AROTA
Flight Parameters
Rule of thumbs for airspeed, turns, vertical speed, and altitude
Selecting an altitude to level off
Altitude to start level off:
For Rate of climb (ROC) or rate of descent (ROD) < 1000 fpm
Target altitude - (ROC x 10%)
Target altitude + (ROD x 10%)
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For Rate of climb (ROC) or rate of descent (ROD) > 1000 fpm
Target altitude - (ROC x 20%)
Target altitude + (ROD x 20%)
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When climbing or descending, you need to stay ahead of the plane and level off/level out before reaching the target altitude. This is to prevent overshooting the desired altitude and to compensate for aircraft momentum/inertia The altitude you start leveling off depends on your rate of climb (ROC) or rate of descent (ROD). Example: If the aircraft is descending at 500 feet per min (FPM) to a desired altitude of 3000ft, the altitude to level off is = 3000 + (500 ÷ 10) = 3000 + 50 = 3050 ft
Bank angle for a rate one turn
Bank angle for a rate one turn is 15% of true airspeed (TAS)​
or
Bank angle for a rate one turn = (TAS ÷ 10) + 7
Rate one turns are standard practice whenever the flight path requires a directional change, especially in controlled airspace. There are two methods to estimate the approximate bank angle to achieve a rate one turn. Example: What is the bank angle for a rate one turn if the aircraft is flying at 120 knots TAS? Ans: (TAS ÷ 10) + 7 = (120 ÷ 10) + 7 = 19 degrees
Roll out heading
Lead rollout = 1/2 of bank angle
While turning an aircraft towards a desired heading, there is a need to roll out or stop the turn earlier. This is to prevent overshooting the desired heading. For example, you are flying at a heading of 090°. ATC instructs you to turn towards a left heading of 245°. You just initiated a 30° turn. If you stop the turn exactly at 245°, you will overshoot the turn due to the inertia and momentum of the aircraft. The rule of thumb is to 1/2 bank angle and add/subtract to the desired heading. Since it will be a right turn towards 245°, we need to stop the turn at: 245°- (30°/2) = 230° *Tip: No matter where you are on the planet, a right turn will increase heading, a left turn will decrease heading.
Diameter & radius of a standard rate turn
The diameter of a rate one turn is 1% of your ground speed.
Therefore, the radius would be 0.05% of your ground speed.
By knowing the radius of a standard rate turn, we can determine the lead distance before initiating a turn to intercept a radial, course, or DME arc. The rule of thumb for turn diameter (NM) during a standard rate one turn is that it is 1% of your ground speed (knots). The radius would be half of that value or 0.5% of the ground speed. Example: If the aircraft is turning at a standard rate turn at a ground speed of 150 knots, the turn diameter would be approximately 150 x 0.01 = 1.5 NM The turn radius would therefore be 0.75 NM since radius = diameter ÷ 2 *ROT applicable only for groundspeed < 200 kts and bank angles
Airspeed mneumonic
ECTM
The mnemonic for Equivalent airspeed, Calibrated airspeed, True airspeed, and Mach number is "Eat Chicken Tikka Masala" (ECTM).
*I recommend you to fully understand different airspeeds and grasp concepts on how to derive them. This mnemonic should just be a simple reminder of their relationship rather than a means to explain them. How to use: The order of how each airspeed is arranged in the mnemonic determines whether it will increase or decrease. Example: While climbing, if you fly at a constant CAS, TAS and Mach number would increase, as, going through the mnemonic from left to right, (ECTM) the abbreviation 'T' & 'M' comes after 'C'. EAS would decrease, as the abbreviation 'E' comes before 'C'. If you are descending, just reverse the order and go through the mnemonic from right to left (ECTM). For example, descending at a constant TAS, EAS and CAS increases while Mach number decreases. **Rule applies only when flying above mean sea level and below MMO
Indicated altitude correction for non-standard temperatures
True altitude changes every 4 feet per 1000ft for each 1-degree temperature difference.
'From hot to cold, look out below!': When flying from a warmer air mass to a colder air mass, your true altitude above the ground may be lower than what the instruments display. True altitude changes every 4 feet per 1000ft for each 1-degree temperature difference. True altitude = Indicated altitude + (4 x Indicated altitude/1000 x ISA    deviation) Example: Indicated altitude = 16,500 ft and the ISA deviation = - 8 degrees celsius True altitude = 16,500 + (4 x 16,500/1000 x -8) = 16,500 + (4 x 16.5 x -8) ≈ 16,000 ft   *To determine ISA deviation, you need to subtract the ISA standard temperature from the indicated temperature. The ISA standard temperature can be determined from ICAO chart or from another rule of thumb: the standard ISA lapse rate of 2 degrees per 1000ft.
Determining TAS from IAS/CAS
TAS increases 2% higher than IAS per 1000ft of altitude.
True airspeed (TAS) is useful for cross-country or en-route navigation as we are able to determine our aircraft's performance during the flight. Most aircraft performance charts are based on TAS. If you do not have a flight or air data computer, there is a simple way to calculate your TAS from what your airspeed indicator in the cockpit shows; indicated airspeed (IAS) or calibrated airspeed (CAS). True airspeed (TAS) is about 2% higher than IAS per 1000ft of altitude. ∴ TAS = IAS + (2% IAS x Altitude in thousandths). Example: If the aircraft is at 12,000 ft with an IAS of 230 knots, the TAS would be 230 +(0.02 x 230 x 12) ≈ 285 knots *Tip: 1st, get the 1% of your airspeed= 2.3 2nd, double it = 4.6 3rd, multiply altitude in thousands = 4.6 x 12 ≈ 60kts *Compressibility effects at low altitudes and low airspeed are negligible, in these conditions we can assume true airspeed (TAS) = indicated airspeed (IAS)