For student pilots, creating a navigation log (NAVLOG) often feels like a box-ticking exercise.

For instructors, it’s something very different.

A NAVLOG is not paperwork, it’s a thinking tool. When done correctly, it reduces workload, increases situational awareness, and makes navigation predictable instead of stressful.

In this article, we’ll look at how instructors actually create NAVLOGs and how to approach navigation planning like a professional.

What a NAVLOG Is Really For

A NAVLOG is not meant to be a perfect document or an exam artifact.

A good NAVLOG exists to: - support in-flight decision-making - reduce mental math in the cockpit - give you reference points when things don’t go exactly as planned

Instructors care far more about how you think than how neat your NAVLOG looks.

How Instructors Approach NAVLOG Creation

1. Start With the Route, Not the Numbers

Students often jump straight into calculations. Instructors don’t.

They start by asking: - Does this route make sense? - Is it easy to follow visually? - Does it avoid unnecessary airspace complexity?

A simple, logical route beats a “perfectly calculated” bad one every time.

2. Plan for Reality, Not Ideal Conditions

Students tend to plan for perfect tracking and zero drift. Instructors plan for small navigation errors, wind variation, and distractions.

That’s why instructors like clear waypoints, obvious ground features, and generous margins. Navigation is about error management, not precision.

3. Use the NAVLOG as a Cockpit Tool

An instructor’s NAVLOG is easy to read at a glance and focused on what matters in flight.

If you can’t quickly find your next heading, time to the next waypoint, or fuel status, then the NAVLOG isn’t doing its job.

4. Recheck the Inputs Every Time

Instructors never reuse NAVLOGs blindly. They always verify wind data, route, and fuel burn assumptions. Old NAVLOGs create false confidence, and that’s dangerous.

Want to create instructor-level NAVLOGs in minutes? Use AeroTools to plan your flights with clarity and confidence.

Plan well. Fly ahead of the aircraft.