Magicians prefer words such as abracadabra. Pilots flying cross-country who wish to perform well can rely on three magical phrases of their own: What’s next?, What if?, and What now?
Ask and you shall achieve. What lies between Point A and Point B on a cross-country trip? Dozens of tasks, each of which you will need to anticipate before you actually undertake them. By repeatedly asking yourself, “What’s next?” you’ll avoid surprises and be ready for each chore well before it must be accomplished.
You have finish your runup and are moments away from takeoff. What’s next after liftoff? Have you thought about how you will exit the pattern and intercept your course?
You capture your course and are confidently climbing to your cruise altitude. The What’s next? question will remind you of an upcoming radio call, perhaps to activate your flight plan or request flight following. Once prompted, you can place the needed frequency in standby if you did not do so on the ground.
During the cruise portion of your flight, you will certainly concentrate on tracking your course and holding your altitude. Yet, the major events of this phase will probably involve radio operation, landmark recognition, and heading and altitude changes. What’s next? might prompt you to tune and identify a VOR radial, track a radial, contact a radar facility, or begin a descent to duck under Class B airspace.
What’s next? can also help you navigate more precisely. Say you’re approaching a turn point along your route. Well aware of your upcoming heading change, you begin to turn a quarter-mile before you reach your waypoint. In this way, you will roll out precisely on your new course, rather than overshoot it slightly.
By increasing your awareness and precision, the What’s next? prompt will make your cross-country flying more enjoyable. To recognize forthcoming tasks, one by one, and accomplish them efficiently produces a sense that you have the flight completely under control. This sense of well-being will allow you to relax, think clearly, and savor the sights passing below.
If a, then b; if c, then d. There may be times when you will be unable to easily predict your next move, when changing circumstances will require careful decision making. At such times, you may need to ask a different question: What if?
Say the clouds ahead appear to be descending. You call for a weather update and determine that, so far, your safety is not threatened. But What if the clouds continue to descend?
Option A: If the clouds reach no lower than 2,000 feet agl, you will press on, but you will need to fly through, rather than above, the Class D airspace down the road. That means radio communication will be required. You preset the frequency of the control tower and monitor the automatic terminal information service (ATIS).
Option B: If the clouds begin to develop at or below 2,000 feet, you will alter your course appropriately and, if necessary, land. You study your chart. You consider alternate headings—including a possible turn for home. If a closer airport seems better, you gather arrival information.
Suppose you wish to fly high. Rather than squeeze under Class B airspace, you will request a clearance to fly through it. But What if the controller refuses your request? You will need a contingency plan. The What if? question will help you to be ready to alter your course.
Planning on the spot. A third question—What now?—will prompt you to think logically when a totally unexpected event forces you to discard previous plans.
You are flying along your route when a controller turns you 30 degrees off course. There is a lot of traffic ahead, he says, and he will need you out of the way for several minutes. “There goes all my planning,” you think. “Where is he taking me? Will I find my way back to my course?”
Frustration is understandable, but on-the-spot planning is what’s really needed. The What now? question will help you develop a procedure that will bring you back to your planned course when the controller says, “Resume own navigation.” If you are using GPS and a moving map, you might determine that your best action, once released by ATC, would be to fly directly to your next waypoint.
If you are flying without those aids, you might note the time you left your course and draw a chart line that approximates your new track. As you progress along that line, you can decide to either return to your previous course line or to approach your next waypoint from a different angle. The What now? question will prompt you to think hard and work through your potential problems.
Working your own magic. A cross-country flight is many things: an opportunity to test and polish your piloting skills, a visually stimulating adventure, a joyful way to save time and connect with people you care about. However, a long-distance flight is a series of piloting events or activities, most of which are routine.
To proceed efficiently from one predictable activity to the next, repeatedly ask yourself “What’s next?” When circumstances begin to change, ask “What if?” and develop contingency plans. When an unexpected event interrupts your routine, ask “What now?” and devise a new plan.
These three “magical” questions will help to keep you focused, on course, and in control.
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