CAA NZ Instrument Rating Navigation study plan

Define the core navigation quantities (true and magnetic heading, track, drift, wind velocity, TAS, groundspeed) and state the sign conventions used for wind and drift in NZ practice

Derive the wind triangle from first principles and solve for the missing vector by both the trigonometry method and the Dalton (CRP) circular slide rule

Convert between true, magnetic and compass directions using variation and deviation, and explain why easterly variation is subtracted when going from true to magnetic

Compute drift and groundspeed for at least ten single-leg examples with wind speeds from 10 to 50 kt

Set up a personal formula sheet for the wind triangle and direction conversions that you will reuse each week

Calculate the track error and closing angle from a fix and derive a heading correction to regain track

Solve multi-leg flight-planning problems including time, distance, fuel and groundspeed for each leg

Compute the effect of a change in wind at altitude on drift and groundspeed and quantify the resulting heading and ETA change

Explain the difference between the one-in-60 rule and exact trigonometry, and state when the approximation is acceptable

Practise the CRP-5 style circular slide rule until multiplication, division, time-distance and wind-side operations are fluent

Interpret Mercator, Lambert conformal conic and polar stereographic projections, stating what each preserves and where each is used in NZ charts

Convert between chart distance, scale and earth distance, including representative fraction and scale-bar methods

Identify the symbols, airspace boundaries and reporting points on a NZ 1:500,000 and 1:250,000 chart

Explain convergence and how it affects track when flying between meridians on a conic projection

Describe the graticule, isogonals and the role of the chart date and magnetic variation change per year

Apply the NZ CAA magnetic variation model and annual change to update a charted variation to the current year

Calculate compass deviation from a deviation card and construct a table of compass headings for a set of magnetic headings

Explain the causes of turning and acceleration error and describe the conditions that minimise them

Describe the function and failure modes of a remote-reading magnetic compass and a directional gyro, and how to synchronise them in flight

Solve heading problems where variation, deviation and annual change all apply at once

Interpret VOR radials, DME distance and the geometry of a fix from two VORs, including the acute and obtuse angle cases

Compute the track made good and drift from a VOR radial and a DME distance change over time

Explain the difference between VOR, TACAN and DME-only positioning and the accuracy limits of each

Describe NDB and ADF bearing indications, relative bearing, and the effect of coastal refraction and night effect on accuracy

Describe GNSS position fixing, RAIM, and the implications of a waypoint-based navigation solution for oceanic and remote-area flight

Convert between great-circle and rhumb-line tracks and state when each is appropriate

Calculate great-circle distance and initial track between two points using the spherical formulas and the chart method

Explain the use of the grid and the polar stereographic chart for high-latitude navigation

Describe the role of the flight management system in area navigation and the checks a pilot must make on its output

Explain RNP and RNAV specifications, containment values and what an alert means in terms of navigation integrity

Plan a complete cross-country flight including route selection, altitudes, fuel, alternate and ETA calculation

Produce a navigation log that would satisfy a CAA examiner in an instrument rating flight test

Identify the NZ-specific airspace, special-use airspace and reporting requirements that affect the planned route

Compute the effect of a diversion on fuel and ETA and justify the decision with numbers

Explain the lost-procedure and minimum-fuel decision points for the planned route

Work through a timed mock examination under exam conditions and score it against the marking guide

Re-derive and re-solve every question missed in the mock until the method is automatic

Recite the key formulas and definitions from memory without reference to notes

Review the navigation topics that produced the most errors and write a short correction card for each

Confirm the exam-day equipment and permitted reference materials, and rehearse the slide-rule operations you will use