Can I throw some more fuel on the fire, please?
I'm an instructor. Although my aircraft are fitted with GPS, I frequently won't allow my students to use it (because the test requires them to be able to navigate without it). In this case, the easiest way of navigating to a point, where the point is defined as a radial/distance from a VOR/DME, is to intercept the radial, then track the radial until arriving at the correct distance.
What I teach my students (and I've always believed to be correct) is this:
- If instructed to go "Direct" to a point, then, if I'm letting you use GPS, use the "Direct To" button. If I'm not letting you use GPS, then use your situational awareness to have a best guess at a sensible heading to go direct to that point. As you get closer, you can assess whether the radial and the DME distance are going to reach their targets together (i.e. if you're on track), and adjust the heading if necessary. If you're really not sure, ask the controller for a QDM to the point you're going to.
- If told "own navigation" to a point (without the word "direct), then you can follow any sensible route to that point, and this will normally (especially if I'm not letting you use GPS) involve intercepting the correct radial from the VOR, then following that radial until reaching the DME distance.
After reading this thread, I (still) think this is correct, but since the comments are geared to airliners which can always go Direct To, perhaps someone could confirm this?
FFF
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