Direct own Navigation

[Capt Crash]

I am getting a little confused. I am hearing the following phrase, "Direct own navigation to ....."

I understand 'Direct' means go direct to the point.

I understand 'Own Navigation' to mean rejoin you flight planned route at the next waypoint and continue to the point.

Am I wrong??

So what should I do when confronted with "Direct own Nav"?

Please can someone help me, I'm only a pilot and I try to be as professional as possible. What should I say if given a "Direct Own Nav...." clearance without playing the smart arse?

And, sometimes I am cleared "Own Nav" and then questioned why I didn't go direct.

Thanks :ok:

[Cartman's Twin]

Based on my relatively short time as TC controller and reasonably recent indoctrination (sp?) at the college you are understandably a little confused.

If you've been assigned a heading and then told to 'resume own navigation DVR', theoretically you should take resume your flight planned route in the most direct route and then continue in accordance. It is a rather vague statement and open to individual's interpretation, possibly resulting in a relatively large turn.

Similarly if you're asked to 'route direct' or 'resume own navigation direct...' then you'd be expected to route from your current position to the point instructed. I think a vast majority of controllers would expect you to do this no matter how they had worded it. I certainly would.

The own nav instruction is usually a good indication that your precise track is no longer being used to provide separation from other a/c so any misunderstanding should not have any real consequences.

Of course, if in doubt, we'd always prefer you to ask for clarification rather than assume. Not so critical in this instance but the number of level readbacks where the pilot has obviously not heard clearly and guesses is quite scary. Then assumes the controller will correct them if they're wrong. Always a risky way of doing things!

Hope this helps, be interested to see if others would agree

[5milesbaby]

Captain Crash, I and many of my collegues use "resume own navigation direct ..." and not what you say "Direct own navigation to ....."

This means in my phrase to go direct to the point specified and then continue on own navigation. We have to use "resume own navigation" to cancel the need for vectoring putting the onus of navigation back in the cockpit. A VOR/fix is specified to save any uneccesary and unwanted large turns to a closer point. I would say that the phrase you state means exactly the same but is very badly worded.

[Lon More]

C.C. I think I understand your confusion

When I started out - I won't say how long ago, but fan markers were pretty common and there were very few of those new-fangled VORs about - "Resume own navigation" meant to turn back and intercept the original track at an angle of 30 degrees. The common phraseology now, "Resume own Navigation direct to ....," is just that - fly directly to the position specified.

Lon More, here before Pontius was a Pilot or Mortus a Rigger

[atcea.com]

I checked the U.K. CAP 413 manual and did not find "Direct own navigation." It's possible it is not an approved phraseology.

ATC 24/7 (http://atcea.com)

[Capt Crash]

Thank you, thank you, thank you for all the people who have replied.

I agree with atcea.com that it not approved phraseology but, it still get said and can be confusing.

This came up in a Scottish sector when I questioned the "Direct Own Nav" by saying I didn't understand what the controller wanted me to do. He got stroppy because he thought I was being difficult.

[VectorLine]

"resume own navigation direct XXX" - Go present position direct to XXX then flight planned/instructed route.

"resume own navigation XXX" - rejoin flight planned/instructed route at earliest point before XXX

"resume own navigation FOR XXX" - (usually as you leave CAS) Go on your own navigation for XXX and it is your own responsibility how you get there (e.g terrain clearance and avoiding danger areas).