VFR Guide - Royal Institute of Navigation

3. Preliminary aircraft preparation
a. Check the aircraft is serviceable, and no scheduled maintenance is due while you
may be flying. Check the insurance documents, the certificate of airworthiness and all
other certificates you may need to take with you if travelling overseas.
b. Arrange for any necessary survival equipment to be available.
c. If landing away, arrange for chocks and tiedown equipment to be available to take
with you.
d. Make weight and balance calculations using a full fuel load and any survival and tiedown
equipment. If too heavy, use your estimate of the fuel required and the actual
weight of your passengers and intended baggage (don‟t take any more!) to carry out the
calculations. If still too heavy, either carry fewer passengers or less fuel and plan to pick
up more along the route. If anything changes you must re-calculate just before take-off.
e. Ensure you are familiar with the Flight Manual performance calculations, and that
the Manual will be available before take-off.
f. Charge the batteries (or carry spares) for any electronic devices you intend to refer
to.
g. Arrange to have no more than the fuel you used for your calculations in the aircraft
when you plan to fly.
4. Route adjustment
Just before the final navigation calculations, no earlier than the evening before the flight:
a. Obtain the latest navigation warnings and check that nothing affects your planned
route. Replan if necessary.
b. Prepare the flight plan form if necessary (leaving UK airspace, flying IFR in
controlled airspace) or desired. You are strongly advised to submit a flight plan if planning
to fly over sparsely populated areas or the sea. Complete the route details and search
and rescue fields, leaving the times empty until your final planning is complete.
c. Ensure you have aerodrome charts (and approach charts if appropriate) for your
destination and possible diversions. Plan your arrival to all likely runways.
www.rin.org.uk 4 Mar 2012