Bearings

RAF Squadrons on Quick Reaction Alert (QRA)

Synopsis

Students work in pairs as the Operations Team for an RAF squadron on Quick Reaction Alert (QRA). Presented with a series of imaginary scenarios, students must review and plan routes for a number of aircraft facing different crises. Lesson style is progressive and invites application of different skills (e.g. varying scale maps, distances, bearings, aircraft speeds).

MOD Topic

RAF Squadrons on Quick Reaction Alert (QRA)

Curriculum Checklist

1.2b;
1.3b;
2.2o;
3.2b, e, f;
4a, b.

Curriculum Links

• Geography

Prior Knowledge

Graphical interpretation and use of different scales.
Drawing and reading bearings.
Use of a protractor.
Speed, distance, time calculations and working with different units.

Learning Outcomes

Lower ability students will:

• Make links with other curriculum areas eg. Scale drawing, Pythagoras, trigonometry, loci etc.
• ­Complete more complex calculations with speeds, different units, use more complex scales.
• ­Appreciate other factors that will influence the flight path (relate 2D to 3D).

Average ability students will:

• Be able to calculate speeds and arrival times, time taken etc.
• Appreciate that bearing A to B is not the same as bearing B to A.
• Appreciate impact of errors over time.

Higher ability students will:

• Be able to read and construct bearings.
• Use scales to determine positions.

Lesson code

M8