FAA · FAASTeam Safety Articles
VFR Cross Country Planning
In Brief
What It Addresses
Teach cross-country risk management by structuring the flight review or a transition training session as a VFR cross-country trip to an unfamilar airport.
From the Document: selected source passages, quoted as written, for a quick overview.
Practical
Risk Management for VFR XC Flying Risk Management Decision Path
Pilot
Aircraft enVironment External Factors Consequences
Alternatives
Reality External Factors Transfer
Eliminate
Accept
Mitigate
PERCEIVE
HAZARDS associated with:
PROCESS
RISK LEVEL
by assessing:
PERFORM
RISK
MANAGEMENT
by deciding whether to:
Federal Aviation Administration
Teach cross-country risk management by structuring the flight review or a transition training session as a VFR cross-country trip to an unfamilar airport.
Sample Scenarios
1. Use the outbound leg to create the kind of dynamic flight environment that a pilot could encounter in the real world.
If terrain and route of flight permit, simulate an engine problem (partial power or total failure).
Simulate the hazard of an inoperative VOR beacon or GPS receiver. “Failing” a GPS receiver or VOR beacon provides a lesson on situational awareness.
Have the pilot practice high performance takeoffs and landings (including go-arounds) at an unfamiliar airport.
Use the return leg to cover maneuvers normally performed for a flight review (e.g., slow flight, steep turns, stalls):
Transitioning from slow flight into a power-off stall provides a more realistic demonstration of how unintentional stalls can actually occur.
Have the pilot fly part of the trip by reference to instruments.
PURPOSE
PROFILE
PRACTICES
For many pilots, using
an airplane for personal transportation is one of the biggest benefits of being able to fly.
However, since flight
training and flight reviews tend to focus on basic skills and maneuvers, pilots do not always get opportunities to train for real-world cross-country flying. This guide offers ideas for teaching pilots to recognize and manage risk in VFR cross-country flying.
VFR cross-country accidents often involve poor planning, decision-making, and risk management in areas such as:
Flight planning and monitoring
Interpretation and application of weather briefing information
Fuel and performance management
ATC communication procedures
Basic airplane control
Operating rules and procedures
Preflight inspection Be alert for the “teachable moments” on identifying hazards and managing risk throughout the flight:
P ilot — distraction of unfamiliar place A ircraft — effect of density altitude enV ironment — landing illusions E xternal — requests from ATC POSTFLIGHT Ask the pilot to verbally replay the the flight and reflect on these questions:
What went well?
What could have been better?
What should I do differently if I encounter similar conditions in a future flight?
What are the three most important things I learned from this flight?
What is the most critical knowledge gap I need to fill?
What is the skill that I most need to practice and improve?
Source: Federal Aviation Administration — www.faasafety.gov. Reproduced from the published record; FlightPush adds formatting only.
Author: FAA
FAASTeam library-70131