Fly runway heading

[Wayne Pierce]

Fellow pilots,
This is a checkride hint, again. Many checkrides are coming across our desk with the recorded images of takeoffs and navigation before the end of the runway is even cleared, a few images are included. These type of takeoffs will almost assuredly get you the "please retake and submit this checkride again' note in your mailbox.

From AIM:
"RUNWAY HEADING- The magnetic direction that corresponds with the runway centerline extended, not the painted runway number. When cleared to "fly or maintain runway heading," pilots are expected to fly or maintain the heading that corresponds with the extended centerline of the departure runway. Drift correction shall not be applied."


Now, this is all and good but compensation for drift, departure chart instructions, obstacles, ATC a list of variables will change this, but, for our purposes we are asking you to do the procedure to help you learn. Fly the Runway Heading out to the outer marker if possible. Things will prevent you from always FRH and those whom are Real World Pilots please take this as it is given, as a Flight simulator challenge for our training purposes.
This does several things for your time at AAV while taking our checkrides; It gives you time to steady your aircraft and get it into the ascent stage of your flight, up gear, flaps, MAP & RPM's or throttles settings, headings tuned in. The list is long of things you need just to keep the aircraft in the air at first.
So it is simple here, FRH for a little while to get used to doing these items especially if your taking a checkride on a newer aircraft, of which, some never fly until they take the checkride for it.

Thanks,
WLP