Heading/Course difference

[AF330 0]

Ok, let's forget flight paths/ waypoints.

 

If we are flying a course, can we say that the yellow arrow is the course we should be at and the green one the track we are on? It will then use the wind triangle to match track and course.

 

Am I right now?

[WarpD 824]

No.

[AF330 0]

Why?

 

When I say track, I mean the CRS we are on.

 

Thanks

[Captain Kevin 586]

Why?

 

When I say track, I mean the CRS we are on.

 

Thanks

 

Ok... I see terms tossed about and definitions muddied up until things just don't make sense.

 

So... let's start with real basic definitions:

 

1 - Heading: a term that represents a direction taken by an aircraft without wind correction.

2 - Course: a term that represents a direction taken by an aircraft with wind correction.

3 - Track: a term that represents the resulting direction of motion with relation to the ground by an aircraft when flying a course or a heading.

 

At no point are any of the above terms interchangeable. They really just aren't. An autopilot is capable of following either a heading or a course. The result will always be a track.

In other words, track and course (which is what CRS stands for) does NOT mean the same thing.

[AF330 0]

Yes Kevin, I got that!

 

It's the direction that the plane is following in relation to the ground.

It's exactly what I am saying....

 

The yellow arrow is kind of the route we should take while flying with course.

The green arrow is the route that we are really taking with wind correction: course.

 

How can we call the yellow line?

 

Because on wiki, the yellow line is our heading not where we have to go but where we have to point. So we are flying heading! But while flying a course, the place were we have to go and where we are really going with wind correction has the same name:course

 

Thanks to clear my last doubts!

[WarpD 824]

Unfortunately... no... you're still not really understanding... despite declaring yourself the best answer. LOL

[woodreau 0]

I think you are making it difficult.

 

Your diagram that you posted in an earlier post explains everything.

 

A course is a direction that you want to follow from one point to another. (The desired course in your diagram)

 

Track is the result of the environment (wind/rotation of the earth etc) on an aircraft's heading.

 

Heading is the direction the nose of the aircraft is pointed in.

 

In learning to fly you learn to basic aircraft handling as well as learn to see the effects of the environment on your aircraft as you fly ground reference maneuvers around a point or as you fly traffic patterns around the airport and you learn how to correct for the winds to get a desired track over the ground.

 

You learn to recognize where you are in relation to where you want to be and make the aircraft do what you want it to either visually or by following a course deviation indicator (CDU) or a bearing pointer.

[AF330 0]

Unfortunately... no... you're still not really understanding... despite declaring yourself the best answer. LOL

Yeah! LOL, I wanted to edit my post but I clicked on the wrong button!

 

@ Woodreau: I think I have got that point....but warp said that course is the direction taken by the plane WITH WIND CORRECTION but you are saying that course is just a direction you want to take from A to B BUT track is the direction in which the airplane really goes....

 

So course is where we are really going or is that a track?

The direction of our course = direction of our track but track is on ground and course in in the sky?

 

Thanks

[michal 44]

So course is where we are really going or is that a track?

Track is the actual path your aircraft is painting (or projecting) onto the ground. It can be a straight line or it can be a curve.

The course is a number. It is the current magnetic heading of the desired track you want to be on. Again, this is not

the heading of the aircraft it is the heading of the track. On a globe a straight line between two distant cities will result in constantly

changing course, depending where you are along the way.

 

When talking about the track you have to be careful - there is the 'actual track' and the 'desired track'.

For example G1000 display has distinct abbreviations for both: desired track = DTK, track = TRK.

You can even be talking how far is your track displaced from the desired track. And G1000 gives you

this number as an XTK (cross track error) - you are so many miles to the left or right of your desired track.

[AF330 0]

Excuse me, I was very tired yesterday so I couldn't reply!

 

Hmmmm.... Interesting!

 

Maybe it's much easier than I think!

 

When we enter a HDG:

 

We want the plane to be pointing at this direction.

 

When we enter a course:

 

We want the plane to be on a special track/route. It has to follow it. It's the heading of the track.

 

Track: It's the path the plane is flying.

 

So the plane tries to match our desired course with our track.

 

Am I right now?

[WarpD 824]

Ok... when do you 'enter a course'? The direction to use between waypoints isn't pilot entered, but rather constantly calculated by the fight guidance system.

 

You, the pilot... have exactly two.. only two and absolutely no more than two methods of commanding lateral control:

 

1 - Command/fly a heading to be followed, which will not use wind correction.

2 - Command/fly a course to be followed, which with either be a radial to/from a VOR or a great circle navigation calculated course between two waypoints. A GCN course uses both lateral deviation as well as wind correction and a VOR radial uses radio lateral deviation error correction.

 

That's it. You do NOT have any other options.

 

An aircraft's track is it's resulting direction of movement. That's it.

[AF330 0]

Thanks.... Ok so ONLY 2 options possible....

 

But when we enter a course, what does it exactly mean? The plane should follow that direction? Because when we enter a heading, the plane should point at that HDG. When we enter a course, the plane should do what? What is the difference between following a heading and following a course? In both cases your plane is pointing at the selected HDG or CRS. What makes the difference? Wind?

 

I am not able to get a "course"

 

I got the VOR thing!

 

Thanks (if anyone could show a video or a drawing, it can be helpful)

 

Thanks a lot,

A.Roy

[WarpD 824]

Where and how are you going to 'enter a course'?

[AF330 0]

Yeah, that's my point. I searched on various planes....but I can only see track and heading.

 

Track is the path you want the plane to fly.

Do you agree? So if we enter track 50, what does it mean? We have to point heading 50°? But that would be a HDG....

 

Thanks

[WarpD 824]

Yeah... you're not getting it. LOL

 

Track is the path the aircraft is on. Whether it's following the compass (heading), or travelling between two waypoints (course). Desired track is the same as travelling between two waypoints. You don't input track anywhere that I'm aware of either... it's calculated.

 

You can't enter 'track 50'.