VFR Flight Planning (Navigation)

I have some excellent documents that my instructor created, which explain how to do it all without a whizz wheel. I managed to master it and hit one of the points on my route within two seconds of the time I estimated to be there...so it must be good 

I'll send them over shortly

twright wrote: Can anyone here who knows how, or has studied this for their PPL, tell me the appropriate formulae for calculating a desired track from, say point A to point B, taking into account wind drift etc?   I know it's a complex thing to ask but it would help a lot if I could understand this!

Your desired track is whatever the line on your chart (adjusted for mag variation) is from A to B. What you need to adjust to maintain this track is your heading, which you adjust for drift.

A simple way to work this out:

Divide the mean wind velocity at the altitude you are cruising by your TAS (in miles/minute) to give your max drift.

EG: Wind velocity of 20kts, at a TAS of 120kts (2nm/minute) would give 20/2, so a max drift of 10degrees.

Then a simple rule of thumb can be used. If the wind is on the nose, apply no drift. 30degrees off the nose apply 1/2 the drift (in this case 5deg), 45deg off 3/4, 60-90deg apply the full drift.

So, as an addendum (I was in a rush earlier). Say your desired track is 075, and the wind is north easterly at 30kts. You are flying at 180kts TAS. The max drift is 30/(180kts/60)=10degrees. The wind is 30degrees off the nose from the left, so you use half the max drift, 5 degrees, and apply it into the wind. Therefore to track 075, you fly a heading of 070.

Thanks for your help guys.  Had another lesson yesterday and planned a short VFR route and flightplan calculating drift and the headings to fly and I think I've got it!

Hi