Commercial Pilot (Airplane) Pilotage & Dead Reckoning Lesson Plan
Commercial Pilot (Airplane) • ACS Area VI, Task A
The Commercial Pilot (Airplane) Pilotage and Dead Reckoning Lesson Plan covers the knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with pilotage and dead reckoning.
Introduction
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Schedule
Topic:Time:Part 1, Introduction:0:05Part 2, Pilotage and Dead Reckoning:0:10Part 3, Pilotage and Dead Reckoning Guided Scenario(s):0:15Part 4, Conclude Lesson:0:10Remotivation/Closure:0:05Total Ground Time:0:00
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Attention Getter:
- Research and present a mishap case study:
- Discuss how the initial conditions developed into an incident/accident/mishap.
- Relate similar personal experiences of the same type of incident/accident/mishap.
- Consider incorporating a case study as a guided scenario.
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Motivator:
- Flight planning is the process in which a pilot prepares for an upcoming flight
- It is a descriptive process therefore involving more than one type of navigation.
- If no wind information is available, plan using statistical winds, make them headwinds to be conservative in your fuel planning
- Course: is pre-flight
- Track: is flown
- Charts are all "true" as in true north and must be compensated to find magnetic north
- Include the following:
- Diverts (direction and channels/frequencies)
- Checkpoints:
- Check points should be set approximately 10 NM apart
- Your first checkpoint should be Top of Climb (TOC) and the last should be Top of Descent (TOD)
Materials
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Required Materials:
- Writing instrument (pen, marker, etc.).
- Writing surface (paper, whiteboard, etc.).
- Pilot Information/Operating Handbook/Airplane Flying Handbook.
- Aircraft Checklists.
- Airman Certification Standards.
- Student jacket.
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Optional Materials:
- Personal Weather Minimums Worksheet.
- Instructor endorsement log.
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Reference Materials:
- Flight Planning Supplement.
- Performance Calculations Supplement.
- Instructor Endorsement Log.
- Takeoff and Climb Supplement.
- Fitness for Flight Supplement.
- Risk Management Handbook.
- Airplane Flying Handbook.
- Pilot Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge.
- Navigation and Flight Planning Supplement.
- Magnetic Compass Supplement.
- Visual Scanning and Collision Avoidance Supplement.
- Flight Deck Management Supplement.
- Test-taking Guidance.
- Test Guides.
- The Checkride Supplement.
Instructor Actions
- Before the lesson, review reference materials.
- Part 1, Introduce the lesson:
- Review the lesson plan, including the attention and motivator.
- Review the airman certification standards.
- Introduce normal takeoff and climb.
- Part 2,Pilotage and Dead Reckoning
- Discuss flight planning.
- Discuss types and navigation.
- Discuss flight planning and Navigation Tools.
- Discuss determining route/choosing checkpoints.
- Discuss determining headings/courses.
- Discuss Pilotage and Dead Reckoning common errors.
- Discuss Pilotage and Dead Reckoning airman certification standards.
- Discuss case studies.
- Part 3, Pilotage and Dead Reckoning Guided Scenario(s):
- Part 4, Conclude Lesson:
- Relate lesson to power-on stalls.
- Present the remotivation, conclude, and provide guidance for follow-on lessons.
- Review student actions required ahead of the next lesson.
- Update instructor endorsement records and the student's jacket, as required.
Guided Scenario(s)
- Plan a flight
- For each leg, discuss:
- What is the topography?
- What checkpoints are there?
- What is an appropriate altitude? Why?
- Discuss topography across route
- Related scenarios:
Student Actions
- Complete the assigned readings (see content above).
- Ask pertinent questions.
- Perform self-assessment, including fitness for flight and personal minimums, as appropriate.
- Make a go/no-go decision, as appropriate.
Airman Certification Standards
Commercial Pilot (Airplane) Pilotage and Dead Reckoning Airman Certification Standards
- Objective: To determine whether the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with pilotage and dead reckoning
- References: FAA-H-8083-2 (Risk Management Handbook), FAA-H-8083-3 (Airplane Flying Handbook), FAA-H-8083-25 (Pilot Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge); VFR Navigation Charts
Knowledge 7 ACS Elements
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CA.VI.A.K1: -
CA.VI.A.K2: -
CA.VI.A.K3: Topography. -
CA.VI.A.K4: Selection of appropriate:-
CA.VI.A.K4a: Route. -
CA.VI.A.K4b: Altitude(s). -
CA.VI.A.K4c: Checkpoints.
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CA.VI.A.K5: Plotting a course, including:-
CA.VI.A.K5a: Determining heading, speed, and course. -
CA.VI.A.K5b: Wind correction angle. -
CA.VI.A.K5c: Estimating time, speed, and distance. -
CA.VI.A.K5d: True airspeed and density altitude.
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CA.VI.A.K6: Power setting selection. -
CA.VI.A.K7: Planned versus actual flight plan calculations and required corrections.
Risk Management 3 ACS Elements
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CA.VI.A.R1: -
CA.VI.A.R2: -
CA.VI.A.R3: Unplanned fuel/power consumption, if applicable.
Skills 7 ACS Elements
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CA.VI.A.S1: Prepare and use a flight log. -
CA.VI.A.S4: Use the magnetic direction indicator in navigation, including turns to headings. -
CA.VI.A.S5: Verify position within three nautical miles of the flight-planned route. -
CA.VI.A.S6: Arrive at the en route checkpoints within five minutes of the initial or revised estimated time of arrival (ETA) and provide a destination estimate. -
CA.VI.A.S7: Maintain the selected altitude ±100 feet and heading ±10°.
Conclusion
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Re-Motivation:
- Pilotage and Dead Reckoning connects careful preflight planning with the continuous awareness needed to keep the aircraft, route, fuel, weather, and available alternatives aligned.
- Using multiple navigation references and verifying position, performance, and changing conditions helps pilots detect errors before they narrow available options.
- Timely communication, workload management, and a willingness to revise the plan turn navigation knowledge into practical aeronautical decision-making.
- Further practice with Pilotage and Dead Reckoning prepares commercial pilots for longer, less familiar, and more operationally complex flights.
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Closure:
- The FAA provides test-taking guidance and test guides on its website.
- To learn more about preparing for the practical test, visit the checkride page.
- Advise students that this lesson will be used as a starting point for the next lesson.
- Assign study materials for the next lesson.