Moving Map: North-Up vs. Track-Up

Hello,

ran into a discussion with a pilot-friend-of-mine on sunday about how to set
up our GNS430 on a short IFR Trip.

I prefer a North-Up mode, because it makes it easier for me to corelate
what's on the screen with the paper-charts I have on my kneeboard.

He wanted it to be in either Track-Up or (me complaining about a
too-frequent need for redraw) Desired-Track-Up mode. Reason was he wanted
the screen helping him to build a "mental-picture" about what's ahead and
around.

No consens was found so I would like to hear from you: are your a "North-Up"
or a "Track-Up" sort of pilot (explanation why you are would help)?

Best Regards

Kai

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No consens was found so I would like to hear from you: are your a
"North-Up" or a "Track-Up" sort of pilot (explanation why you are
would help)?

I'm with your friend on Track Up; the map orients itself as to the direction
one is going. For that matter, I rotate paper maps to agree with my
heading; it makes things much simpler to see what's ahead. Simplification =
better for me, especially in a cockpit.

It's just a preference thing though, neither is "right" or "wrong".

North up. Helps me know where I am for position reports. You know like
"East of airport" "south west of VOR'.

Buy a GPS. It will do this for you, you just read the position off the
GPS.

Erm, He's talking about the Garmin-430 GPS....

"Robert M. Gary" wrote in message
oups.com...
Buy a GPS. It will do this for you, you just read the position off the
GPS.

"Kai Glaesner" wrote in message
m...
Hello,

ran into a discussion with a pilot-friend-of-mine on sunday about how to
set
up our GNS430 on a short IFR Trip.

I prefer a North-Up mode, because it makes it easier for me to corelate
what's on the screen with the paper-charts I have on my kneeboard.

He wanted it to be in either Track-Up or (me complaining about a
too-frequent need for redraw) Desired-Track-Up mode. Reason was he wanted
the screen helping him to build a "mental-picture" about what's ahead and
around.

No consens was found so I would like to hear from you: are your a
"North-Up"
or a "Track-Up" sort of pilot (explanation why you are would help)?


As a student: North up.

1. Since grade-school we look at maps north-up. Perhaps also because part
of job involved geography. Knowing which direction is where when north-up
has become ingrained.
2. No twisting of charts on kneeboard to track, then twisting back to read
text. Twisting to track-up only required in those rare cases where
absolutely impossible to orient self from north-up chart. Since situational
awareness is not a problem with a GPS (right?), track-up not required at
all.
3. North-up assures instant confirmation of direction of flight on GPS. If
take a detour, (instructed or otherwise), while GPS is on short-range
display, track-up may momentarily confuse that part of situational
awareness.
4. Display tells me instantly which direction I am from airport for initial
contact with tower.
5. Reduced chance of mis-identifying runways (directions) when display in
vicinity of airport.

In spite of the fact that many, perhaps most, instructional texts for us
students tend to suggest track-up.

Somebody, convince me!

I teach track up. I would have you rotate your paper charts so they
show track up. I think its much less confusing.

-Robert, CFI

"Robert M. Gary" writes:

I teach track up. I would have you rotate your paper charts so they
show track up. I think its much less confusing.

And it prevents boredom in holds.

--kyler

Robert M. Gary wrote:
I teach track up. I would have you rotate your paper charts so they
show track up. I think its much less confusing.

-Robert, CFI


funny how this topic keeps coming back; it seems that it depends
on how your brain is wired and that is not much you can do change
someone's mind about that; for me, north up is much less confusing
than having to twist the chart around, even if the chart does the
twisting for me (and change the orientation of the labels) as would
a GPS moving map display do because I do the twisting in
my head anyway, looking at a chart / display with track up forces
me to do a 'double twisting' of sort if you see what I mean :-)
Reminds me of endless hours of fun (i.e., arguments) while driving
around the country with an *ex* girlfriend of mine... :-)

--Sylvain

Robert M. Gary wrote:
I teach track up. I would have you rotate your paper charts so they
show track up. I think its much less confusing.

You wouldn't have been my instructor for long.

George Patterson
Why do men's hearts beat faster, knees get weak, throats become dry,
and they think irrationally when a woman wears leather clothing?
Because she smells like a new truck.