one. Everything from a hot-head to a sh**thead before finding a real professional. Yeah, it takes a lot to qualify to be an instructor. But qualified, doesn't always mean quality. A barber also requires a license. But there are still good barbers, and not-so-good barbers.

 

[flyingcheesehead]

I'm going to be taking my first XC tomorrow. I told my instructor I was unsure about being able to find the target airport and he said "Honestly, it's no biggie if you don't find it...getting back here safely is all that matters".

Is this bad? Is this something illegal?

Not necessarily (for both questions).

If you don't find the airport and land there, the flight won't count as a cross country. So, you'll have to do it again.

But, as long as you don't enter any airspace you're not supposed to, not illegal. There's nothing that says you ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO land at that airport - You are the Pilot In Command now. If you can't find the airport, you may make the decision to return home. In a potential emergency situation, you may make the decision to divert to another field (FAR 91.3 is the most important one of all).

Or, as Pilot In Command you are also free to make the decision that you don't yet feel right about making the flight and want more instruction first. But if you feel you've had good instruction in lost procedures, then go make the flight!

If you follow along with your checkpoints and keep good situational awareness, you'll be able to at least find the general vicinity of the airport, and you should be able to find the airport as well. Airports don't move, so if you have built the correct picture in your mind of where the airport will be in relation to nearby landmarks (lakes, roads, and the city it serves for example) You should be able to look and see it right where it's supposed to be.

The closer you are aligned with a runway centerline when approaching the airport, the easier it'll be to see. If you're approaching perpendicular to the only runway and there's some tall trees on the close side of the airport, you may not see it until you're almost on top of it. So, if you don't spot it at first, maybe flying a few miles off to the side until you should be aligned with a runway might help you find it.

Also, I second the Google Earth suggestion. You can "fly" the trip before you go, and see what it should look like as you approach!