Keeping Time

The trusty digital timer is a fixture in IFR training. You learned to time your turns, your flight segments, holds and approaches. You learned to keep an eye on your arrival times, lest you run late and need to inform ATC. Lately, though, the practice of timing approaches and related operations has largely gone by the wayside with the use of GPS navigators. With your flight plan laid out and the ETA for each upcoming fix displayed nicely on your screen, few pilots bother to separately use a timer. And, lets face it: Timer use for navigation is solely a backup if youve got GPS and a moving map.

Key Takeaways:

• Despite the prevalence of GPS, timers remain crucial for IFR navigation as a vital backup system, ensuring pilot engagement and maintaining situational awareness during approaches, holds, and in the event of primary system failures.
• Consistent use of timers is essential for accurately monitoring position during specific instrument approach segments (e.g., FAF to MAP) and executing procedure turns, particularly when DME or GPS is unavailable.
• Beyond navigation, timers are valuable for managing various operational tasks, including ATC clearances, fuel tank switching, controlled descents, and critical engine warm-up or cool-down procedures.

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