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2 Answers

IFR XC Planning

Asked by: 3950 views Instrument Rating

Hi All, so its been 2 years since my PPL and I thought that was plenty of time gone by to finally start my instrument rating. So as I prepare for my checkride here within the next week and a half, I have been having some trouble with the XC planning for the checkride. The problem I am having is determining a Magnetic heading to maintain to stay on course to the destination. I am not to sure if magnetic variation comes into play here, or if it does then should I add the Wind correction angle in with variation. The reason I am confused is because I was told that on the low enroute chart, the airways are already magnetic, and not true as with VFR sectionals. So if someone could help me determine the best way to find the correct heading to maintain, I would greatly appreciate that. The route of flight is as follows: KOCF-SADEY-LAL-RINSE-QUNCY-Direct KFMY

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2 Answers



  1. John D Collins on Sep 02, 2016

    Fly the heading that keeps the CDI needle in the center. For that route, I presume you are using a GPS. Set it up to display DTK (desired track) and TRK (track) for each segment. Intercept the course and keep the aircraft on a heading where the TRK matches the DTK.

    Airways use radials and these are magnetic values, but the variation is based on the variation at the time the VOR was installed or realigned. Many have not been realigned since the 1960’s over 50 years ago. In the mean time the variation has changed. So the no wind magnetic heading will often not follow the radial course, but if you set the radial value into the VOR CDI, keeping the needle in the center will overfly the same path.

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  2. Mark Kolber on Sep 03, 2016

    Since the question is about the checkride, it sounds like you may have come across that oddball knowledge test question (I thought it was gone) that made it sound like IFR planning is the same as down and dirty VFR flight planning which assumes no nav instruments at all.

    It is not. As John says, IFR planning is about electronic navigation and magnetic courses depicted on navigational instruments. You make whatever corrections in flight required to stay on course rather than try to predict that the wind will require a heading 12 degrees left when you are and hour and a half into a 3 hour flight.

    The place the winds do come into play is primarily for timing – how long will the flight take assuming the route you want is the route you get and making sure you meet IFR reserve requirements.

    All of that is pretty easy these days using electronic planning tools. Remember, we’re talking about the =Practical= test here. I wonder whether there is a DOE around these days who would require an IFR flight be planned manually (rather that just require the applicant to demonstrate understanding of the process). I used electronic planning for my instrument checkride and that was 24 years ago when that meant printing from DUATS on an DOS PC using a 1200 baud telephone dialup modem and a dot matrix printer 😀

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