True Course vs True Heading vs Magnetic Heading - Five Questions

This video introduces five questions to help determine how to go from True Course to Magnetic Heading to Compass Heading. Plus, it walks through calculating ground speed. And, I do all this using a plotter and E6B to make the calculations!

Please be on the lookout for the next videos in this series.

00:00 What the heck?
00:17 A critical skill
00:40 Five Questions
01:16 True Course?
02:06 Wind Correction and Ground Speed?
04:22 True Heading?
04:46 Your Magnetic… heading
05:27 The Mystery Question
07:02 But wait, there is more!

Warning: The information provided in this video is for demonstration purposes only. The information and results cannot be used for an actual flight. To plan an actual flight, you will need to use the information in the Pilot’s Operating Handbook, and the other documents associated with the specific airplane you fly.

Reference Links:

There are several more videos to be added to this series! I can’t wait to share them with you!

[bbwxqx]

I like how you chuckled when stating you were going to use the manual E6B. Reminded me of my primary CFI many years ago doing the same. I soon learned why he chuckled and promptly bought an electronic E6B after getting my ppl.

[yamidgaray]

This video was excellent, thank you so much.

[jonathanb.]

this is the best video ive seen on the topic so far... you earned my subscription thank you for the help

[idekav.]

this is the most evil instruction i’ve ever received








thanks for the help, great vid man.

[ChrisWyatt-sx]

What about converting TC to MC first? Got to correct for the isogonic variation before you correct for wind. PHAK 8-25 (2023 edition). FAR 91.159.

[Rodhern]

My 10 cents on the mystery question.

If your principal navigation instrument is the magnetic compass, then it makes good sense to prepare ahead of time, and have compass headings in your navlog (including deviation correction). I have seen people do this.

That way, you point your nose by looking out the window, and any difference you notice between navlog and compass can be attributed to (slight) differences in winds compared to your forecast/planned winds; you already corrected for deviation.

If, however, you have and use a gyroscopic heading indicator (DI), then that is the explanation to your question at 6:40 . In that case it is way easier to correct for deviation as you set the DI (and every time you set the DI). That then means the navlog should be in magnetic heading (ignoring deviation and basically ignoring the magnetic compass alltogether).

The crux of the matter is, you do NOT want to set your DI off an almost random number of degrees (whatever the deviation happen to be), because then when you turn to a new heading you would have to remember the deviation valid for the heading where you last updated the DI.

As an example (counter example, really), say the deviation is -3(W) as you fly North, you set the DI to 003, because that is what the magnetic compass shows. You turn 90 deg to the right. You are now heading East. The magnetic compass shows 090, it just happens the deviation on this heading is zero, but the DI now shows 093. That is just confusing or cumbersome to deal with.

[rasim]

Another great video Scott!!! Quick question for you. If I am planing 100nm trip how often do I need to get winds aloft and do my wind calculations? Since wind direction and velocity change while we are traveling.

[LordBagdanoff]

You need to speak slower... Too fast not easy to understand.