Prepare for Cross-Country Flight (Pilotage and Dead Reckoning) | Lesson Prep

Your CFI's syllabus and your airplane's POH come first. This page is a general study aid to help you show up prepared.

What you'll do

Plan the route with a sectional: checkpoints every 10–20 nm, true course, wind correction, magnetic heading, groundspeed and fuel.
Get a full weather briefing, check NOTAMs and TFRs, and file and open a VFR flight plan or use flight following.
Fly the planned heading, note the time at each checkpoint, and update your ETA and fuel.
Hold altitude ±200 ft and heading ±15°, and know your position within 3 nm of the route.
Close your flight plan on arrival.

Quoted from the current FAA Airman Certification Standards for each level that tests this.

Private Pilot ACS (FAA-S-ACS-6C)Task PA.VI.A · Pilotage and Dead Reckoning

Prepare and use a flight log.
Navigate by pilotage.
Navigate by means of pre-computed headings, groundspeeds, elapsed time, and reference to landmarks or checkpoints.
Use the magnetic direction indicator in navigation, including turns to headings.
Verify position within three nautical miles of the flight-planned route.
Arrive at the en route checkpoints within five minutes of the initial or revised estimated time of arrival (ETA) and provide a destination estimate.
Maintain the selected altitude, ±200 feet and heading, ±15°.

Private Pilot ACS (FAA-S-ACS-6C)Task PA.VI.B · Navigation Systems and Radar Services

Use an airborne electronic navigation system.
Determine the airplane’s position using the navigation system.
Intercept and track a given course, radial, or bearing.
Recognize and describe the indication of station or waypoint passage.
Recognize signal loss or interference and take appropriate action, if applicable.
Use proper communication procedures when utilizing radar services.
Maintain the selected altitude, ±200 feet and heading, ±15°.

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