This page contains links to useful information sources and tips for maintaining permit aircraft and managing a flight. Please comment with corrections and/or contributions of your own using the contact form at the foot of this page.
Maintaining Permit Aircraft
Notes from Phil Trangmar’s talk on the new permit procedures, April 2023
Flight Management Information on the Web
Airmanship
Access to key information for private pilots and includes:
Pilot responsibilities
Pre flight checks and flight planning
Airspace rules and regulations
Using aerodromes
Risks and Emergencies
Flying outside the UK
Links to useful safety and regulatory resources
Airspace
Airspace Safety Initiative Downloads
NATS AIS printable documentation, e.g. Listening squawks and LARS
NATS Aeronautical Information Service (AIS)
Official source for UK aeronautical information.
Communications
An ‘unofficial’ website tracking changes to frequencies due to 8.33.
Meteorology
Forecasting services
MetCheck: aviation weather forecast for particular airfield.
MeteoCenter: European forecast based on the Weather Research and Forecast Modelling System (WRF)
Regional Atmospheric Soaring Prediction: weather forecasts for Great Britain
Windy: worldwide forecasting using the GFS and NEMS models. Map is zoomable to a specific spot.
Tips
AOPA chart folding instructions
Downloads as a pdf: AOPA folding a half mil uk aeronautical chart
Meteorology
Cloud Base: Estimating Height of
If it is not currently precipitating or under an inversion, the height in feet of cloud base may be estimated given temperature, T and dew-point, D by:
Temperature in Centigrade: (T – D) * 400
Temperature in Fahrenheit: (T – D) * 200
Other, more ‘accurate’ formulae exist; the above have the constant rounded to make for easy calculation and produce a more conservative (lower) result.
If dew-point is not available the minimum overnight temperature may be used.
Cloud Base: Forecasting Service
Ogimet: meteogram for a specific location.
WeatherOnline: using the GFS model
Navigation
Maximum Drift
The maximum drift in degrees, for a given wind-speed in knots: W and true airspeed: A is: (W * 60) / A
Heading Correction Estimation: The 1 in 60 rule
After 60 nautical miles travel, a 1 mile deviation from track equates to 1° error in heading and proportionately for larger deviations or shorter distances.
E.g. 2 miles deviation at 30 miles equates to a 4° error.
There is a Wikipedia entry with background on this tip.
Light Aircraft Association Southern Strut 