Diversions and lost procedures
8 min readLesson 53 of 59
By the end of this lesson you'll be able to:
- Divert to an alternate airport in flight
- Use the five Cs if lost
- Know what help is available
Diverting
Weather, a sick passenger, low fuel or a rough engine can mean you need to go somewhere else. A diversion is a normal procedure, and your checkride will include one. The steps:
- Decide early and turn toward the new destination right away. Don't wait for things to get worse.
- Estimate the course using your chart (or a straightedge, or the GPS) and turn to approximately that heading.
- Estimate distance, time and fuel using rules of thumb, then refine once established.
- Tell someone: ATC or Flight Service, and update your flight plan.
If you're lost: the five Cs
- Climb: higher altitude means a better view and better radio and radar coverage (watch for clouds and airspace).
- Communicate: call ATC or Flight Service, or use 121.5, the emergency frequency.
- Confess: tell them you're lost. They help pilots every day.
- Comply: follow the instructions you get.
- Conserve: reduce power to save fuel while you sort it out.
Also: fly a constant heading toward a big, easy-to-find feature (a highway, a river, a mountain range), use the VOR or GPS to find your position, and don't wander. If fuel or daylight is running out, landing at any suitable airport (or even a suitable field) beats running out of options.
Squawk 7700 if it's an emergency. Being lost with low fuel is an emergency. Declaring one gets you priority and help; there's no paperwork penalty for using it when you need it.
Key takeaways
- Divert early: turn first, then refine heading, time and fuel.
- Lost: climb, communicate, confess, comply, conserve.
- Emergency frequency 121.5; emergency squawk 7700.
What the examiner may ask
Practice answering out loud before you open each answer.
You need to divert now. Show me.
Turn toward the alternate immediately, estimate heading, distance, time and fuel, and notify ATC or Flight Service.
What are the five Cs?
Climb, communicate, confess, comply, conserve.
When would you declare an emergency when lost?
When fuel, weather or daylight is becoming a problem. It gets priority help with no penalty for using it appropriately.
Common mistakes
- Delaying the decision to divert.
- Wandering around trying to find a landmark instead of holding a heading.
- Being too embarrassed to ask ATC for help.
Read it in the FAA sources
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Lesson check
Get every question right to complete the lesson. Take your time; wrong answers explain why.
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