Free shipping in the U.S. — Click here for details .
Sign in Join now
Lightspeed AviationLightspeed AviationLightspeed AviationLightspeed Aviation
    0
  •   was successfully added to your cart.
  • Shop
    • All Products
    • Headsets
    • ANR for Helmets
    • Flight Bags
    • Accessories
    • Survival
    • Lightspeed App
    • FlightLink App
    • Authorized Dealers
    • Trade Up Program
  • About
    • About Lightspeed
    • Programs
    • Delta Zulu Saves Lives
    • Awards and Accolades
    • Patents
    • Lightspeed Foundation
    • Careers
    • Associations
  • Community
    • All Posts
    • Blog Posts
    • Events
    • News
    • Sponsorships
  • Support
    • Customer Support
    • Repair Request
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Shipping and Return Policies
    • PFX Firmware Update – PC
    • PFX Firmware Update – Mac
  • Contact
    • Contact Lightspeed
    • Authorized Dealers
    • Donation Requests
    • Media Kit
Sign in / Create Account

Geocaching in the Air: How the Ventura County 99s Beat the COVID Blahs

    Home Blog Posts Geocaching in the Air: How the Ventura County 99s Beat the COVID Blahs
    NextPrevious
    Geocaching in Aviation

    Geocaching in the Air: How the Ventura County 99s Beat the COVID Blahs

    By Lightspeed Aviation | Blog Posts | 0 comment | 24 March, 2021 | 18

    With the pandemic cancelling airshows and rallies, the Ventura County chapter of the Ninety-Nines (99s) had had enough of Zoom meetings. They needed a fun, yet safe way to come together as a club and to keep their flying skills fresh. With creativity, the help of a local geology professor, and some great group problem-solving, they not only came up with an innovative way to practice skills, they also elevated the popular sport of geocaching to the skies!

    The Ventura County chapter of the 99s, the well-known international organization of women pilots, is an active, close-knit group. But the pandemic had brought in-person gatherings and events to a halt in 2020, leaving the members missing each other and leaving the chapter’s 23 student pilots without the in-person support and mentoring that are such an important part of the organization’s mission.

    At their fall meeting, the chapter’s board decided there had to be a way to stage an event while still meeting COVID-19 safety protocols. They hit on the idea of a “flying rally” where small flying teams could practice navigation skills by flying to different locations. When board member Judy McCarthy mentioned the event idea to a geology professor friend, “Professor Patty” immediately saw the similarity to the popular terrestrial sport of geocaching, in which participants use GPS and other navigational techniques to hide or find containers called “geocaches” at latitude/longitude coordinates all over the world.

    Designing the Challenge

    Adapting the geocaching model to the air turned out to be an interesting challenge. Board member Diane Grizard designed the course, choosing the lat/longs and altitudes for the “caches” and designing the routes so that members could take off from any of the four airports in the area and complete the course in about an hour (an important consideration for student pilots and others who had to rent their aircraft). To prove they had found the “caches”, the pilots were required to send pictures of the monuments from the given coordinates and altitudes.  Dianne designed the course to really test the pilots’ flying skills. Some destinations required them to circle, and they also had to remember where there were areas of sensitive airspace. The course took them through an acrobatic area three times, and one destination, a lake, was also a training area. For safety, each team had to have at least two people, so no one was trying to pilot, do geolocation, and take photos at the same time.

    After thinking through the logistics, the board decided that the challenge should take place over multiple days. If the club had multiple aircraft converging on the same locations, they would have had to stagger start times and arrange an aircraft frequency ahead of time to coordinate. There was also no guarantee that pilots renting planes would be able to arrange aircraft on a given day, and the club would have had to purchase extra insurance for a scheduled air event. By not specifying a date, the club was able to treat the challenge as a self-paced proficiency exercise. The final decision on dates was rendered by Mother Nature herself: When Grizard flew the course to test the instructions, they ran into fog and had to turn home, so the teams clearly needed to be able to stop and resume the course if needed. The teams were given the lats/longs just before they took off, to prevent anyone “flying the course on Google.”

    Good Practice and Good Fun

     Before the challenge was over, five 2-person teams had successfully flown the “aerocaching” course. (One team did have to retrace its route to the first destination when they realized the “monument” they were following was a sailboat.) The exercise proved to be excellent practice for learning ground references. Brenda Corby, one of the student pilots who flew the course with another member, said that “It was great to do something completely different from practicing stalls and the usual drills,” and added that, because the event wasn’t a competition, it was welcoming for a student pilot. She also enjoyed getting to know her area from a new perspective: “I’ve flown over Lake Casitas many times, but I never knew there was a model airplane runway there.” Luz Schaible, another participant, loved the teamwork aspect of the challenge. “We found that the navigator/co-pilot communication was really important as we tried to locate the landmarks and do flight following.”

    At the end of the challenge, each team earned a certificate of completion. The whole club celebrated their success at the chapter’s Zoom holiday party, where board member Barb Filkins presented a slideshow of the teams and the photo “caches” of their flight destinations. Then, Professor Patty gave a program about geocaching and the geology of some of the local landmarks that were included in the challenge.

    Planning Your Own Aerocaching Challenge

    Based on last year’s response, the Ventura County 99s are already planning an areocaching challenge for 2021. They’re thinking of making it officially an educational event, and Diane Grizard would like to add some dead reckoning into the navigation challenge.

    Rules, coordinates, and flight instructions for the VC99s’ 2020 Geocaching challenge, with all the information the pilot/navigator teams needed to safely find and photograph seven secret “caches.”

    If other flying organizations are interested in trying their own aerocaching events, the VC99s offer their encouragement and some advice. Spread the event across multiple days to allow for the weather and to give flexibility for pilots who need to rent planes. Diane Grizard says to give good instructions and be very clear about the purpose of the exercise. But most of all, they encourage other clubs to try it. As Alison Barker says, “Every time you try something new, you don’t know what will happen. It seems like a lot of work. But we decided that if even one person tried this the first time, it would be a success.” Judy McCarthy echoes those words: “Just try it, then build on it. We learned a lot!”

    99s, adventure, COVID, fun, pandemic, safety, women in aviation

    Lightspeed Aviation

    Lightspeed Aviation is a leading manufacturer of premium aviation headsets and helmet products. Since the first product was introduced in 1996 at AirVenture in Oshkosh, WI., the company has established a reputation for leading innovation in the aviation headset marketplace with a number of “first to market” advances, technologies, and features. In 2022, the company launched a new category of aviation products called “Safety Wearables”. Layering life-saving technologies on top of their award-winning audio and ANR platform, Lightspeed ushered in a new era of aviation safety. With this, the company continues to live its mission of “creating products that protect and save lives”. Additionally, Lightspeed is a passionate supporter of initiatives to encourage the next generation of pilots through its support of programs like Young Eagles and Ray Scholars. The company is proud to have participated in helping countless young people experience everything from a discovery flight to getting a Pilot Certificate.

    More posts by Lightspeed Aviation

    Related Posts

    • Pilots N Paws Volunteer Takes Animal Rescue to New Heights

      By Lightspeed Aviation | 0 comment

      Pilots N Paws® is a non-profit organization that connects volunteers involved in rescuing, sheltering, and adopting animals, with volunteer pilots and plane owners willing to assist with animal transportation. According to the American Society forRead more

    • Angel Flight West Pilot Treasures the Human Connection

      By Lightspeed Aviation | 0 comment

      The mission of Angel Flight West (AFW), and its pilots is to deliver health and hope. The organization brings together pilots willing to donate flights with people who have healthcare or other compelling human needs.Read more

    • Delta Zulu gets a Warm Reception this Winter in Europe

      By Lightspeed Aviation | 0 comment

      Lightspeed’s Delta Zulu has taken off in Europe and there are already some great reactions to this next generation headset. If you are one of our international customers or fans, you can see here whatRead more

    • CO and Aviation: A Deadly Mix

      By Lightspeed Aviation | 2 comments

      Lightspeed is on a mission to create products that protect and saves lives. One of those products is the latest eBook, “CO + Aviation: A Deadly Mix”. This free eBook explains the causes and effectsRead more

    • Flying with Hearing Aids – a Game Changer

      By Lightspeed Aviation | 4 comments

      Kiko Jeantette has wanted to be a pilot since he was a small child, but life took him in other directions: building his own IT company and raising a family. A year or so ago,Read more

    Leave a Comment

    Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    NextPrevious

    Recent Posts

    • Pilots N Paws Volunteer Takes Animal Rescue to New Heights
    • Angel Flight West Pilot Treasures the Human Connection
    • Delta Zulu gets a Warm Reception this Winter in Europe
    • CO and Aviation: A Deadly Mix
    • Flying with Hearing Aids – a Game Changer

    Join Our Newsletter




      Top Rated Products

      • Zulu 3 - Pilot Headset - LightspeedAviation.com Zulu 3 ANR Headset
        Rated 5.00 out of 5
        $899.00
      • Markham Flight Bag - LightspeedAviation.com Markham Flight Bag
        Rated 5.00 out of 5
        $249.00
      • Sierra® ANR Headset - Pilot Headsets - LightspeedAviation.com Sierra® ANR Headset
        Rated 4.80 out of 5
        $699.00

      Lightspeed Aviation, the leader in wearable ANR technology for pilots, operates with a simple strategy: know your customer well and remain committed to relentless product evolution. At Lightspeed, everything we do is in service to our customer and our products push performance to the edge of technological possibilities.

      Stay Updated – Sign Up Here




        Information

        • Contact
        • Support
        • Frequently Asked Questions
        • Privacy Policy
        • Home
        • Shop
        • About
        • Community
        • Support
        • Contact
        © Copyright 2022 | All Rights Reserved
        • Shop
          • All Products
          • Headsets
          • ANR for Helmets
          • Flight Bags
          • Accessories
          • Survival
          • Lightspeed App
          • FlightLink App
          • Authorized Dealers
          • Trade Up Program
        • About
          • About Lightspeed
          • Programs
          • Delta Zulu Saves Lives
          • Awards and Accolades
          • Patents
          • Lightspeed Foundation
          • Careers
          • Associations
        • Community
          • All Posts
          • Blog Posts
          • Events
          • News
          • Sponsorships
        • Support
          • Customer Support
          • Repair Request
          • Frequently Asked Questions
          • Shipping and Return Policies
          • PFX Firmware Update – PC
          • PFX Firmware Update – Mac
        • Contact
          • Contact Lightspeed
          • Authorized Dealers
          • Donation Requests
          • Media Kit
        Lightspeed Aviation
          0 items
        We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
        Do not sell my personal information.
        Cookie SettingsAccept
        Manage consent

        Privacy Overview

        This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
        Necessary
        Always Enabled
        Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
        CookieDurationDescription
        __cfruidsessionCloudflare sets this cookie to identify trusted web traffic.
        __hssrcsessionThis cookie is set by Hubspot whenever it changes the session cookie. The __hssrc cookie set to 1 indicates that the user has restarted the browser, and if the cookie does not exist, it is assumed to be a new session.
        _GRECAPTCHA5 months 27 daysThis cookie is set by the Google recaptcha service to identify bots to protect the website against malicious spam attacks.
        ci_session2 hoursThis cookie is set as default session Cookie name in config.php in config folder in CodeIgniter.
        cookielawinfo-checkbox-advertisement1 yearSet by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin, this cookie is used to record the user consent for the cookies in the "Advertisement" category .
        cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
        cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
        cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
        cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
        cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
        JSESSIONIDsessionThe JSESSIONID cookie is used by New Relic to store a session identifier so that New Relic can monitor session counts for an application.
        PHPSESSIDsessionThis cookie is native to PHP applications. The cookie is used to store and identify a users' unique session ID for the purpose of managing user session on the website. The cookie is a session cookies and is deleted when all the browser windows are closed.
        viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
        Functional
        Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
        CookieDurationDescription
        __cf_bm30 minutesThis cookie, set by Cloudflare, is used to support Cloudflare Bot Management.
        __hssc30 minutesHubSpot sets this cookie to keep track of sessions and to determine if HubSpot should increment the session number and timestamps in the __hstc cookie.
        Performance
        Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
        Analytics
        Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
        CookieDurationDescription
        __hstc1 year 24 daysThis is the main cookie set by Hubspot, for tracking visitors. It contains the domain, initial timestamp (first visit), last timestamp (last visit), current timestamp (this visit), and session number (increments for each subsequent session).
        _ga2 yearsThe _ga cookie, installed by Google Analytics, calculates visitor, session and campaign data and also keeps track of site usage for the site's analytics report. The cookie stores information anonymously and assigns a randomly generated number to recognize unique visitors.
        _gat_gtag_UA_28458117_11 minuteSet by Google to distinguish users.
        _gid1 dayInstalled by Google Analytics, _gid cookie stores information on how visitors use a website, while also creating an analytics report of the website's performance. Some of the data that are collected include the number of visitors, their source, and the pages they visit anonymously.
        CONSENT2 yearsYouTube sets this cookie via embedded youtube-videos and registers anonymous statistical data.
        hubspotutk1 year 24 daysHubSpot sets this cookie to keep track of the visitors to the website. This cookie is passed to HubSpot on form submission and used when deduplicating contacts.
        Advertisement
        Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
        CookieDurationDescription
        _fbp3 monthsThis cookie is set by Facebook to display advertisements when either on Facebook or on a digital platform powered by Facebook advertising, after visiting the website.
        fr3 monthsFacebook sets this cookie to show relevant advertisements to users by tracking user behaviour across the web, on sites that have Facebook pixel or Facebook social plugin.
        VISITOR_INFO1_LIVE5 months 27 daysA cookie set by YouTube to measure bandwidth that determines whether the user gets the new or old player interface.
        YSCsessionYSC cookie is set by Youtube and is used to track the views of embedded videos on Youtube pages.
        yt-remote-connected-devicesneverYouTube sets this cookie to store the video preferences of the user using embedded YouTube video.
        yt-remote-device-idneverYouTube sets this cookie to store the video preferences of the user using embedded YouTube video.
        yt.innertube::nextIdneverThis cookie, set by YouTube, registers a unique ID to store data on what videos from YouTube the user has seen.
        yt.innertube::requestsneverThis cookie, set by YouTube, registers a unique ID to store data on what videos from YouTube the user has seen.
        Others
        Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
        CookieDurationDescription
        ppwp_wp_session30 minutesNo description
        Save & Accept