(smackey) wrote
OK, I'm flying my local VOR-A which calls for an outbound heading of
252, then I'm suppoosed to turn 45 deg to 207 to begin the PT. But
there is a STRONG x-wind and I am already crabbed to about 215 to hold
the 252 outbound course. I assume I turn to something not quite
approaching 170 (45 deg from 215), just something inbetween in order
to sort of track 45 deg off the outbound course and fly a bit longer
than 1 min so I don't get blown back through the inbound course when I
do the turn back toward the inbound course. It just seems weird to be
flying at almost 90 deg from the outbound course. Any opinions on
this?

I teach a procedure turn as a timed turn - 15 seconds at standard
rate. Here's why:

Procedure turns are rare. Most of the time, you get vectors to final.
Typically most of the procedures the average IFR pilot will do will
be in training (initial and recurrent), and much of that training
should be partial panel. Why not make it a procedure that is the
same, full or partial panel?

Your situation is another example - turning to the published heading
won't work, but turning 15 seconds at standard rate (approximately 45
degrees) will work fine.

Legally, you can do whatever course reversal you want as long as you
do it on the barb side. What you are describing will work fine.

Michael