Knowing when you are overflying something

Mxsmanic wrote:
How do you know when you are exactly overflying a specific spot on
the ground? It's it just a matter of knowing your particular
aircraft, or are there tricks that can help to determine this? I
know you can look off the tip of your wing to see if you're abeam
something (such as a runway), but how can you tell when you're right
over something? I presume there's no way to look straight down from
most aircraft, and it seems like the view over the nose is often
several miles away.

I know you aren't going to like this answer Anthony but it just isn't that
critical that you pass over a specific point. Close enough is good enough.

So how do you get close enough you ask. Let's say you are flying from A to C
you want to pass over B. As you are approaching B you notice that D is
pretty much perpendicular to your course in line with B. So you head towards
B and keep D the same distance away.

Now there are special situations like aerial mapping or non-guided munitions
that will require better positioning but in those cases you would have
specialized equipment.

Gig 601XL Builder writes:

I know you aren't going to like this answer Anthony but it just isn't that
critical that you pass over a specific point. Close enough is good enough.

No, that sounds fine to me, if it's fine to everyone else. In general I don't
think I'd worry too much about what is exactly beneath me as long as I know
what's directly in front of me (since it will soon be beneath me, and anything
now beneath me was in front of me a short time ago). If I'm directly over
something, I'm either hitting it or it's not a concern.

So how do you get close enough you ask. Let's say you are flying from A to C
you want to pass over B. As you are approaching B you notice that D is
pretty much perpendicular to your course in line with B. So you head towards
B and keep D the same distance away.

I'll keep this in mind.

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Mxsmanic wrote:
Gig 601XL Builder writes:

I know you aren't going to like this answer Anthony but it just
isn't that critical that you pass over a specific point. Close
enough is good enough.

No, that sounds fine to me, if it's fine to everyone else. In
general I don't think I'd worry too much about what is exactly
beneath me as long as I know what's directly in front of me (since it
will soon be beneath me, and anything now beneath me was in front of
me a short time ago). If I'm directly over something, I'm either
hitting it or it's not a concern.

Then I really have to ask, "Why in God's name did you ask the fraking
question?"

Gig 601XL Builder writes:

Then I really have to ask, "Why in God's name did you ask the fraking
question?"

Because I may have to say "over XYZ" when reporting my position, or heed
instructions from ATC to "cross XYZ" and I wanted to know how to figure out
when I'm actually over something. I don't recall asking it in God's name,
however.

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Mxsmanic wrote:
Because I may have to say "over XYZ" when reporting my position, or
heed instructions from ATC to "cross XYZ" and I wanted to know how to
figure out when I'm actually over something.

Your question is answered in the AIM under en-route procedures.