MOVING MAP DEVICES

For those of you who will be lucky enough to receive a new toy for Christmas, the following is taken from the new CAA Safety Sense Leaflet on the subject .... 

BENEFITS OF VFR ‘MOVING MAP’ DEVICES

Situational Awareness

·     VFR Moving Maps, when used correctly, provide a significant enhancement to situational awareness of your position, adjacent airspace, aerial sporting sites and activity are which may be hazardous to aviation. 

·     Information on ad hoc aerial activity subject to NOTAM, along with both visual and aural warnings may also be provided. 

Enhanced Planning

·     Moving Map devices and software applications also aid the process of flight planning and allow routes to be built to consider the airspace environment to be navigated. 

·     You can incorporate recommendations such as planning to remain, where able, a minimum of 2 NM laterally and 200 feet vertically from the limits of controlled or notified airspace (‘Take 2’) and the use of Frequency Monitoring Codes.

·     Some devices allow routes to be flown in a simulator mode, where the plan can be assessed and threats can be identified and mitigated. 

·     NOTAM and weather information are also often available from the same planning source and a Pilot Log (PLOG) and frequency card can be generated.

Other Features

·     Many applications have other features such as the calculation of Weight & Balance, filing of VFR Flight Plans and General Aviation Report (GAR) forms. When used effectively, these tools can assist pre-flight preparation and give more time to focus on studying the route. 

In recent causal factor analysis, the correct use of VFR Moving Map technology could have helped prevent 85% of analysed airspace infringements from occurring. Based on these statistics the CAA actively encourages pilots to use VFR Moving Maps as PART of their planning methodology, and when in flight, because they can enhance positional situational awareness and can also offer timely alerts to airspace and aviation hazards. However, Moving Map technology should not be the sole means of planning or navigation.

UNDERSTANDING YOUR DEVICE

Different Features

A large proportion of GA pilots who fly with a Moving Map are not familiar with the use of all features or capabilities the device has; taking time to understand the more complex functions will enhance the device’s utility. So:

·     You should review the applicable manuals and user guides. Familiarise yourself with the device on the ground. Consider practising on simple flights away from significant airspace hazards and accompanied by another pilot, who can look out and/or take control of the aircraft if you wish to focus on the device.

·     If the device has a simulator mode, use it to familiarise yourself with how the different features are presented in flight, and how to navigate the aeronautical information displayed. Practice navigating the different menus and layers of information available from the device. 

·     Consider the reality of operating the device under pressure during a flight – can you identify relevant information quickly and accurately while flying the aircraft and not compromising your lookout?

Layers of Information

·     Be aware of information being hidden in layers - for example, on a paper VFR chart, glider sites with winch launching are depicted with an encircled ‘G’ and a figure in thousands of feet above mean sea level (AMSL). This indicates the altitude to which the cable may extend (e.g. G/3.3 is 3,300 ft.) 

·     On some Moving Map devices, information such as the maximum cable altitude may be hidden. Sometimes to establish the altitude, the depiction must be selected to review detailed information on the site.

·     Other hidden information may include radio frequencies and the vertical extent of an ATZ or other regulated airspace.

When familiarised you will be able to:

·     Update the software and applicable aeronautical database of the device

·     Manage downloadable data to the device, such as weather, NOTAM, and other live data

·     Plan a route and identify airspace features and hazards on that route, including information such as altitudes or hours of operation that may be hidden within layers

·     Mount the device (if applicable) in a secure location so that it is visible and accessible but does not obstruct the aircraft controls or visual look out

·     Configure and use the device in the most effective manner for a particular flight, for example setting appropriate altitude layers for the information displayed and any applicable airspace warning parameters

·     Navigate seamlessly throughout the software of the device, including altering key parameters such as map zoom, panning of the map and selecting information on the route as quickly and accurately as possible

·     Use the device effectively in any abnormal situation, for example having to replan a route or divert due to weather.

Also consider:

·     Will the screen be visible in all light conditions? 

·     Is the device prone to overheating when exposed to the sun? 

·     How long is the battery life under constant use? 

·     If there is provision for inflight charging, how reliable is this?

·     Is an external aerial or receiver needed for consistent GNSS signal?

But always remember that your primary task must be flying the aircraft. Do not allow the device to become a distraction from core tasks such as maintaining an effective 80/20 visual lookout. Being proficient with the device will help this since you will minimise the time needed to interact with it when executing different functions.

USING YOUR DEVICE

Pre-flight

·     You should develop a routine with the device that suits your flying and provides a solid foundation for effective use while in flight. This must include ensuring the aeronautical data on the device is up to date.

·     Download weather and NOTAM data as appropriate. NOTAM important for the safety of the flight should be checked against an official source. 

Inflight

·     Do most of the configuration before starting engines to minimize interactions with the device during taxying, take-off, and landing. If you need to interact with the device prior to take-off, do this at the hold while the aircraft is stationary.

·     Once airborne and away from the aerodrome traffic circuit, do a sense check against the surrounding environment; does the indicated position make sense and are you travelling in the intended direction?

·     If a course adjustment is needed, fly the appropriate heading on the aircraft’s direction indicator, and check the track against the Moving Map. Avoid “chasing the ‘magenta line” with frequent heading changes; it is better to fly steady headings and periodically correct as required. 

·     If you have a longer task (like a reroute), break this down into steps that are interspersed with looking outside of the aircraft rather than being ‘heads down’ for long periods. If you have someone else in the aircraft, ask them to assist you with looking out if you are focusing on the device. 

Eyes outside

·     Familiarise yourself with what you expect to see and hear from your VFR Moving Map device. This will allow you to spend no more than 5 seconds at a time with your eyes on the device, giving more time to that critical activity of looking out.

·     Time with eyes inside the aircraft should be spent scanning both the aircraft’s instruments and the Moving Map display. 

Position Awareness

·     If you are manoeuvring in a general area rather than flying a route (for example on an instructional flight), keep orientation relative to ground features, but periodically check the Moving Map display to confirm position. If near controlled airspace, audio airspace alerts will be helpful, but ensure they are set appropriately so that you do not become desensitised to them.

Prioritise

·     When rerouting due to weather or other threats, focus on the most important task first – for example if unintentional flight in IMC is a threat, take up an approximate flight path away from danger and then sort out the detail of the reroute once the situation is stabilised.

Contingencies

·     Like all technology, Moving Map devices can suffer errors or even fail. You must consider contingency arrangements for this

Paper Back-Up

·     The CAA recommends that a paper chart be carried which is accessible, marked and folded for the relevant route or area of operation 

·     During a VFR flight you should also be periodically checking that ground features correspond to the displayed position on the Moving Map device. Identification of ground features will also allow an easier transition to using a paper chart, should the need arise. 

·     Knowing the approximate winds aloft will also assist if the need to switch to dead reckoning navigation arises.

·     If you do experience any in flight failures of devices (other than simple things like running out of battery) or erroneous aeronautical data, you should consider submitting a Voluntary Occurrence Report to the CAA using the same link as for an MOR aviationreporting.eu/

·     Reviewing a route on a paper chart prior to a flight will also assist with cross checking aeronautical information against a regulated source. 

Traditional Skills

·     There is a risk that paper chart reading skills suffer decay if not used over time. 

·     It may be useful to include periodic refresher flights using conventional navigation techniques. 

·     However, when this is carried out it is good practice to use the VFR Moving Map as a visible back-up to mitigate any inadvertent errors that may lead to an airspace infringement or interaction with other airspace hazards. 

·     Many devices record flight tracks, and these records can be a useful training aid, either when self-assessed or discussed with a Flight Instructor. The use of this facility should be encouraged to improve navigation skills.

FLY SAFE!