fly track instead of heading
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2006
Location: zurich
Posts: 0
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
fly track instead of heading
I think this topic has been raised before.
Is it not time for ATC to start asking pilots to fly tracks instead of headings. I know there are a lot of cleaver Harrys who can adjust their heading allocations to compensate for the wind but it is just as easy for the pilot to fly a track as to fly a heading.
Time to take advantage of advances in technology??
Is it not time for ATC to start asking pilots to fly tracks instead of headings. I know there are a lot of cleaver Harrys who can adjust their heading allocations to compensate for the wind but it is just as easy for the pilot to fly a track as to fly a heading.
Time to take advantage of advances in technology??
Only half a speed-brake
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Berkshire, UK
Age: 79
Posts: 8,268
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
<<but it is just as easy for the pilot to fly a track as to fly a heading>>
If it's that easy to do both why change it? I'd wager that there are a good few pilots who couldn't fly track as easy as heading, particularly those without glass cockpits. How do they know with any degree of confidence what the wind is in a "busy" weather situation in a "busy" ATC environment? Radar controllers are well able to cope with all such situations so just leave the pilot to fly a heading and ATC will do the rest.
If it's that easy to do both why change it? I'd wager that there are a good few pilots who couldn't fly track as easy as heading, particularly those without glass cockpits. How do they know with any degree of confidence what the wind is in a "busy" weather situation in a "busy" ATC environment? Radar controllers are well able to cope with all such situations so just leave the pilot to fly a heading and ATC will do the rest.
Only half a speed-brake
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2006
Location: zurich
Posts: 0
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Okay!
It was just that the proposition was put to me by a pilot. I guess he flew an Airbus.
And I can fly a track with my paraglider... 400 GBP for a small 'navigator'
ch
It was just that the proposition was put to me by a pilot. I guess he flew an Airbus.
And I can fly a track with my paraglider... 400 GBP for a small 'navigator'
ch
Only half a speed-brake
In fact, you can display track with a NAV kit but you need to fly it yourself. That's where it gets tricky in an airliner. They'r designed for heading and keeping track through autopilot is way too much a workload - i.e. you need to prioritise and focus on what is otherwise an automated task.
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Hants
Posts: 2,295
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I must admit I am somewhat at a loss as to understand the benefit of flying a track instead of a heading.
The reason ATCOs use headings are many and varied but one of the main ones is to ensure seperation. Headings to the nearest 5 degrees are used and they do the job. Seperation can then be based on that heading.
There are not many ATCOs who could look at the radar screen and be correct to within 5 degrees of an aircrafts track every time.
One of the other reasons is for sequencing aircraft - ATCOs know what the still wind headings need to be for different scenarios and are capable of adjusting for the 'wind of the day'.
Every aircraft can fly a heading if instructed (though some crews seem to find it difficult
), as we have heard in some of the replies given here, it is not as easy for some aircraft to fly a track.
The system of using headings works, and it works well; if it ain't broke (and more to the point if any change will not bring a benefit), then why fix it?
The reason ATCOs use headings are many and varied but one of the main ones is to ensure seperation. Headings to the nearest 5 degrees are used and they do the job. Seperation can then be based on that heading.
There are not many ATCOs who could look at the radar screen and be correct to within 5 degrees of an aircrafts track every time.
One of the other reasons is for sequencing aircraft - ATCOs know what the still wind headings need to be for different scenarios and are capable of adjusting for the 'wind of the day'.
Every aircraft can fly a heading if instructed (though some crews seem to find it difficult
), as we have heard in some of the replies given here, it is not as easy for some aircraft to fly a track.The system of using headings works, and it works well; if it ain't broke (and more to the point if any change will not bring a benefit), then why fix it?
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: northumbria (ideally)
Age: 45
Posts: 155
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
B737NG - HDG SEL, estimate heading taking into account the wind vector displayed on the ND next to the track bar. Fine tune heading bug to fly desired track.
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: the Tearooms of Mars
Posts: 206
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The reason we get assigned radar headings is to fix the trajectory of one aircraft in relation to another. An aircraft following a track will change its heading in response to a change in either windspeed, wind direction, or TAS of the aircraft.
Heading is a constant. If it ain't broke . . .
Heading is a constant. If it ain't broke . . .
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: uk
Posts: 194
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Having watched various aircraft self position onto the loc, the ones that generally go through the loc and establish from the other side are the glass cockpit ones - so frankly I'd rather use my headings, based on the wind etc than trust the computers on the aircraft to fly a track!
louby
louby
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: Scotland
Posts: 417
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The thing that has baffled me is why sometimes ATC want everyone to fly "runway heading" after take-off in a strong crosswind, leading us all off extended centreline and in some cases over what are noise sensitive areas.
I was interested to note no Air Traffic Controller I have met uses "runway track". Their only two options are "runway heading" or "climb straight ahead"; the latter which means to me runway track but is unfortunately still ambiguous.
I was interested to note no Air Traffic Controller I have met uses "runway track". Their only two options are "runway heading" or "climb straight ahead"; the latter which means to me runway track but is unfortunately still ambiguous.
