Instrument Rating
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Instrument Rating
Have just started my Multi/ Instrument rating here in Canada. I would like to ask if anyone has any tips or shortcuts in relation to using the ADF. I have been using tail to desired and beyond for the outbound track. How about the Inbound?
All replies appreciated.
All replies appreciated.
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Hi Flyndad,
Do you have an HSI? And is your ADF an RMI (i.e. not fixed card ADF, not adjustable card ADF)?
Pull the tail, push the head
- Pull the tail towards desired bearing if tracking FROM, push the head towards desired bearing if tracking TO. (Some pilots, including myself, don't like this because it is not good for fixed card ADF and some people don't like have two rules for whether tracking TO or FROM. But it's a simple rule and an old one!)
Turn towards the head
- Use the HSI as a desired track marker. Imagine the ADF needle superimposed on the HSI. Turn towards the head - that is, if the head of the needle is on the left side of the desired track bar, turn left to fix. If it's to the right of the desired track bar, turn right. (This one works for fixed card, adjustable card or RMI, and it works whether tracking TO or FROM the beacon.)
Fly the tail
- Imagine you are at the tail of the ADF and the beacon is at the centre. Again, using the HSI as a desired track marker, fly the aircraft to drag the tail to where you want it to go. (Works for all ADF's and whether TO or FROM, but ignores the head of the needle which is a little hard to get used to. A big plus is you can use this technique to fly directly from one bearing / DME fix to another - e.g. from bearing 120°/12DME to 173°/14DME without a GPS or radar vectors.)
You might already know this Flyndad, but in case you haven't been told by your instructor, try to develop a sense of where you are in your head, particularly on approaches. At any time you should be able to put your finger on the chart and say "I'm here, going in this direction, xxx miles to run until [event] happens." A little bit of that, is better in the long run than a whole lot of super-accurate ±5° tracking.
Merry Christmas!
O8
Do you have an HSI? And is your ADF an RMI (i.e. not fixed card ADF, not adjustable card ADF)?
Pull the tail, push the head
- Pull the tail towards desired bearing if tracking FROM, push the head towards desired bearing if tracking TO. (Some pilots, including myself, don't like this because it is not good for fixed card ADF and some people don't like have two rules for whether tracking TO or FROM. But it's a simple rule and an old one!)
Turn towards the head
- Use the HSI as a desired track marker. Imagine the ADF needle superimposed on the HSI. Turn towards the head - that is, if the head of the needle is on the left side of the desired track bar, turn left to fix. If it's to the right of the desired track bar, turn right. (This one works for fixed card, adjustable card or RMI, and it works whether tracking TO or FROM the beacon.)
Fly the tail
- Imagine you are at the tail of the ADF and the beacon is at the centre. Again, using the HSI as a desired track marker, fly the aircraft to drag the tail to where you want it to go. (Works for all ADF's and whether TO or FROM, but ignores the head of the needle which is a little hard to get used to. A big plus is you can use this technique to fly directly from one bearing / DME fix to another - e.g. from bearing 120°/12DME to 173°/14DME without a GPS or radar vectors.)
You might already know this Flyndad, but in case you haven't been told by your instructor, try to develop a sense of where you are in your head, particularly on approaches. At any time you should be able to put your finger on the chart and say "I'm here, going in this direction, xxx miles to run until [event] happens." A little bit of that, is better in the long run than a whole lot of super-accurate ±5° tracking.
Merry Christmas!
O8
Last edited by Oktas8; 18th Dec 2005 at 01:22.
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Totally agree with the 'imagine you are stuck on the tail of the needle with a drawing pin so you can pivot, the beacon is in the centre of the instrument'. Once on a steady heading, your imaginary aeroplane is always pointing vertically up the instrument. Draw a picture until you can imagine it.
Works all the time, is actually where you are and is perfect for situational awareness, including more advanced nav techniques. Have always used it for teaching and in real life single pilot IFR flying.
Set the required track on the HSI arrow (even if not tracking with the instrument), then fly to parallel the two arrows. Even if you are on a wind corrected heading, the two arrows will parallell if on track.
Works all the time, is actually where you are and is perfect for situational awareness, including more advanced nav techniques. Have always used it for teaching and in real life single pilot IFR flying.
Set the required track on the HSI arrow (even if not tracking with the instrument), then fly to parallel the two arrows. Even if you are on a wind corrected heading, the two arrows will parallell if on track.
Trying to teach NDB approaches using an RBI has been a nightmare for the past 'n' decades. Persistence was the only answer.
Should have been pensioned off years ago.
Anybody remember what a BFO switch was for ???? Or the significance of A0A1 beacons ...........??? Or tracking Consul beacons using your ADF at ridiculous ranges ?? ........................
or listening to the Archers to fill the time in ........??????????
Nostalgia or what !
A very Happy Christmas to all our readers.
Sleeve.
Should have been pensioned off years ago.
Anybody remember what a BFO switch was for ???? Or the significance of A0A1 beacons ...........??? Or tracking Consul beacons using your ADF at ridiculous ranges ?? ........................
or listening to the Archers to fill the time in ........??????????
Nostalgia or what !
A very Happy Christmas to all our readers.
Sleeve.
The ADF is a wonderful bit of kit for spacial awareness. I find the simplest way to get it across to people is simply to mentally overlay the RBI needle onto the DI (if you haven't got an RMI) and read-off your track to/from the beacon (use the tail for FROM, use the head for TO). Compare this to the number you want, if you're going away: turn Right for bigger numbers, if you're going Towards: turn R for smaller numbers. The advantage of this is that it's a really simple rule that you can use when you've just turned in-bound in the hold and don't have long to think. HTH
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A little bit of that, is better in the long run than a whole lot of super-accurate ±5° tracking.
In the UK, it's well known that your initial IR test is the hardest flight test of your life - afterwards it all gets easier for evermore
Read the tolerances beforehand to help towards a successful pass!
Good luck
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Although not at the dizzy heights of having an IR, I have recently qualified for an IMC rating.
I would thoroughly endorse the comments re RANT XL. It is a fantastic package, and saved me at least 5 hours flying time (according to my Instructor).
He had this fantastic tip, which I use for the ADF....
When flying towards the beacon... "If the needle head is RIGHT of where you want it.... turn RIGHT so that the needle head is on the LEFT..." then ask yourself, can the head of the needle FALL down to the bearing you want? If it can't, then you might have turned the wrong way! (Obviously, all this works in reverse too.... Needle head is LEFT of where you want it, turn LEFT so the needle head is on the RIGHT... etc etc)
When flying away from the beacon, the above is simply reversed...
"if the tail of the needle is RIGHT of where you want it.... turn LEFT!" then ask yourself, can the tail of the needle RISE up to the bearing you want?
It works brilliantly for me....
I would thoroughly endorse the comments re RANT XL. It is a fantastic package, and saved me at least 5 hours flying time (according to my Instructor).
He had this fantastic tip, which I use for the ADF....
When flying towards the beacon... "If the needle head is RIGHT of where you want it.... turn RIGHT so that the needle head is on the LEFT..." then ask yourself, can the head of the needle FALL down to the bearing you want? If it can't, then you might have turned the wrong way! (Obviously, all this works in reverse too.... Needle head is LEFT of where you want it, turn LEFT so the needle head is on the RIGHT... etc etc)
When flying away from the beacon, the above is simply reversed...
"if the tail of the needle is RIGHT of where you want it.... turn LEFT!" then ask yourself, can the tail of the needle RISE up to the bearing you want?
It works brilliantly for me....
