CAT Questions on flight following / departures
Posted: Fri Jun 08, 2018 5:51 pm
I failed my first attempt at the CAT 8 because I busted a restriction I was given without realizing it - due primarily to a misunderstanding of the instruction and exactly what I was supposed to do.
Clearance gave me instructions I expected - with an instruction to "... maintain VFR at or below 1500." No problem. I fired up the plane, taxied, was cleared for takeoff and flew the requested runway heading, climbing toward 1500. During the climb, I was told to contact Approach, which I did, and made contact with them. After the radar contact acknowledgement, I was told:
"Maintain appropriate VFR altitudes."
For some reason, I read that as "... resume own navigation." As a result, I turned toward my first fix and began to climb - immediately failing the CAT (which I realized almost immediately was my fault).
The more I thought about it later though, the more confused I became about this instruction - because it was the first time I've ever been given it. Clearly, I'm not supposed to navigate on my own and maintain the initial instructed runway heading until I get the "resume own navigation" instruction. But this confuses me because I'm not sure if this clears me to begin my climb - while still maintaining runway heading - or if it instructs me to maintain VFR "at or below 1500," or if it is instead simply instructing me to maintain safe VFR altitudes for obstacle prevention.
Could someone clarify? Thanks!
Clearance gave me instructions I expected - with an instruction to "... maintain VFR at or below 1500." No problem. I fired up the plane, taxied, was cleared for takeoff and flew the requested runway heading, climbing toward 1500. During the climb, I was told to contact Approach, which I did, and made contact with them. After the radar contact acknowledgement, I was told:
"Maintain appropriate VFR altitudes."
For some reason, I read that as "... resume own navigation." As a result, I turned toward my first fix and began to climb - immediately failing the CAT (which I realized almost immediately was my fault).
The more I thought about it later though, the more confused I became about this instruction - because it was the first time I've ever been given it. Clearly, I'm not supposed to navigate on my own and maintain the initial instructed runway heading until I get the "resume own navigation" instruction. But this confuses me because I'm not sure if this clears me to begin my climb - while still maintaining runway heading - or if it instructs me to maintain VFR "at or below 1500," or if it is instead simply instructing me to maintain safe VFR altitudes for obstacle prevention.
Could someone clarify? Thanks!