Best Practice – En-Route Flight Planning

• To enhance the basic flight planning, gather as much local information as possible on the route you plan to fly
• Check for a local airspace guide for any controlled airspace on or near your route.
• If planning a zone transit, think about your routing in relation to the active runway. You are more likely to achieve a smooth transit if your route is perpendicular to the runway rather than aligned with it.
• Have a plan B. If you are planning a controlled airspace crossing, always have a back-up to avoid the airspace in case a clearance is refused. Have a decision point a few miles from CAS rather than right on the boundary as it will make diverting around the airspace much easier with less possibility of infringement. Plan time and fuel calculations for the longer route.

Cost – The information is freely available so the only cost will be time.

Examples

Norway has a general guide for VFR flight that gives details about the local issues relating to flight in mountainous terrain. The UK has produced a series of VFR guides, some written by controllers who are also pilots, which give local advice on recommended routes, detailed charts and aerial photographs of significant features and VRPs.

Sample Material