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ATPL subject 061

ATPL General Navigation: what it covers and how to study it

General Navigation (subject 061) is the foundation of finding your way: the shape and measurement of the Earth, how charts represent it, and dead reckoning with the navigation computer.

By Matthew Dowell, airline training captain and Chief Flight Instructor. A revision guide, not approved by any regulator. Your training organisation sets the syllabus and exam rules, and regulations always take precedence.

What the General Navigation paper covers

• The Earth: position, direction and distance
• Charts and map projections
• Time and its relationship to position
• Dead reckoning: heading, track, wind and drift
• Using the navigation computer

Where students find it hard

Much of the paper is calculation, and speed with the navigation computer matters. Students who skip the basic geometry find the chart questions confusing later. Small errors in reading a scale or applying wind compound quickly.

How to study General Navigation

• Make sure you are fluent with the navigation computer before you start the harder topics.
• Practise wind and track problems until you can set them up without hesitating.
• Sketch the geometry for chart and time questions so you can see what is being asked.

The Mastering ATPL book for this subject

The Mastering ATPL General Navigation book is available on Amazon and through the Other stores links.

Mastering ATPL · Subject 061

General Navigation

The Earth, charts, dead reckoning and the navigation computer.

Buy on Amazon UK Amazon US Other stores

Also on Amazon in Europe: Amazon.de · Amazon.fr · Amazon.es · Amazon.it · Amazon.nl

How this book is organised

The book follows the topics listed above, in turn, starting with the Earth; charts and map projections; time and its relationship to position, so you can see which part of the paper you are covering at any point. It is a complete revision guide and question bank built on the full published learning objectives for the subject, and it ends with a mock examination weighted as the real one. Work through a section, test yourself on it, and keep the mock examination for the end, under timed conditions.

Related subjects

• ATPL Radio Navigation
• ATPL Flight Planning
• ATPL Meteorology

See also: all 13 ATPL subjects and 14 study guides · how the EASA ATPL exams work · what order to study and sit the papers · General Navigation in the airline technical interview.