How Do Pilots Know Where to Fly?

Modern-day cars have navigation systems that tell drivers where to go next and where to take turns. They can also use traffic signals and road signs, but How Do Pilots Know Where to Fly? 

In the past, pilots looked through the plane window or windshield to recognize the nearby landmarks, mountains, and hills by which they reached their desired locations. But nowadays, the story is completely different. Pilots fly using advanced navigation tools and methods. 

They can fly safely by taking assistance from other useful ways such as aviation GPS, spotting landmarks, dead reckoning, and listening to air traffic control instructions. 

Unfold more interesting information in detail below by thoroughly reading this article from top to bottom. 

Let’s begin! 

How Do Pilots Know Where to Fly

How Do Pilots Know Where to Fly?

I often used to wonder how pilots are smart about directions. What do pilots do on long flights? Can pilots listen to music? Don’t they get distracted due to music?

When going from one to another in the car, the driver can find the routes through Google maps or by reading the traffic signs. However, being a pilot, it is not easy to know where to head next and what route they need to follow.

Thanks to advanced and easy-to-use navigational equipment and methods; the best is undoubtedly the aviation GPS. Pilots can also take help from other ways, such as dead reckoning, landmark spots, and navigational beacons. Another method is to listen to the navigational instructions of Air Traffic Control, especially when the weather turns bad or any instrument fails to work. 

In today’s advanced planes, autopilot handles the navigation for pilots, making their job easier than ever. 

Nowadays, many navigational methods are present for the assistance of pilots. Some of them are basic, while others are advanced. After the pilot gets familiarized with them, it becomes icing on the cake for reaching from A to B. 

How Do Pilots Know Where to Fly? Let’s Check Out Some Commonly Use Techniques:

Many ways tell the pilot where to fly and which route is the best. 

Let’s check out the details. 

Pilotage or Landmark Know-How?

Pilots who know the area where they fly the most get familiar with the famous landmarks and easily recognize them via the windshield; these important landmarks help them to know the location. This method is known as pilotage. 

Mountains ranges, rivers, valleys, towers, historical sights, statues, and monuments come under these landmarks, and they are the best way for pilots to compute the plane’s position. 

These landmarks are used on maps as reference points to locate the plane’s position and how far the plane is from the desired destination. Pilotage is a useful method when landmarks are highly visible such as mountains, monuments, and stadiums, but it will not work as soon as the pilot enters the country’s rural areas. 

Pilots need to familiarize themselves and recognize landmarks such as hills, railroads, and lakes through some practice. Things will become a lot easier by using some tricks, for example, looking for different things, such as when the rail or road crosses the river or an uneven lake next to the mountains. 

Another beneficial trick is if one pilot is aware of the position, put the finger on the chart and turn it so that it will face the flying position. If the chart shows the next thing, a river crossing the road, see it from the windshield or window. 

For all pilots, the pilotage technique takes time, so next time try to turn off the GPS and do some practice. 

Knowledge of the Area Where Pilots Flying: 

This technique is useful for pilots who mostly fly in their own country. Flying in an area where they reside is easier because, during flying, they will recognize the next place through the window and reach the destination without any hurdle. 

Many helicopters and police use this highly advantageous method when flying in the city. It needs deep local knowledge to fly safely. 

Dead Reckoning:

It is the art of knowing where the pilots are by using ground speed, a compass, a clock, and a beginning position. Dead Reckoning is when the pilots fly toward the desired location at a set time. For example, if the plane is flying 120 knots on a bright, clear sunny day, it will cover a distance of 2 Nautical Miles each minute. If the destination is 60 nm far, the plane should fly at 270° for half an hour to reach the airport. 

While going for this method, it is advised to check the weather conditions as harsh weather will slow the plane’s speed and take time to reach the desired location. 

Take Help From Navigational Beacons:

Navigational beacons are present globally, and each beacon has its radio frequency, making identification easy. It is advised to the pilots to tune the navigation radio of the specific beacon for receiving the data of the location. The best navigation beacon method is to point the plane in the beacon’s direction and fly over it. 

Global Positioning System (GPS):

Just like your cars have GPS systems, planes also have aviation GPS. It allows the pilots to get into longitude and latitude coordinates. GPS will start showing a line on the screen, so the pilot will follow the points to reach the desired destination. 

Each country is covered by the GPS waypoints developed by the specific country’s aviation controlling authority. These are imaginary points that are given a five-letter name. Pilots can generate a route by flying to the waypoints to reach the correct location. 

Air Traffic Control:

Almost all the planes of this world have transponders which are devices that allow pilots to keep in touch with the ATC or air traffic control authority. Created by those countries using these transponders, Air traffic controllers regulate the plane’s location on the radar. Using this system, controllers provide pilots with navigational instructions, such as the flying altitude and when to take turns. 

The navigational instructions are vectors used to assist pilots in landing. The controllers also issue vectors when the desired airport has multiple planes and look too busy. They funnel the pilot into a waypoint mile away from the airport before landing. 

How Do Pilots Get to Know Where to Head Next At Night?

We all know that there is darkness everywhere at night, and many people think night flights are risky because when pilots see through the window, there is nothing but black sky. 

But you are pretty familiar with the fact that pilots not only rely on their vision to look for their destinations but take help from advanced navigation tools and instruments. Hence, making night fights as simple as day flights are as the computer system takes responsibility for most of the difficult tasks. The main difference is when the pilot needs to land on the taxiway or runway. 

Still, there are some necessary steps that pilots can take to fly better at night.  

  • Runways have lights that keep them illuminated at night. These are helpful for pilots as they know where to head next and when to land. 
  • Almost every city in the world now has huge multi-story buildings with lights to keep them bright at night. The city lights will help them to spot the airport from a distance.
  • Besides these lights, the planes’ anti-collision lights, position lights, and headlights are beneficial for pilots to stay at a safe distance from the other plane and eliminate the chance of accidents. 
  • Pilots need to trust in their vision in far away or remote locations, and one of the best things to use is night goggles. These goggles are great to use because pilots can see even in dark times.

Our Summary: 

Advanced technologies introduced by giant companies in their large aircraft make flying a breeze for pilots, but the most important and useful way pilots get to know where to fly is GPS navigation. It is the best method that keeps pilots on track and takes everyone safe and sound to the required destination.  

This informative article covers all important information about other means that greatly help pilots across the globe. So every detail about How Pilots Know Where to Fly carefully, stay fresh and be ready to go to the next flight.

Wish you luck!

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