When filing VFR flight plans, use the five-letter identifier as  a waypoint in the route of flight section if there is an intended  course change at that point or if used to describe the planned  route of flight. This VFR filing would be similar to VOR use  in a route of flight. Pilots must use the VFR waypoints only  when operating under VFR conditions.  Any VFR waypoints intended for use during a flight should  be loaded into the receiver while on the ground and prior to  departure. Once airborne, pilots should avoid programming  routes or VFR waypoint chains into their receivers.  Pilots should be especially vigilant for other traffic while  operating near VFR waypoints. The same effort to see and  avoid other aircraft near VFR waypoints is necessary, as  is the case when operating near VORs and NDBs. In fact,  the increased accuracy of navigation through the use of  GPS demands even greater vigilance as there are fewer  off-course deviations among different pilots and receivers.  When operating near a VFR waypoint, use all available  ATC services, even if outside a class of airspace where  communications are required. Regardless of the class of  airspace, monitor the available ATC frequency closely for  information on other aircraft operating in the vicinity. It is  also a good idea to turn on landing light(s) when operating  near a VFR waypoint to make the aircraft more conspicuous  to other pilots, especially when visibility is reduced.  Getting lost in flight is a potentially dangerous situation,  especially when low on fuel. If a pilot becomes lost, there  are some good common sense procedures to follow. If a town  or city cannot be seen, the first thing to do is climb, being  mindful of traffic and weather conditions. An increase in  altitude increases radio and navigation reception range and  also increases radar coverage. If flying near a town or city, it  may be possible to read the name of the town on a water tower.  If the aircraft has a navigational radio, such as a VOR or ADF  receiver, it can be possible to determine position by plotting  an azimuth from two or more navigational facilities. If GPS  is installed, or a pilot has a portable aviation GPS on board,  it can be used to determine the position and the location of  the nearest airport.  Communicate with any available facility using frequencies  shown on the sectional chart. If contact is made with a  controller, radar vectors may be offered. Other facilities may  offer direction finding (DF) assistance. To use this procedure,  the controller requests the pilot to hold down the transmit  button for a few seconds and then release it. The controller  may ask the pilot to change directions a few times and repeat  the transmit procedure. This gives the controller enough  The course to an alternate destination can be measured  accurately with a protractor or plotter but can also be  measured with reasonable accuracy using a straightedge  and the compass rose depicted around VOR stations. This  approximation can be made on the basis of a radial from a  nearby VOR or an airway that closely parallels the course  to your alternate destination. However, remember that the  magnetic heading associated with a VOR radial or printed  airway is outbound from the station. To find the course to  the station, it may be necessary to determine the reciprocal of  that heading. It is typically easier to navigate to an alternate  airport that has a VOR or NDB facility on the field.  After selecting the most appropriate alternate destination,  approximate the magnetic course to the alternate using a  compass rose or airway on the sectional chart. If time permits,  try to start the diversion over a prominent ground feature.  When in flight, it is rarely practical to actually plot a course  on a sectional chart and mark checkpoints and distances.  Furthermore, because an alternate airport is usually not very far  from your original course, actual plotting is seldom necessary.  Computing course, time, speed, and distance information in  flight requires the same computations used during preflight  planning. However, because of the limited flight deck space  and because attention must be divided between flying the  aircraft, making calculations, and scanning for other aircraft,  take advantage of all possible shortcuts and rule-of-thumb  computations.  There may come a time when a pilot is not able to make it to  the planned destination. This can be the result of unpredicted  weather conditions, a system malfunction, or poor preflight  planning. In any case, the pilot needs to be able to safely  and efficiently divert to an alternate destination. Risk  management procedures become a priority during any type  of flight diversion and should be used the pilot. For example,  the hazards of inadvertent VFR into IMC involve a risk that  the pilot can identify and assess and then mitigate through a  pre-planned or in-flight diversion around hazardous weather.  Before any cross-country flight, check the charts for airports  or suitable landing areas along or near the route of flight.  Also, check for navigational aids that can be used during a  diversion. Risk management is explained in greater detail in  Chapter 2, Aeronautical Decision-making.  information to plot the aircraft position and then give vectors  to a suitable landing site. If the situation becomes threatening,  transmit the situation on the emergency frequency 121.5 MHz  and set the transponder to 7700. Most facilities, and even  airliners, monitor the emergency frequency.  Flight Diversion  Lost Procedures  16-34 