A aviation & planes forum. AviationBanter

If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Go Back   Home » AviationBanter forum » rec.aviation newsgroups » Instrument Flight Rules
Site Map Home Register Authors List Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read Web Partners

Track, Bearing, Course, Heading



 
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old June 10th 06, 03:14 AM posted to rec.aviation.ifr
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Track, Bearing, Course, Heading

Hello,

I'm sure I should know the difference between all of these... but it
kinda starts to blur together. I'm sure there are others on here who'd
like a refresher. Anyone out there want to explain the differences to
us?

-dr

  #3  
Old June 10th 06, 04:19 AM posted to rec.aviation.ifr
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Track, Bearing, Course, Heading

Let me suggest a couple of refinements to Roy's basically correct
answer:

Track is the motion you are making over the ground. It is what a GPS shows.


Might be clearer to the questioner if we say that track is the way you
actually went, regardless of what you intended. Exactly as an animal
leaves tracks.

Bearing is the direction from you to someplace else. It can be absolute
(bearing 270 degrees) or relative (9 O'Clock).

I would say that Course and Track mean the same thing. They both refer to
your motion over the ground.


Course is what you intend to fly. It is the line you drew on the
chart before going to the airport. If everything works out perfectly,
your track will be the same, but if the winds are not as forecast, or
you aren't paying enough attention to the compass, the two will
differ.

Heading is what direction the nose of the plane is pointing. It's what you
read off your compass or DG.


That's your "compass heading." Magnetic heading is the compass
heading corrected for deviation (instrument error). True heading is
magnetic heading corrected for variation-- caused by the fact that the
magnetic pole is not at the North pole.

Might add the word "drift"--which is the difference between heading
and track, caused by wind.
  #4  
Old June 10th 06, 11:08 AM posted to rec.aviation.ifr
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Track, Bearing, Course, Heading


"Roy Smith" wrote:


I would say that Course and Track mean the same thing.


??

If you match your track to the bearing you will get to the waypoint. If you
match your track to the course, you may or may not.

--
Dan
C172RG at BFM


  #5  
Old June 10th 06, 12:16 PM posted to rec.aviation.ifr
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Track, Bearing, Course, Heading

On 9 Jun 2006 19:14:31 -0700, wrote:

Hello,

I'm sure I should know the difference between all of these... but it
kinda starts to blur together. I'm sure there are others on here who'd
like a refresher. Anyone out there want to explain the differences to
us?

-dr


Since your dealing in "aviation-speak", it is usually best to take
definitions from the Pilot/Controller Glossary:

BEARING- The horizontal direction to or from any point, usually measured
clockwise from true north, magnetic north, or some other reference point
through 360 degrees.

COURSE-
a. The intended direction of flight in the horizontal plane measured in
degrees from north.

b. The ILS localizer signal pattern usually specified as the front course
or the back course.

c. The intended track along a straight, curved, or segmented MLS path.

TRACK- The actual flight path of an aircraft over the surface of the earth.

or

TRACK [ICAO]- The projection on the earth's surface of the path of an
aircraft, the direction of which path at any point is usually expressed in
degrees from North (True, Magnetic, or Grid).

Note the subtle difference between COURSE and TRACK -- COURSE is the
"intended direction of flight"; TRACK is the "actual flight path"

HEADING is not defined in the P/CG, but is the direction that the nose of
the aircraft is pointing -- and may be expressed as TRUE or MAGNETIC.


Ron (EPM) (N5843Q, Mooney M20E) (CP, ASEL, ASES, IA)
  #6  
Old June 10th 06, 05:52 PM posted to rec.aviation.ifr
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Track, Bearing, Course, Heading

Roy,

Course and track are different.

Course is the line you draw on the map.

Track is the history of the airplanes movement over the ground.

If you keep the track superimposed on the course you will get to your
destination.

Karl
ATP CFI ETC
"Curator" N185KG


"Roy Smith" wrote in message
...
In article .com,
wrote:

Hello,

I'm sure I should know the difference between all of these... but it
kinda starts to blur together. I'm sure there are others on here who'd
like a refresher. Anyone out there want to explain the differences to


-dr


Track is the motion you are making over the ground. It is what a GPS
shows.

Bearing is the direction from you to someplace else. It can be absolute
(bearing 270 degrees) or relative (9 O'Clock).

I would say that Course and Track mean the same thing. They both refer to
your motion over the ground.

Heading is what direction the nose of the plane is pointing. It's what
you
read off your compass or DG. If there was no wind, Heading and Course
would be the same.



  #7  
Old June 10th 06, 09:39 PM posted to rec.aviation.ifr
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Track, Bearing, Course, Heading

Roy Smith wrote:
Track is the motion you are making over the ground. It is what a GPS shows.


So far, so good.

Bearing is the direction from you to someplace else. It can be absolute
(bearing 270 degrees) or relative (9 O'Clock).


Correct, but worth clarifying. An absolute bearing of 270 degees means
if you go due west, you will get there. A relative bearing of 270
degrees means that if you go exactly to your 9 O'clock you will get
there. Bearing is always relative to your heading (which way your nose
is pointed) rather than your track (which way you are actually going).

I would say that Course and Track mean the same thing. They both refer to
your motion over the ground.


They do both refer to your motion over the ground, but track refers to
the way you are actually going, and course refers to the way you are
supposed to be going. If you consistently fly a LOC with two dots out,
you will still get to the runway - you are tracking to the runway - but
you are off course (and converging on it) and your track and course are
differnent (if only by a degree or so).

In GPS terms, course is the purple line on the GPS. Track is the way
the little airplane is actually pointed. Or, in VOR terms, the course
is the selected radial. Just because the CDI is centered (meaning you
are on your course) does not mean you are actually on the correct track
(you might just be swinging through center).

Heading is what direction the nose of the plane is pointing. It's what you
read off your compass or DG. If there was no wind, Heading and Course
would be the same.


With no wind heading and track are the same, not heading and course.

This is what I meant by internalizing the differences. The moving map
allows you to get by most of the time without really understanding the
difference. The ADF forces you to understand the differences.

Michael

  #8  
Old June 12th 06, 09:38 PM posted to rec.aviation.ifr
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Track, Bearing, Course, Heading

Howland?

Al

"karl gruber" wrote in message
...
Roy,

Course and track are different.

Course is the line you draw on the map.

Track is the history of the airplanes movement over the ground.

If you keep the track superimposed on the course you will get to your
destination.

Karl
ATP CFI ETC
"Curator" N185KG


"Roy Smith" wrote in message
...
In article .com,
wrote:

Hello,

I'm sure I should know the difference between all of these... but it
kinda starts to blur together. I'm sure there are others on here who'd
like a refresher. Anyone out there want to explain the differences to


-dr


Track is the motion you are making over the ground. It is what a GPS
shows.

Bearing is the direction from you to someplace else. It can be absolute
(bearing 270 degrees) or relative (9 O'Clock).

I would say that Course and Track mean the same thing. They both refer
to
your motion over the ground.

Heading is what direction the nose of the plane is pointing. It's what
you
read off your compass or DG. If there was no wind, Heading and Course
would be the same.





  #9  
Old June 12th 06, 09:39 PM posted to rec.aviation.ifr
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Track, Bearing, Course, Heading

If I had read I wouldn't have asked the question. Did you buy the aircraft
from Ken Gibson?
Al
"Allan9" wrote in message
. ..
Howland?

Al

"karl gruber" wrote in message
...
Roy,

Course and track are different.

Course is the line you draw on the map.

Track is the history of the airplanes movement over the ground.

If you keep the track superimposed on the course you will get to your
destination.

Karl
ATP CFI ETC
"Curator" N185KG


"Roy Smith" wrote in message
...
In article .com,
wrote:

Hello,

I'm sure I should know the difference between all of these... but it
kinda starts to blur together. I'm sure there are others on here who'd
like a refresher. Anyone out there want to explain the differences to


-dr

Track is the motion you are making over the ground. It is what a GPS
shows.

Bearing is the direction from you to someplace else. It can be absolute
(bearing 270 degrees) or relative (9 O'Clock).

I would say that Course and Track mean the same thing. They both refer
to
your motion over the ground.

Heading is what direction the nose of the plane is pointing. It's what
you
read off your compass or DG. If there was no wind, Heading and Course
would be the same.







  #10  
Old June 13th 06, 05:25 PM posted to rec.aviation.ifr
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Track, Bearing, Course, Heading

No. I did look at Ken Gibson's airplane. He sold it and the new owner
unlisted the "N" number and I snatched it up. I was just looking at some
pictures of Ken'n airplane last week during an annual. My 82' model is nicer
in all ways, including having only 425 hours on her when purchased.


Best wishes,
Karl
"Curator"
N185KG


"Allan9" wrote in message
. ..
If I had read I wouldn't have asked the question. Did you buy the
aircraft from Ken Gibson?
Al
"Allan9" wrote in message
. ..
Howland?

Al

"karl gruber" wrote in message
...
Roy,

Course and track are different.

Course is the line you draw on the map.

Track is the history of the airplanes movement over the ground.

If you keep the track superimposed on the course you will get to your
destination.

Karl
ATP CFI ETC
"Curator" N185KG


"Roy Smith" wrote in message
...
In article .com,
wrote:

Hello,

I'm sure I should know the difference between all of these... but it
kinda starts to blur together. I'm sure there are others on here
who'd
like a refresher. Anyone out there want to explain the differences to


-dr

Track is the motion you are making over the ground. It is what a GPS
shows.

Bearing is the direction from you to someplace else. It can be
absolute
(bearing 270 degrees) or relative (9 O'Clock).

I would say that Course and Track mean the same thing. They both refer
to
your motion over the ground.

Heading is what direction the nose of the plane is pointing. It's what
you
read off your compass or DG. If there was no wind, Heading and Course
would be the same.








 




Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Altitude versus which? Mag or ground track? Casey Wilson Piloting 5 May 2nd 06 07:22 PM
Pirep: Garmin GPSMAP 296 versus 295. (very long) Jon Woellhaf Piloting 12 September 4th 04 11:55 PM
Gageteers, we need a digital heading sensor Bill Daniels Soaring 32 June 26th 04 06:07 AM
The battle for Arlington Airport begins? Paul Adriance Home Built 45 March 30th 04 11:41 PM
Garmin 196: Anyone else dissapointed in the actual ability to capture sats Mike Z. Piloting 19 March 9th 04 04:00 PM


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 10:28 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.6.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004-2024 AviationBanter.
The comments are property of their posters.