Flight Training - May 2022 - 46

ADVANCED PILOT INSTRUMENT TIP
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7 TIPS FOR PERFECT CLEARANCES
BY IAN J. TWOMBLY
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" WHERE ARE YOU GOING? " THE
controller asked.
" Hagerstown, " I answered.
" I have you cleared to Harrisburg, "
came the reply. Oops.
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This seemingly innocuous mistake,
turning south-southwest instead of
south-southeast on my departure, could
have been a major problem. Departing from
even a moderately busy airport would have
resulted in much more serious consequences.
As it happened, I was taking off
from Podunk Municipal and got off with a
minor admonishment.
The problem began in the clearance
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delivery. The controller assigned Harrisburg.
I assumed Hagerstown, as I had
filed. One very faulty assumption later
and I was headed well off my cleared
route. These sorts of mistakes aren't
uncommon. Controllers speak quickly,
some waypoints sound the same, and the
penalties for mistakes can be massive. But
the mistakes are also preventable. Here
are seven tips to help set you on a lifetime
of trouble-free clearances.
46
FLIGHT TRAINING MAY 2022
1. Practice at home. There's no need
to make your first experience grabbing
a clearance a live session. Digital simulation
software can teach you the basics
and let you work in a call-and-response
environment. There are also resources
like PilotEdge and Vatsim, two lifelike
simulation communities where pilots and
controllers come together. Simply connect
your PC to one of these services and you
can call and receive clearances all day long.
Knowing the " controller " you're talking to
is sitting at his or her own home simulator
significantly lowers the stress level.
2. Practice with the big boys and
girls. Sites like liveatc.net offer a great
opportunity to drill your skills at copying
a clearance. Try not to pick one of the
busy airline airports with the FAA's digital
pre-departure clearance capability.
That will give you the best opportunity to
hear many calls requesting an instrument
clearance. Get your pencil ready as you
would in the airplane and start copying
when the controller reads the clearance.
You can even check your work. This is
http://www.AOPA.org/creditcard http://www.liveatc.net http://www.AOPA.org/creditcard
Flight Training - May 2022

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