✈️ Aviation Brief — Issue #63
Weekly insights for student pilots and the instructors who train them.
THIS WEEK'S TOPIC
IA.IV.C — Course Tracking (Instrument Rating ACS)
1. ACS STANDARDS SUMMARY
The Instrument ACS for IA.IV.C requires you to intercept and track courses (VOR radials, GPS tracks, or localizer courses) inbound and outbound. You must apply the correct wind correction to stay on course, maintain altitude within ±100 feet, airspeed within ±10 knots, and heading within ±10°. The examiner expects you to demonstrate smooth, proactive corrections rather than reactive chasing, while continuously cross-checking the CDI, heading indicator, and navigation source.
2. THREE COMMON STUDENT MISTAKES
- Chasing the CDI needle instead of selecting and holding a steady crab heading, which creates an S-turn pattern across the desired course.
- Misjudging wind direction and strength, often applying too little correction and slowly drifting off course without noticing until the needle moves significantly.
- Allowing altitude or airspeed to wander while focused on the navigation display, frequently exceeding the ±100-foot or ±10-knot tolerances during the task.
3. CFI PRO TIP
Teach students to verbalize their planned intercept heading and expected crab angle out loud before they start the turn. Once established, have them note the exact heading that keeps the CDI centered and hold that heading steadily for 30–60 seconds instead of making small, constant adjustments. This builds the habit of flying a solution rather than reacting to the needle.
4. SAFETY SPOTLIGHT
NTSB accident reports continue to cite navigation tracking errors on non-precision approaches and missed approaches, particularly in mountainous or low-visibility conditions. In several ASRS filings, pilots who drifted even a few degrees off the published course while correcting for wind ended up outside protected airspace, resulting in terrain or obstacle conflicts that could have been prevented by disciplined course tracking.
5. DID YOU KNOW
Even with GPS providing highly accurate track information, the ACS still requires you to demonstrate the ability to apply manual wind corrections using only heading and CDI information, because this skill remains essential if GPS becomes unavailable.
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