Extending Your Cockpit View

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Having trouble sighting that airport on a cross country flight? I remember a dual cross country as a student pilot where I couldn't find the airport until I was directly on top of it. I knew I was having difficulty when my instructor said, "Could that be the airport right over there? The thing that looks like a long black strip with all the airplanes on it?" Geesh! How embarrassing. Well, here's an idea that may help.

Part of the problem with trying to identify airports is the surrounding terrain. From a distance, airports tend to blend into their background (day or night). If you could isolate a small piece of real estate and examine it, you'd have no difficulty ferreting out specific locations. But that's the problem. How can you focus on a small piece of real estate while disregarding the peripheral geography?

Here's a technique I've used for many years and my students (and I) find it quite useful. Take your hand and make a small peep hole as shown in Figure 1. Close one eye and look through the peep hole with the other. With this method, you're able to focus on a small area of geography while eliminating the distracting effect of surrounding terrain. Move the peep hole around in the general direction of the airport. If it's within eyesight, you'll eventually find it. Guaranteed!

Of course, you don't want to do this for long stretches at a time because it hinders your ability to see traffic. Use a little common sense here. Also, please suppress your natural comedic desires when using this technique. In other words, don't make peep holes with both hands, invert them and place them over your eyes with your elbows sticking up in the air. No one will buy your impromptu version of "Stereo peep hole vision." If you want to be on Letterman, go to the Comedy store to try your routine there, like everyone else.

By the way, have you ever thought about carrying a pair of binoculars in your flight bag? I have a small pair that I carry with me when I can fit them inside the bag. Stop and think about this for a moment. You use your eyes to find airports, look for landmarks, spot distant thunderstorms, etc. But our eyes are only so effective in performing these tasks. Why not use an instrument that literally gives your eyes more sighting power? Binoculars? What a concept.

I've used binoculars for years. While other pilots can't make out an airport until they're 5 miles away, I can spot it at 20 miles with a small pair of binoculars. Nothing to be ashamed of here. These are natural instruments to extend our vision. After all, we use a radio to extend our aural range, don't we? It sure beats yelling at the tower from an open cockpit window, doesn't it?

So, don't ever be reluctant to amplify your natural senses though technology. This even applies to hearing aids. If you need one, get it. And, as an aside, the toughest job I ever had (and the shortest) was selling hearing aids over the phone! Now that's a tough job!