Course for takeoff

[Daniel choen 23]

Hey,according to what i need to set the course for takeoff? runway heading?, i missed that part when i been in the cockpit but if you would like to see my video from the cockpit your very welcome to do so, so here it is,:

if you can also answer my question it will be very appreciated(:

[scandinavian13 5,192]

Depends on airline SOP and personal preference. When I fly VFR, I often use it on taxi/takeoff to visualize where the wind is coming from (but that's in a Cessna). When I fly IFR, I use it for the initial heading after takeoff, which is given to you either by ATC, the SID, or an obstacle departure procedure.

[Daniel choen 23]

thank you, from my experience i have never seen that it affecting on something, but well i'll do that. BTW are you flying IFR on a Cessna?

[Guest]

thank you, from my experience i have never seen that it affecting on something, but well i'll do that.

I won't affect anything but (afaik) it's done for backup reasons. When something goes wrong somewhere right after take off and for instance the AP or LNAV doesn't work, you don't have the time to figure out what your first flightplan heading should be and where you should go. In that case you can simply look at the course and know where you have to go. It's the same like setting go around altitude when you have intercepted an ILS: it's a backup in case of emergency. Again afaik. :(

[Daniel choen 23]

thanks Jeroen(:

[scandinavian13 5,192]

BTW are you flying IFR on a Cessna?

Yep. A lot of other people do it, too. It's just like flying the NGX IFR...except simpler...lower...and well, slower.

[Guest]

If the weather is bad and the plane is IFR capable, there is no reason to not use IFR. :( IFR isn't invented just for big Boeings!

[Daniel choen 23]

If the weather is bad and the plane is IFR capable, there is no reason to not use IFR. :( IFR isn't invented just for big Boeings!

I know, wasn't asking out of misunderstanding, just from curiosity(:

[G550flyer 1,056]

I think you are asking, how do you set the course selector during takeoff. Like stated above, it depends on what you are doing. If you are flying a complex aircraft like the NGX, you may have a couple of options. Normally, you may be performaning a FMS or heading select departure. One thing to realize is that the departure route flown may be a track or a heading. A track will follow a geographic route. The track is drift corrected. The heading just follows a heading and cares less about drift. Tracks are more common when flying near noise sensitive areas, controlled airspace, traffic corridors and obsticles. With that in mind, lets look at the aircraft. Most modern aircraft have the capability to arm FMS guidance for departure(LNAV). These systems usually have a takeoff/go around mode also. The takeoff mode will usually command wings level and a designated pitch to command v2 or v2+10. If armed, the aircraft will latch onto LNAV/VNAV after takeoff when conditions are met. If you are performing a FMS departure, you will either pre-arm LNAV/VNAV before or after takeoff depending on the aircraft. In this case, there is no need to set the course selector unless you are backing up the pilot flying by doing fix to fix or course intercept. This would be discussed during the takeoff brief in witch you dictate who has what displayed and tuned. Some companies, like mine, require that the non flying pilot monitors the departure by using different means if available. There is a draw back to arming the LNAV/VNAV prior to departure. This depends on the aircraft type. You will find that some FMS systems can be a little sluggish when initialy following/joining a course. For example, a departure that i fly routinely has me depart the airport on a track of 360 climbing to 2000ft with a immediate left turn to a heading of 270 passing 400ft. Now alot of aircraft will command speed and bank angle based on configuration. When below min maneuver in most heavies, you will only get 15 degrees of bank. In the 5 and the 550, initialy the aircraft will command wings level in TOGA mode. When it switches to LNAV, it starts a gentle turn towards the course and heading. This causes the plane to get a little past the turn point. The aircraft then will take a greater bid past 270 to pick up the actual track for the heading. Shortly there after the controller will pipe in and say confirm heading 270. This is his/her way of telling me that I missed the turn point. They see that I got a little close to the protected airspace. For this reason, we will set the heading to 270 and takeoff in heading select. At 400ft, I roll up to 30 degrees and pick up my flight director. In a heavy, it's better to stay configured with takeoff flaps and clean up when on the 270 heading. If the departure dumps you onto a heading, its best to fly it in heading select anyway. This way you dont have to deal with warnings due to the route discontinuity in the FMS. Sorry for the drawn out explanation. LNAV works very well in most situations, especially when on a track departure. I find that I rarely touch the course selector unless im backing up a departure thats defined off of navaids. If you are doing a VFR departure, heading select works great. Good idea to set the heading required after takeoff in the window. This way it's right there and pre-set.

[William J.S.S 173]

Wow that was some great info! Thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience!!

[Ben Cap 89]

I typically set my heading to my initial climbout heading. After 1500, I engage autopilot and ignore it until I come in approach.I then use it to vector myself into the ILS approach.

[japascoe 98]

It also important to note the difference between the course selector and the heading selector. The course selector is used to tune a specific VOR radial. If you're not tracking a VOR it doesn't do much. The heading selector controls the heading select mode of the autopilot, when not flying on HDG select or not on AP at all you can use the heading selector to set the bug on your ND as reference.

[Daniel choen 23]

I think you are asking, how do you set the course selector during takeoff. Like stated above, it depends on what you are doing. If you are flying a complex aircraft like the NGX, you may have a couple of options. Normally, you may be performaning a FMS or heading select departure. One thing to realize is that the departure route flown may be a track or a heading. A track will follow a geographic route. The track is drift corrected. The heading just follows a heading and cares less about drift. Tracks are more common when flying near noise sensitive areas, controlled airspace, traffic corridors and obsticles. With that in mind, lets look at the aircraft. Most modern aircraft have the capability to arm FMS guidance for departure(LNAV). These systems usually have a takeoff/go around mode also. The takeoff mode will usually command wings level and a designated pitch to command v2 or v2+10. If armed, the aircraft will latch onto LNAV/VNAV after takeoff when conditions are met. If you are performing a FMS departure, you will either pre-arm LNAV/VNAV before or after takeoff depending on the aircraft. In this case, there is no need to set the course selector unless you are backing up the pilot flying by doing fix to fix or course intercept. This would be discussed during the takeoff brief in witch you dictate who has what displayed and tuned. Some companies, like mine, require that the non flying pilot monitors the departure by using different means if available. There is a draw back to arming the LNAV/VNAV prior to departure. This depends on the aircraft type. You will find that some FMS systems can be a little sluggish when initialy following/joining a course. For example, a departure that i fly routinely has me depart the airport on a track of 360 climbing to 2000ft with a immediate left turn to a heading of 270 passing 400ft. Now alot of aircraft will command speed and bank angle based on configuration. When below min maneuver in most heavies, you will only get 15 degrees of bank. In the 5 and the 550, initialy the aircraft will command wings level in TOGA mode. When it switches to LNAV, it starts a gentle turn towards the course and heading. This causes the plane to get a little past the turn point. The aircraft then will take a greater bid past 270 to pick up the actual track for the heading. Shortly there after the controller will pipe in and say confirm heading 270. This is his/her way of telling me that I missed the turn point. They see that I got a little close to the protected airspace. For this reason, we will set the heading to 270 and takeoff in heading select. At 400ft, I roll up to 30 degrees and pick up my flight director. In a heavy, it's better to stay configured with takeoff flaps and clean up when on the 270 heading. If the departure dumps you onto a heading, its best to fly it in heading select anyway. This way you dont have to deal with warnings due to the route discontinuity in the FMS. Sorry for the drawn out explanation. LNAV works very well in most situations, especially when on a track departure. I find that I rarely touch the course selector unless im backing up a departure thats defined off of navaids. If you are doing a VFR departure, heading select works great. Good idea to set the heading required after takeoff in the window. This way it's right there and pre-set.

thanks very much for the info! i thought that at 400ft your still in a manual flying, so don't you need to do the turn by yourself?

[G550flyer 1,056]

thanks very much for the info! i thought that at 400ft your still in a manual flying, so don't you need to do the turn by yourself?

Yes you are flying manual, but you are following the flight director. You can arm the flight guidance system with out turning on the auto-pilot. In the situation I mentioned, if you arm the LNAV, the flight guidance system will give you a shallow bank to the heading as it transitions from takeoff mode to track mode. This will cause you to spill out a little. In this case you will either ignore the flight director and make the turn, or use heading select so that the flight director will command a left turn before takeoff.

[Daniel choen 23]

Yes you are flying manual, but you are following the flight director. You can arm the flight guidance system with out turning on the auto-pilot. In the situation I mentioned, if you arm the LNAV, the flight guidance system will give you a shallow bank to the heading as it transitions from takeoff mode to track mode. This will cause you to spill out a little. In this case you will either ignore the flight director and make the turn, or use heading select so that the flight director will command a left turn before takeoff.

Ok, thanks for the info, are you flying a real 737NG?