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NavigationQuestion 299 of 934

A pilot must divert in an emergency. What does the handbook advise about plotting and computing first?

  1. Finish all plotting and computing before making the turn
  2. Measure the course with a plotter before turning
  3. Find the winds aloft before making the turn
  4. Divert promptly toward the alternate and compute later
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Correct answer: Divert promptly toward the alternate and compute later

Doing all the plotting and computing before diverting may make an actual emergency worse.

Source: Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge (FAA-H-8083-25C), Chapter 16: Navigation — Flight Diversion, page 422

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Questions last reviewed: 18 October 2026