Pilotage and dead reckoning are two fundamental navigation techniques used in Visual Flight Rules (VFR) conditions. These methods are essential for pilots to maintain situational awareness and navigate safely, especially in simple VFR conditions.
Pilotage is the art of navigation by visual reference to landmarks. In VFR conditions, pilots use visible features on the ground such as roads, rivers, mountains, and cities to determine their position and track their progress along a planned route.
Dead reckoning is a method of navigation that involves calculating one's current position by using a previously determined position, and advancing that position based upon known or estimated speeds over elapsed time and course.
Proper charting is crucial for both pilotage and dead reckoning. VFR sectional charts provide detailed information about terrain, airspace, airports, and navigation aids.