Navagating

Well the easiest way is to use the GPS. The other way is Dead Reckoning. The is the tried and true basic navigation that all pilots learn before VOR's, GPS and NDB's. It will never fail you. It's not simple to describe but basically you use Time, Speed and Distance to compute your position, if you know two you can compute the unknown. A hand held flight computer helps. A good forecast of the winds also helps. Read chapter 14 in the PDF file below:

I believe its possible to navigate effectively with basic instruments and chart reference. It involves constant scanning of the instruements to ensure you maintain on track as otherwise it could be easy to drift of course and lose your situational awareness. You can fly VOR to VOR steering the plane manually instead of using the autopilot.

yes but its the cub panel jamie how do i no when i hit vors ill just udse the map i have and gps thanks for the help

Yes, that's called pilotage. It requires good chart reading skills and a detailed chart of about 1:500,000 or less. It is difficult for long distances and over unfamiliar terrain. You need easily definable features that are on the chart so that you can keep track of you position. Pilotage is most suited to short flight unless you following a shoreline.

The only way a VOR will help you in the Piper Cub is if you see it out the window. Then you know your near a VOR but have to deduce which one.

The Cub has a handheld GPS, I'd use that. 🙂

yea im using the gps thanks

CRJCapt wrote:

The only way a VOR will help you in the Piper Cub is if you see it out the window. Then you know your near a VOR but have to deduce which one.

The Cub has a handheld GPS, I'd use that. 🙂

CRJCapt, 😀 😀 😀 Good one.

CRJCapt, I'm not familiar with a Piper Cub. Is it not equiped to fly Vor to Vor?

The Piper Cub is one of the best aircraft ever made, it taught many a pilot how to fly. It's a simple, pure aircraft that forces the pilot to use skill to fly without automatic systems, aids or electronic displays. You navigate by looking out the window and using a chart, compass and your watch. No VOR receiver, ADF or panel mounted GPS. Long ago, they didn't even have an electrical system(no radio or engine starter). Many of today's airline pilots would hurt themselves if you put them in a Cub, too much time watching the autopilot and the GPS at over 30,000 feet. It's not flashy or fast and it won't fly high but I love the Piper Cub for it's simplicity, it's real flying. 🙂

There is a handheld GPS just in case things get a little too pure and you get simply lost.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piper_Cub

As another poster said, pilotage is taught to all student pilots early in thier cross-country training and a prudent pilot uses elements of pilotage in every cross-country flight in the event a complete radio failure occurs. In that situation, it would be nice to know where you currently are and how to get to where you want to be.

At least once a year, I take a flight of at least 200 miles into unfamiliar areas using only the heading indicator, compass, clock, and charts. It keeps those skills current in case you ever have to call on them. For all early pilots, and for many today that have only rudimentary aircraft, pilotage is the only way navigation is or was possible.

Pilotage is much easier in those areas where there are recognizable landmarks at fairly close intervels. These can be lakes, mountains, rivers, large highways, cities, etc. It is much more difficult in areas with few distinct landmarks. I once flew from Denver to Oklahoma City, using only pilotage and for the entire flight, I always knew generally where I was but rarely knew precisely. All that flat farm land looks the same from 1,500 feet.