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Understanding VDF Stations

Old 24th Jan 2013, 11:33
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Understanding VDF Stations

Can anyone help me with the above?

I am happy with the likes of QDM, QDF etc but when it comes to understanding some of the questions on airquiz i start to loose it a bit.

My question is in regards to the VDF bearings

if you are tracking to a VDF station using QDM and your bearings are decreasing surely this means you are getting closer?

but the answers in the multiple choice insist that you are drifting.

can anyone give me a pointer in the right direction?
thanks
phil.marsh is offline  
Old 24th Jan 2013, 12:28
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VDF doesn't give any info on distance so any answers that suggest distance, ignore.

VDF is purely direction, either from or to.

If your bearings are increasing or decreasing then you are drifting north or south.

When your question says your bearings are decreasing it means it is getting closer (anticlockwise) to due North (i.e 000 degrees or 360 degrees) it doesn't mean reducing in distance.

And remember QDM is Magnetic and QTE is True.

Last edited by Andy Mayes; 24th Jan 2013 at 12:43.
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Old 24th Jan 2013, 12:49
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Let’s imagine that you wish to fly to a VDF station that is located on a track of 090M. The initial range to the VDF station is 50 nm.

QDM is the magnetic track to the station, so in this case QDM = 090M

If you fly directly along this track without drifting to the left or to the right, of it, your VDF bearing to the station will remain unchanged at 090M. But your range to the station will gradually decrease. Your QDM will change only as you pass directly over the station.

If however you drift to the right of the intended track and you take no corrective action, you will pass to the south of the station. So your magnetic bearing to the station must have decreased. To correct for this change you will need to decrease your track direction by turning to the north. This means that drifting right when tracking east causes QDM to decrease.

If you drift to the left of the intended track and take no corrective action, you will pass to the north of the station. So your magnetic bearing to the station must have increased. To correct for this change you will need to increase your track direction by turning to the south. This means that drifting right when tracking east causes QDM to increase.

Drifting will increase or decrease QDM depending on the direction of the drift and the intended track direction. The exception to this rule occurs when a crosswind requires a certain degree of drift in order to track along the intended QDM.
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Old 5th Feb 2013, 19:17
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Thank you!!!

sorry for the delayed reply!!

Thank you guys you have definitely given me the knowledge that i lacked.
I was having trouble understanding the learning material that i have

thanks again!!
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