[HOTDOG]

Originally Posted by MidlifeFlyer

Hotdog, I take it that you are in your primary training and are beginning to work on cross countries. Given that, I would start with asking your CFI just how much detail he wants you to go into with that table.

Notice that, in addition to being in pressure altitude, the table does not take into consideration desnity altitude (which, to be accurate, you would have to calculate for each of the altitudes), winds (as they maight change during the climb), the fact that you may have to maneuver in the traffic pattern, the point at which you choose to lower the nose and decrease your climb for better visibility, etc, and the usual cross country calculations don't suggest you try to plan for those.

Bottom line, no matter =how= tightly you calculate it, this calculation, far more than other cross country calcs, will end up as an educated guesstimate.

The result is different CFIs approach this issue in different ways. My CFI simply told me to forget about it and add 1 minute for each 1000' of climb to my first leg calculation (ended up being incredibly accurate). I have my students use the PA numbers based on the airport elevation without correction and tell them that's it's really just a training exercise (for all the reasons I mentioned). But I know that others have completely different approaches, which is why I suggest you ask yours.

Thanks midlife...I'm getting ready for my commercial written exam and I've always done those calculations as you tell your students, just using the PA based on airport elevation....but, as I was studying, I'm thinking I needed to get more precise with these "guesstimates" as a commercial pilot. I will definitely check with my CFI. Thanks for your advice.