Expert: D. Norkus - 3/24/2004

Question
I was wondering if it is necessary for a commercial airline pilot to have a good sense of direction. (I know some people have a great sense of direction, and some seem to lack that skill altogether). Is that a skill that is helpful while flying or getting around the airport - or do instruments or other methods do all the navigating?

Answer
Susan

Just got back off a trip, so I hope you have not waited too long for a reply. Personally, I have always been good with directions, but I think it is possible for someone with less than stellar skills in that department to do fine.

True, instruments are doing the navagation but the pilots must program them. The pilot must simply understand and know how to set them to the course desired. On the more advanced aircraft, the navigation is done via GPS and handled by a computer Flight Management System so the crew input is even less than navigating by 'old fashoined way' with 'VOR receivers' and flying 'airways'. Even during clear weather, all navigation is always done by instrument and often the auto pilot. (It is proceedure at the airlines to back up every visual approach with all instrumentation available even if the weather is clear.) Even when the pilot is hand flying the aircraft (no autopilot engagement), the autopilot controls the 'flight director bar' which provides horizontal & vertical guidance indications to the pilot to stay on the chosen course and altitude. Sometimes a pilot may follow 'raw data' and not use the flight director at all when they want to brush up on their hand flying skills. This is more challenging, but fun as that is how most small planes fly and how most pilots learned. (Auto pilots can make one lazy and rust skills.) As long as one can learn to program and use the naviagation equipment, they should be OK, even if they aren't that good at naviagtion sometimes.

Dottie