Roy Smith wrote:
Blanche wrote:
Me, personally, have a 1/2-axis autopilot. Turn it on, it holds
the heading. Well, not really. Since it's not coupled to anything,
it doesn't know when there's any deviation, such as winds. I can
start out on a heading of 120, turn on the AP. If winds
are from the north, then my actual track is more southerly, depending
on the strength of the winds.

I assume you understand the difference between heading and track?

Heading: direction in which the longitudinal axis of the aircraft
points with respect to true or magnetic north. Heading is equal to
course plus or minus any wind correction angle.

Course: intended direction of flight in the horizontal plane measured
in degrees from north.

Track: actual flight path of an aircraft over the ground. Also referred
to as ground track.

Ref: Aviation Dictionary, Jeppesen, 2003.

OK - my bad. I should have stated "start out on a course of 120". But
the use of "track" is correct, true?