X-Country Planning

PREFLIGHT ACTION (§ 91.103)

Before beginning a flight, PIC shall become familiar with all available information concerning that flight (under IFR or not in the vicinity of an airport)

Weather reports and forecasts

Takeoff and landing distance

Fuel requirements

Alternatives available if required

Runway length, slope

Known ATC delay

NOTAMs

CRUISING ALTITUDE DETERMINATION

Airspace, Winds, Terrain, Better TAS at high altitude, Cloud Base, and etc.

VFR CRUISING ALTITUDE (§ 91.159)

When operating above 3,000 ft but less than 18,000 ft MSL

       Magnetic Course of 0 ~ 179° odd thousand plus 500 ft

       Magnetic Course of 180 ~ 359° even thousand plus 500 ft

FUEL REQUIREMENTS (§ 91.151, 167)

a. VFR conditions

Enough fuel to fly to the first point of intended landing and, assuming normal cruising speed:

       During the day: at least 30 minutes

       During the night: at least 45 minutes

b. IFR conditions

Complete the flight to the first airport of intended landing

Fly from that airport to the alternate airport (if required)

Fly after that for 45 minutes at normal cruising speed

3 COMMON WAYS TO NAVIGATE

a. Pilotage: by reference to visible landmarks

b. Dead reckoning: by computing direction and distance from a know position

c. Radio Navigation: by use of radio aids

ISOGONIC LINE

Broken magenta line: equal magnetic variation

MAGNETIC VARIATION

Angle between true north and magnetic north

LOST POSITION: 4Cs

Climb: the higher altitude allows better communication capability

Communicate: use 121.5 MHz

Confess: let them know my problem

Comply: follow instructions

SPEED LIMITS (§ 91.117)

Below 10,000ft: 250 kts

Class B: 250 kts below 10,000ft

Beneath Class B: 200 kts

Class C or D (below 2,500 AGL within 4NM of the airport): 200

ELT NOT REQUIRED (§ 91.207)

Ferrying aircraft for installation of an ELT

Ferrying aircraft for repair of an ELT

Training flight within a 50-nautical mile radius of an airport

MODE C TRANSPONDER REQUIRED (AIM 4-1-20)

In general, the regulation requires aircraft to be equipped with Mode C transponder when operating:

a. At or above 10,000 ft MSL

b. Within 30 miles of a Class B airspace primary airport, below 10,000 ft MSL

c. Within and above all Class C airspace, up to 10,000 ft MSL

d. Within 10 miles of certain designated airports, excluding airspace which is both outside the Class D surface area and below 1,200 ft AGL

e. All aircraft flying into, within, or across the contiguous U.S. ADIZ

DVFR FLIGHT PLAN (AIM 5-1-6)

Defense VFR: VFR flight into a coastal or domestic ADIZ is required to file VFR flight plans for security purpose. The flight plan must be filed before departure.

CLASS A AIRSPACE (AIM 3-2-2)

Dimension: from 18,000 ft MSL to FL 600, including the airspace overlying the waters within 12 NM of the coast of the 48 contiguous states and Alaska

Equipment Requirements: Mode C Transponder, 2-way Radio Communication, and IFR Equipment

Entry Requirements:

CLASS B AIRSPACE (AIM 3-2-3)

Dimension: from the surface to 10,000 ft MSL and individually tailored for each airport like upside down wedding cake

Equipment Requirements: Mode C Transponder, 2-way Radio Communication

Entry Requirements: ATC Clearance, at least Private Pilot

CLASS C AIRSPACE (AIM 3-2-4)

Dimension: generally from the surface to 4,000 ft above airport elevation and 5 NM radius of core surface area and 10 NM radius shelf area

Equipment Requirements: Mode C Transponder, 2-way Radio Communication

Entry Requirements: 2-way Radio Communication

CLASS D AIRSPACE (AIM 3-2-5)

Dimension: from surface to 2,500 above the airport elevation

Equipment Requirements: 2-way Radio Communication

Entry Requirements: 2-way Radio Communication

CLASS E AIRSPACE (AIM 3-2-6)

Dimension: from surface to 2,500 above the airport elevation

Equipment Requirements: 2-way Radio Communication

Entry Requirements: 2-way Radio Communication

CLASS E AIRSPACE (AIM 3-2-6)

Dimension: controlled airspace not designated Class A, B, C, and D

BASIC VFR WEATHER MINIMUMS (§ 91.155)

		NO VFR AUTHORIZED
18,000 MSL	5 SM 1,000 / 1,000 / 1 SM
10,000 MSL	3 SM 500 / 1,000’/ 1,000 (Exception: Class B Clear of Clouds)		NIGHT                      DAY 3 SM                        1 SM 500                           500 1,000                        1,000 2,000                        2,000
1,200 MSL			NIGHT                      DAY 3 SM                        1 SM 500                         Clear 1,000                          of  2,000                      Clouds
	Controlled Airspace		Uncontrolled Airspace

SPECIAL USE AIRSPACE (AIM 3-4)

Prohibited Area: Established for security or other reasons, aircraft flight is prohibited within this area.

Restricted Area: Contains unusual, often invisible hazards to aircraft, flights must have permission from the controlling agency.

Warning Area: extending from 3 M outwards from the coast of the U.S. Permission is not required, but a flight plan is advised.

MOA (Military Operating Areas): Designated to separate military training from IFR traffic. Permission is not required, but VFR flights should exercise caution. IFR flights will be cleared thorough or vectored around it.

Alert Area: Airspace containing a high volume of pilot training or unusual aerial activity. No permission is required, but VFR flights should exercise caution.

OTHER AIRSPACE AREA (AIM 3-5)

MTR (Military Training Route): Contain low-altitude, high-speed military training. The routes above 1,500 ft AGL are flown under IFR. The routes below 1,500 ft AGK are flown under VFR

4 digits: no segment above 1,500 ft AGL

3 digits: one or more segments above 1,500 ft AGL

ADIZ (AIM 5-6-1)

All aircraft entering domestic U.S airspace from outside must provide for identification prior to entry. To facilitate early aircraft identification of all aircraft in the vicinity of U.S. and international airspace boundaries, ADIZ have been established

The followings are required prior to enter ADIZ

a. Flight Plan: An IFR or DVFR flight plan

b. 2-way radio communication

c. Mode C Transponder

d. Position Reports: For IFR flights: normal position reporting. For DVFR flights, at least 15 minutes prior to entry

e, Position Tolerance

       Over land: ± 5 minutes within 10 NM

       Over water: ± 5 minutes within 20 NM